This is typically the time of year when Metra starts talking about next year’s budget and what that means for our riders. To say this year will be different is a major understatement.
As we have warned for years, next year we anticipate a big deficit. When ridership (and therefore fare revenue) fell at the start of the pandemic, Congress stepped up with generous COVID-relief funding to keep public transit operating across the country. But that funding is running out next year, before ridership has fully rebounded, leaving a big hole to be filled.
Springfield came close in the spring session to passing a bill that provided new funding as well as some significant reforms to how public transit is governed, but it fell short. The hope is that lawmakers return to Springfield and approve a bill before we have to take drastic steps to balance expenses with much lower revenues.
Because we don’t know what will happen, the RTA has ordered us to prepare two alternatives: one that assumes no new money is coming, and therefore balances with fare increases and service cuts, and one that assumes enough funding is approved to at least maintain the status quo (but that scenario will also likely include a fare increase). You can read more details here.
We know this uncertainty will be stressful, but we will do our best to keep you informed. And we won’t let this distract us from providing you with safe, reliable, and comfortable service.
One of the ways we keep you safe is with our Metra Police Department and its canine officers. You can read about them here. Another way is through our annual Safety Competition for the region’s schoolchildren. The results of the latest competition are here.
And despite the uncertainty, we still have to plan for the future. That’s what our Systemwide Network Plan is all about.
We hope you check out all the other stories and regular features in this quarter’s issue. And hopefully by the next issue we’ll have a better idea of what’s in store in 2026.
