Loud chants echoed through the streets as more than a hundred passionate advocates gathered at Chicago’s Union Station in recent weeks, their voices rising in unison: “Public transit. Public good. Fix it, fund it, as you should!”
Their unified call: for the Illinois General Assembly to reconvene for a special summer session in Springfield to fix and fund public transit before it is too late.
“We’re here today because we know what’s possible, if we win. We know what we lose, if we don’t,” said Equiticity Advocacy Director Jose Manuel Almanza. “This isn’t just about buses and trains, it’s about dignity. It’s about respect. It’s about whether someone can get to their doctor’s appointment, pick up their kid on time, or make it to class without fear or delay.”
Led by the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, advocates from Active Transportation Alliance, Equiticity, Better Streets Chicago, The People’s Lobby, Sierra Club, Illinois Environmental Council, Environmental Law and Policy Center, and members of ATU Local 308— joined by Senators Villivalam and Guzman— came together to demand urgent action.
Will you stand with us in urging the General Assembly to reconvene in Springfield for a special session this summer? It’s time to deliver meaningful reforms and commit $1.5 billion to our transit system, ensuring that everyone—no matter where they live—can count on safe, reliable, and affordable transportation for generations to come.
A CHANCE TO PASS HISTORIC LEGISLATION
Millions of riders depend on our regional transit system. Yet, as most of us are painfully aware, the system stands at the brink of a major crisis.
This spring, lawmakers left Springfield without finalizing a solution to the transit fiscal cliff—a staggering $770 million budget deficit facing Northeast Illinois transit agencies.
While the Senate passed HB3438, a bill Senator Villivalam described as a “historic package of reforms and a transformational $ 1.5 billion investment in our public transit system across the state”— the clock ran out before the House could vote on it. (Read more about what’s in the bill here.)
Now, riders and workers are staring down at the possibility of devastating service cuts — up to 40% across all agencies — and the potential loss of around 3,000 jobs.
“If people can’t take transit, they’re going to be forced to take the roadways,” warned Orlando Rojas, union leader of Local 653. “Those who can’t afford a car or aren’t able to drive will have to rely on ride shares, taxis, or other forms of alternate transportation. This will add more traffic to our roads, and it would be disastrous. Disastrous for the people who depend on transit, disastrous for the area’s economy, disastrous for the environment, and disastrous for the quality of life for everyone in the region, if not the entire state.”
THE IMPACTS WILL BE FELT ACROSS THE REGION
The rally made one thing unmistakably clear: unless legislators return to Springfield soon and pass legislation to fix and fund transit, the consequences will ripple across our entire region, impacting riders and non-riders alike.
Transit workers will feel the effects first, but by early 2026, cuts to train lines and bus routes could harm millions.
Evan Urshell—a member of the People’s Lobby from Wheaton, Illinois—shared a powerful personal story underscoring the importance of reliable transit, especially during life’s most difficult times.
While undergoing months of chemotherapy for a rare tumor, he depended on public transit but often found himself facing long walks and lengthy wait times due to limited service and poor coordination between transit agencies.
“If people decide that it’s easier to just walk for miles rather than to take the bus or wait up to an hour for a train to take them back home after chemotherapy, clearly there’s a lot of work we have to do to reform transit in this state,” Urshell said. “Our current system doesn’t work for us. Especially if you’re facing a health crisis.”
As the rally continued, Jose Manuel Almanza of Equiticity, brought the voices of Chicago’s West and South Side Neighborhoods to the forefront. Almanza highlighted a recent Public Transit Townhall in McKinley Park, where residents from La Villita, Brighton Park, Pilsen, Rogers Park, and beyond gathered to share not only their frustrations, but also their hopes and dreams for a better transit system.
That sense of hope was shaken when the public transit funding bill failed to pass, a setback Almanza described as a “gut punch” that deepened community frustration and apathy.
Yet, he emphasized the importance of showing up and continuing to demand action. “If lawmakers return to Springfield and do the right thing, if they pass the $1.5 billion investment in public transit, we can build something worthy of our communities’ dreams. A system where buses show up. Where Metra and CTA connect. Where no one is forced to wait in the dark or miss work because the system failed them.”
TAKE ACTION: YOUR VOICE MATTERS
Our transit system—and the future of our communities—depends on what happens next.
Don’t let this moment pass by. Contact your state legislators today and urge them to return to Springfield for a special session to fix and fund public transit. Together, we can build a system that works for everyone.
Send a message to your legislator now!
Watch a recording of the rally here: