CTA Faces Scrutiny Over Passenger Safety

- While overall crime on the CTA was down 6% year-to-date in April 2024, the rate of violent crime remains higher than before the pandemic. Through June 2024, there were approximately 5.1 violent crimes reported per million rides, compared to 2.5 in the first half of 2019. - In response to safety concerns, the CTA nearly tripled its budget for security services from $23.9 million in 2022 to a planned $65.2 million in 2024. The transit authority utilizes a network of about 33,000 security cameras to supplement efforts by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and contracted unarmed security guards. - The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has threatened to withhold up to $50 million in federal funding if the CTA does not submit a more aggressive and measurable security enhancement plan. The FTA rejected the CTA's initial revised safety plan in December 2025, calling it "materially deficient." - A series of high-profile violent incidents have heightened public anxiety. These include a woman being set on fire on a Blue Line train in November 2025, a fatal stabbing on the Blue Line in January 2026, and another serious stabbing on the Red Line the following day. - The Green and Red lines have the highest crime rates among CTA train lines. Between October 2023 and September 2024, the Green Line saw about 1.9 crimes per 100,000 rides, with the Red Line following at nearly 1.7. - The CTA is in the process of expanding its use of AI-powered gun detection technology across its system. This follows a testing period and is part of the agency's broader strategy to enhance security measures. - In December 2025, the CPD announced it would increase the number of officers patrolling the CTA system from a daily average of 77 to 120, supplemented by private security and canine units. - Despite safety concerns, CTA ridership has been on an upward trend, increasing by 3.6% over the 12 months leading up to July 2025.