Blog
Keep up with the latest news
on Active Trans and topics that
we care about in the region.
Two community youth leaders pressed the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) board at the February meeting on service and cleanliness issues, earning commitments from CTA leadership that they would work to address their concerns. Minerva Garcia and Yalinette Rivera are youth organizers from the Belmont Cragin Youth Leadership Council, a part of the Northwest Side Housing Center. Both Minerva and Yalinette testified at CTA’s February board meeting. […]
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Hundreds of advocates and community leaders joined Congressman Chuy Garcia and Congresswoman Robin Kelly in Chicago’s first celebration of National Transit Equity Day on February 4. Transit Equity Day serves as a national day of action that commemorates the birthday of Rosa Parks while reminding us that public transit is a civil right. It was started four years ago by […]
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Jacky Grimshaw has made an indelible mark on the transportation scene in metropolitan Chicago. The longtime sustainable transportation advocate has spent the last 30 years working to improve walking, bicycling, and public transit conditions in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. She’s been a prominent, influential force that has helped to shape and advance an equitable, affordable, and sustainable transportation system […]
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The Bicycle Film festival has been celebrating bicycles through art, film, and music since 2001. This year, when the festival makes its virtual stop in Chicago February 24 – March 7, Active Trans will serve as the host. The film festival appeals to a wide audience, from film connoisseurs to avid cyclists and everyone in between. A portion of proceeds […]
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Update (11/5/21): Unfortunately, the RTA has since abandoned this data-driven approach that considers racial equity and returned to a more standard formula process for allocating federal funds. This decision has sparked ire and consternation among the transit agencies, highlighting our region’s inability to plan and coordinate transit service effectively. — To achieve greater equity in the Chicago region, we must […]
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For the past four years on February 4, a network of transit rider unions, community organizations, environmental groups, and labor unions have organized Transit Equity Day. Transit Equity Day serves as a national day of action that commemorates the birthday of Rosa Parks while reminding us that public transit is a civil right. We hope you can join us for […]
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Join us in February for a week-long mobilization event aimed at creating better walking, biking, and transit in Chicagoland’s suburban communities. Suburban Action Week, taking place February 15 – 20, will feature a series of short online talks and workshops with advocates, county staff, and community leaders from the region. Whether you are new to advocacy, a seasoned leader, or […]
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After two years of pilot programs, Chicago is well-positioned to create a long-term e-scooter sharing program that is focused on neighborhoods lacking transportation options. The four-month long second e-scooter pilot program ended in mid-December. Bird, Lime, and Spin were the vendors, with a limit of 3,333 scooters per vendor. This was four times the number of scooters deployed in the […]
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The Chicago Transit Authority took an important step forward in keeping riders safe and healthy by starting to offer free, disposable face masks on approximately 200 buses serving 20 bus routes. Kudos to the CTA for making the move, which began at the end of 2020. Making masks readily available on all buses and trains is the best way to […]
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The money coming to Chicago-area transit agencies from the second federal COVID relief bill should help avoid major additional service cuts in 2021, but the fight is far from over. The COVID-19 Economic Relief Bill, passed by Congress in late December, includes approximately $486 million in emergency support for Chicago transit. The regional transit budget shortfall for 2021 was about […]
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