VIDEO: On Why Chicago Transit Authority President Richard Rodriguez Shouldn't Be Driving to Work
Chicago Transit Authority president Richard Rodriguez canceled the free-car perq for dozens of high-ranking CTA managers. So why does the president of the nation's second-largest public transit system continue to drive to work instead of riding his own agency's buses and 'L' trains?
UPDATES, 7/22/09:
- Welcome to my readers today from Gapers Block!
- On Tuesday--I suspect in direct response to the issues raised here on this blog and promoted across the local blogosphere--the Sun-Times published an editorial chastising Rodriguez for driving to work.
- Also on Tuesday, I asked my Chicagosphere readers to weigh with their opinion in this post: Blog Debate: Should the CTA President Get a Pass on Driving to Work?
- This story is still trending on the front page of Windy Citizen after more than 24 hours and can be voted up here.
- Read CTA Tattler's new rebuttal upholding "family values" here. (This from Chicago's top transit blog? Seriously?)
- And an updated version of this story is cross-posted on my Huffington Post Chicago byline.
This morning the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Chicago Transit Authority president Richard Rodriguez canceled the free-car perq that dozens of high-ranking managers--including Rodriguez--used to drive back and forth to their jobs at the nation's second-largest public transit system.
An ironic situation seemingly made all better--except that Rodriguez has now decided to lease a car from the CTA instead--at a discount rate--to make sure he still doesn't have to ride to work on his own agency's buses and 'L' trains.
All together now, folks: Are you kidding me?
(Video Blog: How are you doing your job if the one thing you're paid to promote you rebuff in the morning news?)
Now I've covered some pretty stupid CTA stunts in the past. Couching cold-weather homeless harassment as a public service? Covering up the semi-permanent closure of a downtown 'L' station? Forgetting to tell riders about a new station entrance? Hating on specific groups of transit riders in their own customer survey?
And who could forget (as-soon-as-we-lose-the-Olympics outgoing) Mayor Daley's open-handed slap in the face of transit riders when he abruptly yanked former CTA honcho Ron Huberman away from the agency?
But this really takes the cake. Rodriguez has been driving to work for months now, in order so spend more time with his kids in the morning. Cuddly as that reason sounds, there's really no excuse. View the video above to hear why I think the head of the CTA regularly driving to work for any reason--not to mention crowing about it in major media--is about as moronic as it gets.
Trust me on that adjective. I used to be a grammar teacher and it's the most apt one I can come up with that still manages to keep this post family friendly.
Or at least as family friendly as Rodriguez's morning drive.
(Click the HQ button for a higher-quality video. RSS subscribers, click here to view the video on CHICAGO CARLESS.)
