Overview

• The legislation would rebrand the Regional Transportation Authority as the Northern Illinois Transit Authority with expanded authority over Metra, Pace and CTA coordination under a one-network model.
• It mandates creation of a regional law enforcement task force led by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office alongside CPD, Metra police and other agencies to improve transit safety.
• A transit ambassador program must be in place by June 2026 to assist riders and connect them with social and medical services.
• The proposal calls for a universal fare system to unify ticketing and schedules across all major Chicago-area transit agencies by February 2030.
• No funding mechanism is included to cover the projected $771 million fiscal gap, raising the risk of station closures and service cuts if revenue solutions aren’t secured by Saturday’s deadline.