Dear Dorval Carter,
As a Chicagoan for the last 30 years, and a Chicagoland resident for 28 more, all without owning a car, I much appreciate the CTA. I had failed to grasp that there is one leader of the CTA, and how long you have acted in that capacity—until recently. It took me seeing your presence on the news and in the paper last June to realize who was heading the public transport that I’ve relied on for years. I can only imagine what a huge task it must be to keep the City going in this way! It’s like allowing blood cells in a body to move so that they can keep the amazing creature that is Chicago alive! We are one of the largest systems in the world, with a healthy mixture of residents, students, artists, tourists. Families; citizens of many generations; people with and without much money to spend on getting around can contribute to each other, and larger causes, because of your efforts over the years. Mr. Carter, thank you!
My State Senator, Mike Simmons, recently met with you regarding transport issues. I would like to help you and him and Mayor Johnson plan for a safer and enriched future, for CTA employees and Chicago riders. The following are my thoughts on the CTA.
1. The ghost bus phenomenon is worrisome. If I were you, I would communicate about this situation: there are ghost buses: why? Because the driver doesn’t show up? Because the bus has broken down? These are legitimate reasons, and it would hearten riders to know them. I know Mike Simmons was bringing this issue up at the recent meeting you folks attended. It is important, but I think not the most vital issue you should deal with.
2. My foreign-born housemate and I agree that all drivers we have experienced have been kind, intelligent, alert and responsible: you are doing a great job hiring! With this letter, I also hope to empower some of my heroes, Chicago CTA train operators and bus drivers.
3. I worry for their health. It has become clear to me after studying governmental movement efforts to prevent citizen sedentary lifestyles that sitting for long periods of time is extremely harmful to one’s wellbeing—like smoking cigarettes. My source, Katy Bowman, of the website nutritiousmovement.com, writes in Move Your DNA (the book) that some of the afflictions that scientists thought were genetic are, actually, conditions exacerbated by not moving enough. (“Put down this book and walk around!” she says, at one point.) I have not read Joan Vernikos’ book Sitting Kills, Moving Heals, but she used to work for NASA: she found that astronauts’ bodies aged disproportionately when they were apart from Earth’s gravity. “What do you want me to do?” You’re possibly wondering. I must direct you to Paul Hedge of Cornell, who suggests that for every half hour of sitting at work, employees should sit for 20 minutes, stand for 10, and move around for 2. Well, what makes us move around joyfully—as workers and celebrators? It’s the health of our world—our city—our people—our teammates. (See enclosed cartoon.) I assert that drivers should take more movement breaks, so their routes should be shortened or encompass these breaks. This would be good for customers, too; the busses and trains you guys made are uncomfortable and bad for the posture (why do only drivers get some semblance of comfort in their seats?), translating to anxiety and discontent. Riders would be safer if the driver was feeling more alert, a state that would be brought on by them taking a stretch and boogie break. I hope you hire me and/or other capable folks to lead an exercise class for CTA workers, so we can figure out some movements each driver could utilize for individual health maintenance, if they want.
4. How to fight violence on CTA? “You give each CTA customer a gun on their way in to transport; they use or do not use it and hand it back on the way out…children get knives.” Yikes! Outlawing guns on public transport and CTA property is very important, if it hasn’t been done yet. No guns should be on CTA or Metra—I feel this very strongly. The murder on the bus last June was obviously heartbreaking. I had heard years ago about a rape on a bus. How about the gun prohibition coupled with the driver’s ability to pull over; punch a police call button; use mace on the warring parties; talk (or yell) down the arguing folks?
5. The Transit Ambassador idea sounds better! This brings me to another point: why, oh why don’t you have a second worker on trains? Freight trains used to have two engineers, but they don’t anymore—and that is a problem. There were reasons to have more than one driver, just like there are reasons for el trains to have two workers on them: we are dealing with vulnerable human beings, here. The drivers should both, however, get to stride down the trains whenever they want—their getting exercise is important like it is for bus drivers. And what are the workers at the stations doing? I THINK YOU NEED MORE OF A PRESENCE OF STAFF. Should drivers be versed in dealing with riders’ behavior problems? Maybe. The Transit Ambassadors could be social workers: as Mike suggests, some “approachable, culturally-competent staff skilled [in] de-escalation, who are focused on creating safer environments for riders and customers” and, I would add, employees. Looking at other cities’ efforts at this type of solution would be a great idea. Whole Foods Market employs “Peace Officers,” but the Ambassadors could be more skilled than these folks. And a counselor could be located at every station—someone who knows about resources and has training in social work, too—think education /inspiration of all parties!
6. If you don’t like the discussion on the train, you can move to a different car. I have done that myself, and I don’t see why you’re outlawed from going from car to car now. While it’s true that one can get off through the door and walk to another car at a stop, if one wants, exiting through the train car door while the train is in motion seems like a good option, too. I remember riding with one young guy who strode down the aisle on a subway train, banging the plastic walls near each door. We were nervous, but he went past us through the car door into the next one. My analysis was that he didn’t feel like sitting, especially in seats that scoop one up and make one slouch. Couldn’t that happen? Your seats are so problematic! The horrific CPD shooting of a person for going from car to car was inexcusable; but I empathize with that rider, who may have been on drugs. Can’t that unfortunately occur, these days?
7. Music made in a bus/train station? Maybe at the stations, the way you used to do: culture entertains—and enriches. Getting folks to dance is a noble aim! Even the man who used to get people to gamble on the train distracted people and thus prevented mayhem.
8. How about uses/traincars decorated with their customers’ hand-/footprints on the ceiling? This is my favorite idea for the CTA!
9. I hope that you change that announcer guy! I’ve had enough of him! How about a woman? I would do it—I have a nice alto voice.
10. As you can see from the magazine, I have drawn some people—several while on the el and buses. I have more drawings of CTA riders that I would love to show in the vehicles. This, in addition to the hand-/footprints of riders.
11. For the future, vehicles that do not pollute will be even more important. I hope this is one of your priorities! It should be.
12. The JCDeaux or whatever pictures in the bus shelters are fine, but the switching views back and forth from different pictures are a waste of energy and money. The time reports on the tops are great, though!
13. This Ventra system, I must say, sucks because it doesn’t tell you how much money is on your card, when you use it, and I fill them up at a station. This is problematic. The old system was much better! However, filling the cards up at the kiosk is easy, I must admit.
14. If my idea of Sidewalk University (“Teach and Learn Diversity @ Sidewalk University!”) was going on, on the bus/train, the rider could drop a quarter into the bucket on the side of the vehicle if they learned/taught something on the train/bus. It could be a movement, fact, viewpoint, name; totally optional, it would give riders a focus and motivation to stay alert and helpful to their fellows. Really, it might be a good idea for you or the Transit Ambassadors to investigate theatrical techniques (“theater games”) and art therapy/dance therapy methods of dealing with a diverse crowd such as folks who ride public transport. Dealing with humans detained in a closed space together for awhile is a challenge. It can be met, though, I feel; tourists certainly use public transport eagerly. If you yourself have not used CTA recently, I think you should, Mr. Carter, Mayor Johnson, and Senator Simmons! Turning it into even more of a cultural experience than it already is, I think, is the way to go. We have art, music, and theater schools with students eager to help out with their talents, and residents wealthy in Chicago experience who might act as a resource, and definitely the need for helpers (Transit Ambassadors could aid tourists and all other riders, too).
15. Free or discounted rides could be provided for the poor, but one still may need to show a card or whatever, to feel that they are using a great service. This is hard to communicate, however, since there are not bathrooms at the stations.
16. THERE SHOULD BE BATHROOMS AT THE STATIONS! As a woman, I feel assaulted because of lack of facilities all over the City. Priority One should be to provide these! We must figure out what is humane, and make it happen! Maybe they need to be staffed. Perhaps they should be beautiful and artistic. In any case, figure it out, you guys, please! You should also make sure there is fresh water for human beings to drink at stations!
Thanks for your work and your attention. If you have any questions, please contact me; a meeting with me and Mike Simmons, who I’ve volunteered for, might be possible. Oh yeah, I read somewhere that whole-body vibration is supposed to be good for us! There’s yet another way the #147 bus rocks, though it feels like a tin can going down the Drive.
Sincerely,
C. Jenny Walbridge
cc: Mayor Brandon Johnson
State Senator Mike Simmons