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The
2022 Metra budget includes money from fares and other
system-generated revenue. The agency also is using about $300
million in COVID-19 relief funding.
Michael Gillis, a spokesperson for Metra, said that with ticket
prices remaining the same, the goal is to get more people back
on Metra.
"Our ridership will begin the year at about 25% of where we were
at the same time in 2019," Gillis said. "We will hopefully
finish the year at about 35%."
The transportation industry as a whole took a hit in 2020 due to
the COVID-19 pandemic dropping ridership to just a quarter of
where it was pre-pandemic. Gillis said that is part of the
reason Metra will not be increasing ticket prices.
"We try to not increase fare prices when we do not have to,"
Gillis said. "In this situation during COVID, public
transportation is really at a crisis and seeing massive declines
in ridership."
Metra also is introducing a new $6 day pass, which is cheaper
than last year's $10 day pass. The pass is good for travel
across three zones and the hope is that more people will take
their shorter trips on Metra.
With Metra planning for more riders in 2022, Gillis wants
Illinoisans to know they are taking the correct steps to ensure
rider safety from COVID-19.
"We have adopted new cleaning protocols and are sanitizing each
train car daily," Gillis said. "We also have started a new ad
campaign to let people know that they can Commute with
Confidence when using Metra."
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