>> CTA RIDERS LISTEN UP.

THE AGENCY'S PRESIDENT DORVAL CARTER SAYS IT IS WORKING TO RESTORE SERVICE TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO BUS AND RAIL SCHEDULE STARTING IN THE COMING WEEKS.

THAT ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AMID CONTINUED CRITICISM OF HIS LEADERSHIP AS THE TRANSIT AGENCY'S STRUGGLES TO DRAW RIDERS BACK AND IMPROVE RELIABILITY.

WDW NEWS REPORTER NICK BLOOMBERG JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

THE CTA PRESENCE BEEN HARD TO FIND IN RECENT YEARS.

WHERE WAS HE TODAY?

WELL, THAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY, THAT NOW REQUIRES CARTER TO ATTEND QUARTERLY HEARINGS IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL'S TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.

THAT'S WHERE WE HEARD FROM HIM EARLIER TODAY AS WE'RE STARTING TO GET BACK TO THOSE PREPANDEMIC SERVICE LEVELS THIS YEAR.

HE SAYS THAT PROCESS IS GOING TO BEGIN IN THE COMING WEEKS WITH NEW BUS AND RAIL SCHEDULES.

HE SAYS IT INCLUDES A PLANNED 44 PER CENT HIKE IN BUS SERVICE.

NOW THAT COMES AFTER A 2022 SCHEDULE CHANGE WAS ANNOUNCED THAT WAS TO REFLECT THE SERVICE.

THE AGENCY COULD ACTUALLY PROVIDE WITH CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS, THOUGH THEY WERE ADAMANT WASN'T A SERVICE CUTS IN STAFFING HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS, AT LEAST SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

SO WHERE THINGS STAND NOW?

WILL CARTER TOLD ALL PEOPLE THAT LAST YEAR THE AGENCY HIRED MORE THAN 1000 BUS OPERATORS THE MOST EVER IN A SINGLE YEAR.

BUT DATA OBTAINED BY WBTW NEWS SHOWS A NET DECREASE IN TRAIN OPERATORS LAST YEAR.

THAT'S BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE AGENCY'S RECRUITING EFFORTS LATELY.

ONE CATCHES THAT TRAIN OPERATORS FIRST HAVE TO START AS A FLAGGER.

>> OVERSEEING THE SAFETY OF CREWS ON ACTIVE TRACKS.

CURTIS SAYS THERE'S NO SET AMOUNT OF TIME THEY HAVE TO WORK AS A FLAGGER.

IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION OF GETTING THEM TRAINED AS AN OPERATOR AND A JOB BECOMING AVAILABLE.

NOW, THIS COMES AS THE AGENCY IS TRYING TO DRAW BACK PASSENGERS AND OF COURSE, THE REVENUE THAT THEY BRING RIDERSHIP LAST YEAR WAS STILL 60% OF PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.

AND PASSENGER REVENUE WAS OFF MORE THAN 250 MILLION DOLLARS FROM WHAT THE CTA TOOK IN DURING 2019.

NICK ARE GOING TO MAKE UP THAT GAP.

WELL, THE AGENCY STILL HAS FEDERAL COVID RELIEF MONEY THAT'S EXPECTED TO LAST THE END OF NEXT YEAR INTO 2026, PROBABLY.

BUT CARTER SAYS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM MEANS HE CAN'T COME UP WITH AN EASY SOLUTION HIMSELF.

>> THE IMPACT OF BY, YOU KNOW, 700 MILLION DOLLARS GAP IN OUR BUDGET.

IS BASICALLY COMPLETELY DEVASTATING.

I DON'T BELIEVE PERSONALLY WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT POINT WHERE THAT WILL BECOME A REALITY FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH.

REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SOLUTION IS GOING TO BE.

>> TO THAT AND THE CTA, METRA PACE, THE RTA, LOTS OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.

THEY'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH STATE LAWMAKERS.

THERE'S A PROPOSAL FOR UP TO A BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS IN NEW TRANSIT FUNDING.

CARTER SAYS RIGHT NOW THE CTA IS MORE SO BEEN WORKING TO EDUCATE LAWMAKERS ABOUT TRANSIT NEEDS, BUT THAT HASN'T THROWN ITS WEIGHT BEHIND ANY SPECIFIC SOURCES OF REVENUE YET.

NOW, TODAY'S HEARING ALSO HAD AN EXTENDED PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHERE CARTER HEARD FROM MANY UPSET TRANSIT ADVOCATES AND PASSENGERS, MANY OF WHOM WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM OUT OF A JOB, ALSO PUSHED BACK AGAINST SOME OF THEIR CRITIQUES.

HERE'S ONE COMMENTER AND CARTER'S RESPONSE TO A QUESTION LATER ON IN THE HEARING.

I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T LIKE THAT.

YOUR REPUTATION HAS BEEN SPIRIT LIKE THIS.

>> I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ENJOY.

AND WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU IS THAT FOR 4 YEARS, CHICAGOANS HAVE NOT BEEN ENJOYING THIS EITHER.

>> WE DON'T JUST LOOK AT WE ALSO WRITE OUR SYSTEM AND I SAY WE KNOW OUR SYSTEM BETTER THAN MOST PEOPLE WHO CRITICIZE >> AND CARTER'S COMMENT THERE CERTAINLY DREW SOME CHEERS FROM FOLKS IN THE GALLERY.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, PARIS, THE NEXT HEARING WILL COME IN SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER, BUT NO LATER THAN JUNE 30 AND THE KILLING MAJ AND THAT THOSE THAT RIDE THE SYSTEM REGULARLY KNOW THE SYSTEM PRETTY WELL TO ONE ASSUME, BUT CERTAINLY SOME EXPERTISE AT THE CTA.

SURE.

OKAY.

BERG, THANKS VERY MUCH.