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3/11/2026
The Chicago Transit Authority yesterday submitted a revised security enhancement plan to the Federal Transit Administration for review, as ordered by FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro.
The FTA on Dec. 8, 2025, ordered the CTA to submit a plan to address assaults on transit workers and other public safety concerns, but the CTA's initial plan, submitted Dec. 15, 2025, was rejected by the FTA because it did not sufficiently address the federal agency's concerns. As a result, the CTA was required to submit a revised plan by March 19 or it would risk losing 25% of its federal funding.
The revised plan calls for a 75% increase in monthly CTA system policing hours, including a 34% increase in scheduled patrol hours from the Chicago Police Department's (CPD) public transit section; double the number of off-duty officers patrolling CTA as part of the CPD's voluntary special employment program; and 4,400 hours monthly of Cook County Sheriff officers patrolling CTA's rail lines, said CTA officials in a press release.
The CTA and CPD also have implemented a transit rider interaction program (TRIP), in which teams of officers board and inspect trains at high-incident stations. Over 300 TRIP missions have been completed since the program began in January, and crime at the targeted stations has dropped by 15%, said CTA officials.
Compared to the six-month average leading up to the start of the patrol surge in December 2025, the number of assaults on transit workers fell 25% across the CTA's rail and bus systems in January and 29% in February, they added.
Additionally, incidents of crime on the CTA rail system fell 9% when comparing the period since the start of the patrol surge through the end of February with the same period the prior year.
The revised plan includes stronger crime reduction targets and expanded social service support, including partnerships with the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services and the Chicago Department of Public Health to connect riders to shelter and social services. The CTA also plans to implement more tactics to reduce fare evasion through farecard inspections and high-barrier gates, said CTA officials.