>>> BY YOU MOST TRAN SIS RIDERS HAVE EXPERIENCED ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ON A CTA, LATE OR MISSING BUSES, INADEQUATE CLEANING AND SAFETY ISSUES.

ONE FACTOR IS A HUGE STAFFING GAP THAT THE CTA HAVE BEEN WORKING TO ADDRESS.

AS WTTW REPORTED IN DECEMBER, THAT SHORT FALL HAS LED TO CTA TO INCREASINGLY RELY ON OVERTIME.

TONIGHT CHICAGO'S NICK LUMBERG HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS.

>> THAT STAFFING SHORT FALL YOU MENTIONED IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT.

THE CTA SAYS IT HAS 600 OPEN BUS DRIVER, WITH RETIREMENT AND VACATION TAKING ITS TOLL.

THEY HAVE RELIED ON OVERTIME TO KEEP BUSES AND TRAINS RUNNING.

A NEWS SHOW SHOWED THAT 15% HAD 50 HOURS OR MORE LAST YEAR, THAT'S AN UP TICK OF THE PREVIOUS HIGH OF 2021.

CONTINUING TO DWINDLE, 4,399 STAFFERS FILLING THOSE POSITIONS IN 2022, COMPARED WITH 4,580 IN 2021.

OF THOSE EMPLOYEES, 27 WERE PAID FOR AVERAGE WEEKS OF 80 HOURS OR MORE.

THREE WERE PAID OUT FOR AVERAGE WEEKS OF MORE THAN 100 HOURS.

THE AVERAGE HOUR FOR JUST 1 WEEK.

WE SHOULD NOTE BECAUSE THE CTA NUMBERS INCLUDE TIME OFF AND BREAK.

WHEN WE COVERED THIS ISSUE LAST YEAR.

THEY TOLD WTTW NEWS THAT THOSE HOURS CAN HAVE SERIOUS EFFECTS ON THE ABILITY OF TRAFFIC AND TRAIN OPERATORS TO DO THEIR JOB SAFETY.

THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH TRANSIT AGENCY THAT HAS BEEN UNDER FIRE.

>> NICK, FOR SO LONG THE PRESIDENT SAID, YES K THEY ARE WORKING ON THE HIRING ISSUES AND YET WE HAVE THESE PROBLEMS.

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT THIS.

>> THE CTA HAVE RULES AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE AIMED AT KEEPING OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS SAFE.

CTA SAYS THAT HELPS ENSURE THE SAFETY RECORD IS AROUND THE U.S.

THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO RECRUIT AND TRAIN NEW OPERATORS.

IN A STATEMENT A SPOKESPERSON SAID THE SHORTAGE WE ARE FACING IS A NATIONAL ISSUE.

AS SUCH, WE ANTICIPATE SEEING A SLIGHT INCREASE IN OPERATORS EARNING OVERTIME PAY IN 2022.

WE ARE NOW COMPETING WITH NUMEROUS OTHER INDUSTRIES FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO FILL POSITION WITH COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES AND AS SUCH WE HAVE TAKEN NUMEROUS AND EXTRAORDINARY STEPS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKETPLACE.

NOW, AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING, GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS BEST ATTENDED IN RECENT YEARS.

>> WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION AND WE CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE DAILY CHALLENGES THAT ANY TRANSIT SYSTEM FACES, AS WE CONTINUE TO DIG OUR WAY OUT OF THE IMPACT OF THIS PANDEMIC.

BUT I AM PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS THAT WE ARE MAKING.

>> THE CTA SAYS ITS GOAL FOR THIS YEAR IS TO HIRE 700 NEW BUS OPERATORS, ACCORDING TO ITS MOST RECENT UPDATE, THEY HAVE