METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Chicago's Scorecard Shows Improved Rail Service

The enhanced scorecard shows continued progress in many areas including rail and bus service, and also reflects the need for more work in other areas.

by Staff
November 10, 2022
Chicago's Scorecard Shows Improved Rail Service

The scorecard will continue to evolve over time to reflect new initiatives introduced in the coming months.

Credit:

DePaul University/Jeff Carrion

2 min to read


The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) issued its latest monthly scorecard tracking the progress the agency is making on initiatives introduced in support of its “Meeting the Moment” Action Plan. The enhanced scorecard shows continued progress in many areas including rail and bus service, and also reflects the need for more work in other areas.

Detailed data included in this scorecard provides riders and the public with transparent analysis of rail service delivery and ridership statistics.

Ad Loading...

Unveiled in August, the “Meeting the Moment: Transforming CTA’s Post-Pandemic Future” Action Plan is a multifaceted investment plan to strengthen the rider experience — more consistent and reliable service, safe rides, clean facilities, modern amenities, dynamic customer engagement tools, and a strong CTA workforce.

Each monthly scorecard shows the latest milestones and achievements related to the Action Plan. The scorecard also measures progress on key performance metrics. Among the results on the November scorecard:

The percentage of service delivered on rail lines continues to increase:

  • In October, 77.2% rail service was delivered, an increase from 71.8% in August this year.

  • In comparison to pre-pandemic service delivery, weekday service since October 23 is at 82.5% (it was 95.4% pre-pandemic), Saturday service at 77.3% (83.9% pre-pandemic) and Sunday service at 77.6% (87.1% pre-pandemic).

  • The Brown, Orange, Green, and Pink Lines are all providing more than 90% of their weekday scheduled service, a significant improvement from previous schedule. Blue Line service continues to see challenges from workforce unavailability, slow zones on the Forest Park branch, and intermittent weekend construction impact.

Instances of customers experiencing long wait times for trains — gaps known as double and triple the scheduled headways—on weekdays has dropped system-wide:

Ad Loading...
  • Triple headways down 61%.

  • Double headways down 45%.

The scorecard also shows continuing gains in ridership, and how the recent pandemic highs are spread across the system, especially on the downtown commuter routes. Compared to 2019, many of the neighborhood bus routes continue to have some of the highest retention of ridership. Additionally, CTA has hired more than 390 bus operators so far this year and will continue to focus on addressing workforce challenges in the coming months.

The scorecard will continue to evolve over time to reflect new initiatives introduced in the coming months. For example, CTA plans to provide a bus route-level analysis of service delivery after the implementation of new bus schedules later this winter.

The plan is the latest effort by CTA to further improve communication and demonstrate the progress it is making to improve the customer experience and address the most pressing challenges brought on by the pandemic.

More Management

A New Flyer 60-foot articulated bus
Busby StaffMay 29, 2026

WMATA Debuts 'Fares Pay for Service' Awareness Campaign

The campaign was highlighted during a media event at the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center in Silver Spring, where WMATA’s GM/CEO Randy Clarke joined Metro Transit Police officers, WMATA management team, board members, and staff to expand fare enforcement and customer education efforts on Metro Bus routes throughout the region.

Read More →
ManagementMay 29, 2026

Managing Complexity: HDR’s Brian Buchanan on Delivering Major Transit Programs

HDR’s transit program management lead discusses the challenges of overseeing large capital projects, adapting to cost and supply chain pressures, and the capabilities agencies need to build for the future.

Read More →
Managementby StaffMay 29, 2026

Seattle’s Sound Transit Adopts Updated ST3 System Plan

The updated system plan incorporates cost savings across the agency, including new revenue sources and financial policies, to set the agency on a sustainable path for the future.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Managementby StaffMay 29, 2026

Audit Finds Regional Coordination Across California's East Bay Transit Agencies

The State Auditor further concluded that while collaboration among transit agencies is functioning, the Bay Area’s public transportation systems face mounting structural fiscal pressures that threaten future service levels if sustainable funding solutions are not secured.

Read More →
Biz Briefs for May 29, 2026

Biz Briefs: Foothill Gold Line Award, Matawan Contract, and More

From strategic partnerships to acquisitions and service expansions, the industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Find out all the latest here.

Read More →
An EMBARK bus going down the street.
Managementby Alex RomanMay 28, 2026

Inside Look: EMBARK Expands Fare-Free Transit Program Through New Public-Private Partnership

The OKC transit agency says sponsorship helps subsidize the Third Friday Free initiative while reducing barriers for first-time riders and boosting ridership across buses, streetcars, and river cruises.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A green TriMet FX bus at a bus stop.

Oregon's TriMet Adopts Major Budget Cuts to Address Financial Shortfall

The board adopted the agency’s fiscal year 2027 budget, approving approximately $64.5 million in spending reductions, including about $53 million in administrative cuts and roughly $11 million in service reductions.

Read More →
A blue OCTA transit bus at a bus stop.
Technologyby StaffMay 28, 2026

OCTA Sees Growing Adoption of Wave Fare Payment System

Since launching in October 2025, the Wave system has steadily replaced previous fare media with faster, more flexible payment options designed to streamline boarding, improve reliability, and help riders more easily access fare discounts and cost-saving benefits, said OCTA

Read More →
Managementby StaffMay 27, 2026

North Carolina's Metropolitan Transit Commission Concludes Decades of Leadership

To commemorate the occasion, current members of the MTC were presented with a custom painting of the Charlotte Transportation Center in Uptown.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
CTAA award presented to Mountain Line
Managementby StaffMay 27, 2026

Montana's Mountain Line Named Nation’s Best Transit System by CTAA

The award was presented to Mountain Line representatives at the CTAA Expo in mid-May, with bus operator Bryan Ursery, who has worked at Mountain Line for more than two decades, accepting the award on the agency's behalf.

Read More →