CTA Facts at a Glance
(as of Summer 2009)
Service Overview
The Chicago Transit Authority ("CTA") operates the nation's second largest public transportation system. On an average weekday 1.7 million rides are taken on CTA. The CTA is a regional transit system that serves 40 suburbs, in addition to the City of Chicago, and provides 81 percent of the public transit trips in the six-county Chicago Metropolitan-area region either with direct service or connecting service to Metra and Pace.
CTA has 1,971 buses that operate over 150 routes and 2,517 route miles. Buses make about 24,195 trips a day and serve approximately 11,701 posted bus stops.
On the rapid transit system, CTA's 1,190 rail cars operate over eight routes and 224.1 miles of track. CTA trains make about 2,391 trips each day and serve 144 stations.
Chicago is one of few cities in the world that has rail service to two major airports. CTA's Blue Line 'L' can take customers to O'Hare International Airport. Orange Line trains, which operate clockwise on the Loop 'L' strucutre, travel to Midway Airport.
CTA also provides around-the-clock service on certain routes. During late night and early morning hours, major rail lines and some of CTA's bus routes offer "Night Owl" service, much of it with connecting schedules and routing.
Organization
CTA is an independent governmental agency created by state legislation. CTA began operating on Oct. 1, 1947, after it acquired the properties of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the Chicago Surface Lines. On Oct. 1, 1952, CTA became the predominant operator of Chicago transit when it purchased the Chicago Motor Coach system.
Governance & Oversight
The governing arm of CTA is the Chicago Transit Board. Terry Peterson serves as Chairman. The board consists of seven members, four appointed by the Mayor of Chicago and three by the Governor of Illinois.
The Mayor's appointees are subject to the approval of the Governor and the Chicago City Council; the Governor's appointees are subject to the approval of the Mayor and the Illinois State Senate. CTA's day-to-day operations are directed by Richard L. Rodriguez, President.
CTA generates revenue from both farebox collections and non-farebox revenues, and also receives supplemental funding for operating expenses from the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA).
The RTA was established in 1974 to oversee local transportation operators in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area. Illinois state law requires the three RTA service boards—CTA, Metra (the suburban rail system) and Pace (the suburban bus system) to recover collectively at least 50 percent of operating costs from farebox and other system revenues. The CTA recovery ratio for 2007 was 53.58 percent. RTA provides public funding for the agencies' remaining operating expenses.
Service Area
| Area served by CTA |
Chicago and 40 suburbs |
| Service population |
3.9 million
(based on 2000 Census) |
| 2009 Operating budget |
$1.306 billion |
| 2009 Capital budget |
$577.1 million |
Ridership
| Average Weekday (2008) |
|
| Bus |
1.04 million |
| Rail |
0.64 million |
| Total system |
1.68 million |
| 2008 Totals |
|
| Bus |
328.2 million |
| Rail |
198.1 million |
| Total system |
526.3 million |
Route Statistics
| Bus route miles |
2,517 |
| Bus miles traveled per day |
221,350 |
| Rail route miles |
224.1 |
| Rail miles traveled per day |
214,970 |
| Miles of elevated structure |
35.8 |
| Miles of 'L' at grade level |
35.0 |
| Miles of 'L' embankment, etc. |
20.6 |
| Miles of subway |
11.4 |
| Clearance range of 'L' structure in the Loop |
13'3"-19'4" |
Number of...
| Buses |
1,971 |
| Bus routes |
150 |
| Bus stops |
11,701 |
| Rail cars |
1,190 |
| Rail lines |
8 |
| Rail stations |
144 |
| Employee positions |
10,500 |
Important transit dates in Chicago
| Horse car service began |
Apr. 25, 1859 |
| Cable car service began |
Jan. 28, 1882 |
| First electric streetcars |
Oct. 2, 1890 |
| First rail line |
June 6, 1892 |
| Loop Elevated opened |
Oct. 12, 1897 |
| First motor bus service |
Mar. 25, 1917 |
| Trolley bus service began |
Apr. 17, 1930 |
| State Street Subway opened |
Oct. 17, 1943 |
| CTA became operating entity |
Oct. 1, 1947 |
| Dearborn Subway opened |
Feb. 25, 1951 |
| Last streetcar ran |
June 21, 1958 |
| Skokie Swift service began |
Apr. 20, 1964 |
| Expressway median operation: |
|
| - Congress (Eisenhower) |
June 22, 1958 |
| - Dan Ryan |
Sept. 28, 1969 |
| - Kennedy |
Feb. 1, 1970 |
| Rail service to O'Hare |
Sept. 3, 1984 |
| Rail service to Midway |
Oct. 31, 1993 |
| Rail line names switched to colors |
Feb. 21, 1993 |
| Fare Cards introduced |
August 18, 1997 |
| Pink Line service began |
June 25, 2006 |