Advocates implore NITA to act on safety, paratransit as agency unveils crime prevention plans

Northern Illinois Transportation Authority board directors outlined plans Thursday to launch a systemwide safety app in November and deploy transit ambassadors in summer 2027.

The actions came as multiple riders implored the freshly minted board to promptly address crime on the CTA and paratransit failings, as well as promote affordable housing near stations.

It was the second meeting for NITA, which replaced the Regional Transportation Authority Sept. 1.

NITA Chair Tom Kotarac started the session by memorializing CTA worker Julian Mobley, who was fatally stabbed Oct. 8 at the Damen Green Line station.

“It’s a wake-up call for all of us,” Kotarac said. “We have not been doing enough, and we need to do more to protect the employees and riders on our transit system.”

A 2025 state law gave NITA an influx of funding, strong oversight powers over Metra, Pace and the CTA, and tasked the agency with reducing violence on transit, among other priorities.

NITA is currently recruiting a chief transit safety officer and intends to introduce the safety reporting app Nov. 28, officials said.

Metra already has a COPS app, introduced in 2019. The technology lets riders confidentially report crimes, disruptive behavior, unattended bags or packages, vandalism, panhandling and fare evasion.

“We’ll be expanding that to include CTA and Pace,” Chief Transition Officer Maulik Vaishnav said. “Riders will be able to download the app, or there will be a texting option.”

The role of transit ambassadors is still being defined. But the concept involves a friendly face to give directions, report unsafe or dirty conditions on buses or trains, discourage activities like smoking, and quickly get help for passengers in crisis.

Ambassadors are not a substitute for police, officials noted.

Some directors noted that July is months away and recommended expediting the process. “I would encourage that we look at a much faster pace,” Director Rosa Ortiz of Chicago said.

But Director and Romeoville Mayor John Noak cautioned, “We have to make sure they are properly trained and have all the resources they need.”

A number of CTA riders spoke of dangerous conditions on the system. Among the was Kyle Lucas, who was struck repeatedly on the head with a metal object by a passenger last year.

“In order to keep us safe, we cannot simply throw cops at the solution,” said Lucas, executive director of Better Streets Chicago. “You must advocate for wrap-around services that actually provide solutions for our residents who are experiencing crisis.”

Director Brian Sager of Woodstock told individuals in the audience, “It really is sincerely important that we take action. We are hearing that loud and clear.”

Advocates and riders with disabilities described spending hours waiting to be picked up, buses driving past them and taxis refusing to accept vouchers.

With the amount of taxpayer money spent on the transportation system, “it’s not fair the way it treats disabled people,” Access Living organizer Chris Ramos said.

Meanwhile, several affordable housing supporters urged NITA to invest $15 million annually to collaborate with communities developing equitable transit-oriented development on land owned by Metra and the other agencies.

mpyke@dailyherald.com