Ticket Agent Tamara Powell had just started working at Union Station in March 2020 when COVID-19 hit. She’s been greeting customers with a smile as ridership has grown steadily since then.
What was it like for you during the early days of the pandemic?
It was real, real, slow, and real quiet. For a while there we weren’t taking cash, we were only doing credit cards. But it gave me a chance to really train for everything, so when people started coming back, I was ready.
Were you happy to see riders return?
Definitely. That meant there was some life coming back. Everything before that was really doom and gloom.
What are you hearing from customers about our $100 Super Saver Pass?
Our customers are really excited, and they want to know why we are doing this. I just tell them, ‘We’re trying to get riders back.’
What do you like the most about your job?
I like working with people, and I like the people I work with.
What does My Metra mean to you?
Customer service. It means providing the best customer service that we can provide. With the pandemic, ridership has really fallen off, so we want to try to get our customers back, and being as friendly and helpful as possible will actually make them come back a lot more.