Dear Board of Directors,

Congratulations on your appointment to the first ever Northern Illinois Transit Authority Board! This is a momentous time in our regions’ history, not only because of an historic investment made in transit service, but marking a new era of governance and collaboration across our transit agencies.

As transit riders, we have many high hopes of what NITA can become, but it will be incumbent upon each of you to set the stage for delivering on its promise. Below are some of our key expectations of you in your new role:

1. Fulfill the promise of unification. One fare, one schedule, one system is not just a catchy phrase: it is a demand by law and by riders. For too long, our agencies have failed to work together to deliver for customers – instead competing for resources and for riders. The days of CTA and Metra being unable to work together on a pilot, Pace refusing to connect to a nearby Metra station, or CTA and Pace falling to coordinate overlapping bus service must be behind us. We are all in this together.

2. Be bold, plan big, and deliver. For too long, our region has had no cohesive vision for the future of transit, and for that we have let billions of dollars in funding go to other regions who do. “Make no little plans” is in our DNA, and you have the distinct opportunity to prove it. The community is ready, ripe with ideas like bus rapid transit, modernizing Metra for regional rail, crosstown rail via a tunnel, and more. It’s critical you work with community and advocacy partners to not just maintain the status quo, but plan what our transit will become.

3. Prioritize holistic approaches to safety. Much has been said about safety on transit, but the key solution depends on a balanced and holistic approach with critical partnerships at all levels of government. In your role, you should be urging municipalities, the County, and the State to step up to fund and support crisis response. Similarly, our transit agencies cannot and should not be expected to carry the burden of solving homelessness on their own, and it’s critical that municipal and state partners invest in increasing shelter capacity, housing supply, and supportive services.

This is a moment of immense opportunity. While the NITA Act provides a foundation for what transit riders have been demanding for decades, the key to seeing it through will be found in the decisions made by you. Our community stands ready to work alongside you to fulfill NITA’s promise.

Signed: