Tips & info

On this page:

•  What's new
      -- Upcoming Travel Healthy Kit events
      -- Face mask dispenser pilot
      -- Hand sanitizer dispenser pilot
      -- APTA Health & Safety Commitment 
•  Travel tips
•  Education & awareness efforts
      -- System signage
      -- Travel Healthy kits
•  More info
•  Customer communications during COVID-19

What's new

Face mask dispenser pilot

As part of our ongoing efforts to promote a healthy and safe travel environment, we're piloting offering free, disposable face masks on approximately 200 buses serving 20 bus routes, including high-ridership routes such as the #56 Milwaukee, #91 Austin and #77 Belmont.

The free face mask dispensers will be installed at the front of the bus, near where customers board. Each day prior to leaving the garage for service, each bus will be stocked with free, disposable face masks. Although every effort will be made to replenish the dispensers throughout the day, it is possible the masks will run out in the middle of the route.

We opted for piloting this on buses because replenishing dispensers on in-service vehicles is the biggest challenge to deploying a system-wide program. What we learn from this pilot will help us determine the current demand for masks and the logistics for replenishing stock on buses that are out in service all day without having to return to the garage.

If successful, the pilot will be rolled out to all remaining CTA bus routes and across the rail system. (more info)

Hand sanitizer dispenser pilot

^{New wall-mounted and foot-activated hand sanitizer dispensers at the Fullerton Red/Brown/Purple line station}

We recognize that regular hand cleaning with the use of hand sanitizer is one of the easiest practices that riders can follow to stay healthy while riding our system. In continuation of our ongoing efforts to provide you with a safe and healthy travel experience, we’ve installed new hand sanitizer dispensers at the following eight rail stations:

• 95^th/Dan Ryan (Red Line)
• Clark/Lake (Loop)
• O’Hare (Blue Line)
• Midway (Orange Line)
• Polk (Pink Line)
• Harlem/Lake (Green Line)
• Fullerton (Red/Brown/Purple lines)
• Howard (Red/Purple/Yellow lines)

Each location will feature at least one large, five gallon foot-activated dispenser, plus one wall mounted, hand pump dispenser for customers using mobility devices. 

This pilot is the latest in a series of initiatives we’ve implemented to make sure you feel safe while traveling our buses and trains, including: distribution of 16,000+ Travel Healthy Kits; bus crowding management; bus and train capacity limits; and an upgraded bus and rail ridership dashboard to help customers to better prepare for trips on our buses and trains aiming to avoid traveling during heavy ridership periods. 

APTA Health & Safety Commitment

CTA has earned the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Health & Safety Commitment seal—recognizing our efforts of fulfilling the highest industry commitments for keeping transit safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Developed by Washington, D.C.-based APTA through its Mobility Recovery & Restoration Task Force, the Health & Safety Commitments program outlines responsibilities for transit agencies and their customers to provide a healthy and safe transit environment. The responsibilities include:

• Following public health guidelines from official sources
• Protecting each other by requiring face coverings and other protection
• Keeping passengers informed and empowered to choose the safest times and routes to ride
• Putting health first by requiring riders and employees to avoid public transit if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or feel ill

Travel tips

We all play a role in helping keep CTA healthy and safe. Our vast system operates 24/7, and as a customer, there are many things you can do to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, including the following:

• Proper use/wearing of a face mask or covering is required when on CTA properties (per State order 2020-32)
• Wash your hands before/after traveling
• Limit touching surfaces (i.e. seat backs, stanchion bars or handles)
• Keep your distance: CDC recommends a minimum of 6 feet
  • Avoid sitting in a vacant seat directly next to another rider
  • Keep at least one row of seats between you and other riders
• Avoid crowded vehicles
  • Move to another rail car
  • Wait for the next bus/train

And as a reminder, health authorities recommend the following at all times:

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
• Stay home when you are sick

Education & awareness efforts

System signage

As part of our ongoing efforts to encourage everyone to continue practicing coronavirus safety measures, we've placed new circular floor decals at some stations urging social distancing. We've also expanded signage at stations and in vehicles urging the use of masks when taking public transit.

The new decals, which feature the message, “Be safe! Make a space!” in both English and Spanish, are evenly spaced along all platforms. Decals have also been placed throughout stationhouses near Ventra vending machines and in elevators.

Travel healthy kits

To welcome riders back and help promote a safe travel environment, we're scheduling numerous events throughout the system to distribute our free CTA Travel Healthy Kits (THKs). Each kit contains a reusable cloth mask, a 2 oz. bottle of hand sanitizer and a healthy travel tips guide. So far, we've distributed nearly 20,000 kits with even more events planned in 2021.

Upcoming THK events: 

This Saturday, January 30, beginning at 12 p.m./noon we'll be giving away free THKs at the following locations (while supplies last):

• 95^th/Dan Ryan Red Line (South Terminal Bldg.)
• Roosevelt Red/Green/Orange lines (Main entrance)
• Wilson Red/Purple lines (Main entrance)
• Pulaski Orange Line
• Ashland/Lake Green/Pink lines 
• Kimball Brown Line
• Logan Square Blue Line (Main entrance)
• Forest Park Blue Line

Stay tuned for additional events in 2021.

More info

• Employer Resources
  • Returning to CTA presentation (.pdf)
  • Customer Travel Guide (.pdf)
• Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH)
• Center for Disease Control and  Prevention (CDC)
• Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
• World Health Organization (WHO)

Customer communications during COVID-19

Ongoing collection of creatives we've used throughout the pandemic to keep you informed.