Although its ridership has soared to more than 85 million in 2009, Metra’s administrative system is still stuck in the 20th century.
Critics say the Metra’s reliance on human personnel instead of electronic methods is irritating for new riders, reduces the efficiency and affects profits. In response, state officials and transit experts have put pressure on the Metra to modernize its outdated ticketing procedures and make the move to a more standardized system.
And now, something is being done about it. Under heavy pressure from Evanston’s state representative, the Regional Transit Authority announced its decision to create a universal fare card on April 3, but has failed to give any details. The representative, Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), will hold a hearing within the next few weeks to address the RTA’s vague response, said Angie Lobo, Hamos’ chief of staff.
“The hearing will ask the RTA what the plan is,” said Lobo, emphasizing the meeting will be public. “It ensures accountability to make sure (the RTA) does what they say they are going to do and forces them to put steps into motion to help riders.”
Currently, conductors go through each train, manually check riders and punch their paper tickets once the train has already departed the platform. They also sell tickets to passengers, and examine identification and documents for riders who qualify for discounts.
The universal card would be sold through machines accepting many forms of payment and would serve as a ticket for the three main transit subsystems in the Chicago area, Lobo said. Hamos has led Illinois’ Mass Transit Committee for about ten years and has put forth numerous efforts to move the state’s transportation system to a universal fare card.
The entire Chicago transportation system falls under the direction of the RTA, which was created in a legislative statute in 1983, Lobo said. The RTA is in charge of creating and administrating the universal fare card, but the legislature is capable of putting pressure on the organization to do so quickly.
Riding the Metra means people interact with personnel at each level, NU engineering Prof. Joseph Schofer said. But the operation becomes more efficient if customers don’t have to wait in long lines and if fewer personnel have to deal with tickets.
Longtime Metra employee Clarence Brookins agreed.
“There are definitely times when the line becomes so long that customers are forced to either miss the incoming train, or forego the line and pay the $2 fee added to the regular fare if an employee is present in the ticket office,” he said.
Although critics argued that the inconvenience surrounding the purchase of tickets hinders the system, others said it doesn’t affect them.
Metra rider Kate Schref said conductors can usually tend to all passengers. The Weinberg sophomore added that on-board transactions can be beneficial if running late, eliminating the risk of missing the train.
Communication junior Zach Johnson said he likes the current system, but for a different reason – it’s easy to get free rides by “ducking” to avoid a human conductor.
Schofer said the shift would benefit all riders, as well as the system itself.
“We are rapidly moving to a cashless society,” Schofer said. “It will definitely make the system more secure and easier for riders and students to use.”
