>>> WITH THE CTA BATTLING BACK FROM A STAFFING SHORT FALL AND MAJOR SERVICE PROBLEM, MAYOR-ELECT JOHNSON IS KEEPING MUM ON THE FUTURE OF AGENCY LEADERSHIP.

THE CTA IS STILL SHORT 600 FULL TIME BUS AND RAIL OPERATORS, 350 JOB SEEKERS FILLED CTA HEADQUARTERS THIS MORNING FOR THE FIFTH JOB FAIR OF THE YEAR.

THE AGENCY IS LOOKING FOR BUS DRIVERS, MECHANICS, RAIL FLAGGERS WHO CAN ONE DAY MOVE UP TO TRAIN OPERATORS.

CHICAGO TONIGHT REPORTS, THE CTA'S PRESIDENT IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PACE OF HIRING.

>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME-OUT OF YOUR DAY TO COME DOWN HERE.

>> Reporter: AS THE CTA TRIES TO REVERSE SERVICE AND STAFFING LOSSES, IT HAS BEEN PUTTING A BIG FOCUS ON HIRING.

THIS JOB FAIR IS GIVING APPLICANTS A CHANCE TO HEAR ABOUT OPEN POSITIONS, TAKE TESTS AND DO INTERVIEWS AND GET ON THE PATH TO A CTA CAREER.

>> I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I NEED ALL OF YOU.

>> Reporter: THE CTA STAFFING SHORT FALL PREDATED THE PANDEMIC AS WE HAVE REPORTED BUT COVID-19 MADE IT WORSE.

>> WE LOST A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO RETIREMENT AND RESIGNATION.

SO, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO START TO REBUILD OUR WORKFORCE.

>> Reporter: CARTER SAYS THE AGENCY'S CURRENT COMPLEMENT OF BUS AND RAIL OPERATORS IS ABOUT 85% OF THE WORKFORCE IN ITS BUDGET.

>> WE HAVE BEEN HOLDING, LITERALLY, MONTHLY JOB FAIRS, THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

I THINK AT THIS JOB FAIR WE HAD 1,000 PEOPLE SIGN UP.

>> IN ADDITION TO HIRING, THE CTA IS CHANGING THE BUS AND RAIL SCHEDULES TO REFLECT THE RUNS THAT IT CAN PROVIDE, GOOD EVENING ITS WORKFORCE.

>> ACTUAL RUNS EVERY DAY IS LOWER THAN WHAT WE SAW A YEAR AGO.

IT IS MORE RELIABLE.

>> Reporter: BRANDON IS WITH THE TRANSIT ADVOUCHACE GROUP ADVOCACY.

HE ANALYZES SYSTEM-WIDE DATA SAYING THE CTA IS NOW DELIVERING 85%-90% OF PROMISED SERVICE EVERY DAY >> IT IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE SAW, YOU KNOW, BACK IN JUNE AND JULY OF 2022 AND MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT.

>> Reporter: HE IS GLAD TO SEE THE FOCUS RAIL FLAGGER JOBS?

THE MOST RECENT FAIR SINCE THAT IS THE NECESSARY ENTRY LEVEL BEFORE SOMEONE CAN BE A TRAIN OPERATOR.

>> WE ARE SEE EGG TREND DOWNWARDS IN THE NUMBER OF RAIL OPERATORS AND MORE OR LESS THE SAME NUMBER OF BUS OPERATORS IN THE NETWORK.

>> THE STAFFING CHALLENGES THAT THE CTA IS FACING ARE AN INDUSTRYWIDE PROBLEM.

THE AGENCY IS FACING ANOTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT CLEANLINESS SECURITY AND ISSUES OF HOMELESS.

>> FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASON IT IS TOUGH ENVIRONMENT.

WE CONTACTED WITH SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND INCREASED THE PRESENCE OF SECURITY PERSONNEL AND MORE EYES AND EARS ON THE SYSTEM TO HELP REPORT CRIME AND ADDRESS ISSUES BEFORE THEY ARE MORE OF A PROBLEM.

>> Reporter: HE HAS TAKEN HIS FAIR SHARE OF HITS FROM PASSENGERS AND POLITICIANS, ASKED IN A NEWS INTERVIEW EARLIER THIS MONTH IF HE WOULD KEEP CARTER IN THE JOB, MAYOR-ELECT JOHNSON SAID.

>> I WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, WITH HIM.

I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE A PARTICULAR VISION.

THE CITY OF CHICAGO SURROUNDED MY CANDIDANCY ON MY VISION AND I WILL HEAR HIM OUT FOR HIS EXPERTISE IN THIS ROLE.

FROM THAT CONVERSATION WE WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHAT THE BEST PATHWAY FORWARD IS FOR CTA.

>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE RECENT DATA, CTA SAYS THEY HAVE 715 OF 839 BUDGETED FULL TIME TRAIN OPERATORS AND 3,220 OF 3,707 BUDGED FULL TIME BUS DRIVERS >> WE ARE AHEAD OF TARGET ON OUR GOAL.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MORE PEOPLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO