Comments on: CTA’s Holiday Homeless Harassment

By: Richard Duda

Richard Duda — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:06:16 +0000

Great point about Howard, Ken. I ride up to Howard from a few stops south — only occasionally — when I know that I want to go to a Loop L station and the Purple Line is running. (Besides, I like that “express” trip, since it reminds me a teeny bit of the 4-track lines there.)

By: Richard Duda

Richard Duda — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:59:01 +0000

Bravo! Vomiting partiers, venomous preying and vociferous preachers are very much NOT always preferable to venue-less people.

By: Charles Joseph Smith

Charles Joseph Smith — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:43:01 +0000

The rule-breaking is, if I were a CTA employee, is called “train-jumping”, similar to the violation of fare-jumping…of course, going under the turnstile or jumping over it without paying the fare on a train station is ,of course, “blatant fare-jumping,” which will likely get you under arrest and you will be likely be fined up to $300 for violating the Chicago Municipal Code. But “train-jumping”…I think there is racial profiling for violators, especially Blacks. If they get threatened with a $300 fine for “train-jumping”, or, in dangerous cases, a lifetime “ban” from riding the CTA buses or trains……this is going to make them think twice before doing this again. Therefore, to prevent lawsuits against the CTA, the CTA should be much clearer in this new “no-train-jumping” decree…that is, who is clearly exempt, and who is violating it.

By: Snowy CTA Night with Coalition for the Homeless

Snowy CTA Night with Coalition for the Homeless — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:25:49 +0000

[...] this month, I blogged at length about a new Chicago Transit Authority initiative to roust homeless riders from late-night ‘L’ trains during frigid Chicago winters when such riders take to the rail system seeking warmth. The [...]

By: Cannon

Cannon — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:36:48 +0000

When CTA personell encounter a homeless person the control center is notified and the homeless person is referred to people who can help. The homeless person I spoke with said these shelters are full of ” bullies” who take their money and other belongings, so he does’nt go to them anymore. The only time people MUST leave a train is at the end of the line. Trains usually must enter a railyard in order to be sent back the other way. For safety reasons only CTA personell or authorized persons can enter railyards. It is extremely dangerous to untrained individuals in these yards. Also not all trains are sent back, some are taken out of service at the end of the line for various reasons.
The fact is people are not paying extra fares at the end of the lines, homeless or not. I ride the Red line every day and on several occassions I have seen people sit in seats soaked in urine from the homeless person who just got up. I won’t mention what else they leave for you to sit or step in. So yes, it’s a big problem for riders and the CTA. I don’t know if the signs will help. Seems impossible to inforce. I also don’t want to see homeless people forced out into the cold. I’m glad I’m not the CTA.

By: Chicago Sun-Times Examines CTA Homeless Harassment

Chicago Sun-Times Examines CTA Homeless Harassment — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:26:11 +0000

[...] CTA’s Holiday Homeless Harassment [...]

By: CL

CL — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:01:55 +0000

As a frequent late night rider I applaud the CTA for having the guts to try to tackle this problem given all the outrage I’m sure they knew it would create.

The vast majority of homeless people know they have shelters available to them, but choose not to use them or have been banned from them.

It is not the mission of the CTA to provide shelter for the homeless, nor should it be the mission of the CTA to provide anything but transit from point A to point B.

First off the CTA is having enough problems taking care of its actual ridership without taking on the liability that the homeless create by riding on trains all night and day. When they cause disturbances, or themselves become victims of crime, or have a health problem and need help – these are all things CTA should not have to deal with.

Other riders should not have to deal with a train car full of people sleeping, their belongings spread across two or three seats. The stench, which some but not all, have which spreads across the entire car. The food, the garbage, the occasional puddle of urine.

When the train gets to the end of line its time to get off unless you are lost or missed your stop for some reason. Years ago the homeless were purged from setting up camp at O’Hare Airport, and now the CTA is finally trying to do the same thing.