New budget prioritizes service enhancements, employee development and system modernization to exceed pre-pandemic service levels and ridership
The Chicago Transit Board today approved the Chicago Transit Authority’s $2.16 billion operating budget for 2025, a strategic plan designed to maintain current fares, enhance bus and rail services beyond pre-pandemic levels and support continued investments in infrastructure and technology. The budget aims to further elevate the transit experience by prioritizing investments that address what’s most important to our riders, including system security, accessibility, reliability and safety.
“We are setting a course for a transit system that surpasses our service delivery, ridership levels and quality from 2019,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “This budget reinforces our commitment to modernize the CTA, both in terms of service and infrastructure, while keeping our riders’ needs at the forefront. Our employees have been essential to CTA’s progress, and with this budget, we will continue to strengthen our workforce, improve accessibility and expand services.”
The approved budget reflects an 8.1 percent increase over 2024’s budget. Key initiatives include ongoing workforce recruitment and training to maintain elevated service levels, especially during peak hours, and implementing enhanced customer communication tools. These enhancements aim to deliver a safer, more reliable and seamless transit experience. The CTA is also earmarking $3.3 million (or 5 percent of the Security budget), which will be used to solicit community input for the development of future pilots aimed at improving public safety.
A major achievement in 2024, included returning bus operator staffing to pre-pandemic levels, which improved service reliability with 98.1% of scheduled bus service delivered as of August. Rail services have also seen marked improvements, with service levels now restored to pre-pandemic levels, and service reliability reaching 96 percent. CTA is on track to meet its goal of training 200 new rail operators by the end of the year.
CTA’s separate $6.96 billion Capital Improvement Program for 2025-2029 emphasizes critical projects to strengthen infrastructure, promote accessibility, and support new technology. Highlights include:
- Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One: Expected completion of Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr station reconstruction projects.
- Red Line Extension (RLE): New track and station construction is expected to begin in late 2025 and be completed in 2030, to extend the Red Line to city’s southern limits, improving access for the Far South Side.
- Accessibility: Six newly accessible stations planned for 2025, including Lawrence, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, Argyle, Racine, and Austin, with $37 million allocated for elevator replacement.
- Fleet Modernization: Continued production of the 7000-series railcars and overhauls of 5000-series trains, along with facility updates to accommodate electric buses.
- Operations Control and Training Facility: Planned construction of a new 24/7 operations and training center in West Garfield Park, set to support over 10,000 employees.
More information on the 2025 budget is available at transitchicago.com/finance.