Metra aims to restore full pre-pandemic service by end of next year
CHICAGO (CBS) – This week, Metra's been holding hearings for riders to sound off.
The focus of the hearings is on fares, but commuters who reached out to CBS 2 have other bones to pick. CBS 2's Lauren Victory heard from one rider on their complaints about scheduling.
Imagine almost 20 years of the same sights and sounds, morning and night.
"I picked my apartment by following the train lines," said Richard Sensenbrenner, a Metra rider.
Sensenbrenner skipped his walk to the station in southwest suburban Worth for about nine months when COVID-19 first hit. When his law firm summoned him back to the city, he noticed something different on the commute home.
"The last train for the Southwest Service Line Monday through Friday is 5:50 p.m.," he said. "That's rough."
Trains on that line used to be available much later, but now…
"If you want to work late, you have to disappear, go dark for an hour, run out of the building, go to Union Station, jump on the train, go home, log in and then you're back," said Sensenbrenner.
It's a scramble that Metra promises won't last past the end of next year.
"Our commitment is to restore service on all the lines to pre-pandemic levels next year," said Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis.
Gillis said low ridership was the reason behind schedule cuts at the beginning of the pandemic. Now, Metra's grappling with a manpower issue.
Victory: "What is Metra doing to recruit as fast as possible?"
"We've been recruiting," Gillis said. "We've been advertising for jobs. We've been sending people through classes."
Even when hiring is resolved and more trains are added, riders may find their departure times are impacted.
"We're using this as an opportunity to rethink our schedules, try to provide a little more off-peak service," Gillis added.
That's meant to help commuters with a new hybrid or half-day work schedule.
Sensenbrenner hopes that solution works to pump more people, and their wallets, downtown.
"They better do something fast," he said. "These businesses are closing every day."
Metra's willing to consider all opinions to help with ridership, which hits about half of pre-pandemic levels on a good day.
For those who can't make this week's hearing in person, commuters can weigh in virtually or send Metra an email. Metra scheduled hearings at multiple locations across the Chicago metro area this week.
