CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 15: Passengers board a Metra commuter train at Union Station on September 15, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Metra, which operates many of its suburban train routes on lines shared with freight rail companies, was preparing to cancel service to some communities if the freight railroad workers went on strike. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
As Metra looks to dial in its long-term transit plan in the Chicago area, the agency is asking for help from the public to help it make decisions on its direction.
In that effort, the agency is asking riders to participate in a survey, which will obtain information on how often riders use the system, what they use it for, and what changes they say could make a difference in how often they ride its trains.
The agency’s “Systemwide Network Plan” is studying changes that can be made on train lines, specifically in relation to their schedules and infrastructure.
Riders can take the survey via Metra’s website.
A virtual meeting will be held on May 30 at 7 p.m. to discuss the plan, with more outreach expected in future months. Registration for that meeting can be found here.
Metra unveiled a new fare structure earlier this year, reducing the number of fare zones from 10 to 4 and simplifying its pricing to better serve riders, according to the agency.
The agency currently operates 11 different rail lines across the city, with an estimated daily ridership of 150,000 during the week, according to its latest estimates from Dec. 2023.
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