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2h ago

RTA Faces $202–$230 Million 2026 Gap as Veto Session Deadline Nears

Union outreach intensifies to push Springfield toward new transit revenues that could avert 2026 cuts.

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A group of people wear transportation-themed T-shirts and cardboard cutouts while waiting to deliver petitions to legislators during the legislative session at the Illinois Capitol, Oct. 28, 2025, in Springfield. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
A Pace No. 755 bus and a CTA No. 126 bus travel on Jackson Boulevard at Clinton Street in Chicago on Aug. 18, 2025. Cars account for 70% of transportation emissions, while the entire CTA, Metra and Pace system produces only 2% to 3%. Without robust transit, we’d add half a million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year.(Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • The shortfall has narrowed from earlier forecasts but remains unresolved as lawmakers race to craft a deal before Thursday’s veto‑session adjournment.
  • Measures under discussion include a 10% rideshare surcharge and a retail delivery fee, with the Senate having passed a package in May that featured a $1.50 per‑delivery charge.
  • Gov. J.B. Pritzker said negotiations on how to close the gap are ongoing, while Republicans press for governance changes first and Democrats frame added funding as an economic boost.
  • Pace is taking public comment on a 2026 budget that includes a 10% fare increase, and the CTA has signaled its first fare hike since 2018.
  • Transit workers canvassed stations to warn riders about potential layoffs and severe service reductions in 2026 if no agreement is reached.