Expect CTA changes for the worse

Suburbanites heading into Chicago will find certain express buses missing and reduced service on some CTA routes and subway lines starting Sunday.

The Chicago Transit Authority is bracing to lay off more than 1,000 workers and scale back buses and trains in order to balance its budget.

The move comes despite last-minute efforts Friday to work out a deal with labor unions.

Nine express buses will be eliminated including Route X20 Washington Madison Express, which connects with the Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station.

Service will run less frequently on 115 bus routes and the Red Line, Orange Line, Green Line, Blue Line, Purple Line, Pink Line and Brown Line. Of those 115 bus routes, 41 will also see service starting later and ending earlier. Some of the affected buses include Route 120 Ogilvie/Wacker Express and Route 121 Union/Wacker Express.

Rush-hour rail should not be affected greatly, although trains will be more crowded, the CTA said.

The CTA, Metra and Pace all rely on sales tax revenues and fares for revenue. The recession has reduced sales tax dollars and also raised unemployment decreasing the number of riders. The CTA's other source of funding - the real estate transfer tax - has been unproductive also.

Darrell Jefferson, president of Local Union 241 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said his side had offered concessions but CTA management hadn't responded. Now he worries the public will blame the union for slower service because of negative comments by CTA executives.

"We're preparing our people for the cuts," Jefferson said. "We're telling everyone that they need to come to work and bring that bus down the street to the best of their ability. (If delays are significant), we've prepared our people for people getting on the bus with an attitude."

CTA officials said union leaders had the chance to save jobs but didn't act.

"We know that we have many dedicated employees that will be laid off on Sunday. Their preference would be to keep working rather than join the ranks of the unemployed," CTA Board Chairman Terry Peterson said in a statement. "Sadly, the leaders of the labor unions have not shared our urgency in working to save jobs for their members. These service reductions will make it more difficult for people to get where they need to go."

For specifics on the changes, visit transitchicago.com.