Capitol Fa - Your Illinois News Radar » Northern Illinois Transit Authority Holds First Meeting, Picks Chair (Updated)CapitolFax.com
The 20-member board also voted to expand reduced fares for students and SNAP recipients as it begins planning a unified regional system.
- The Northern Illinois Transit Authority held its first board meeting Thursday in Chicago, appointing former aviation boss Jamie Rhee as interim executive director in a 19-1 vote and selecting transportation expert Tom Kotarac as chair.
- Lawmakers passed the NITA legislation last year as a $1.5 billion bailout to prevent service cuts after Chicago transit agencies faced a fiscal cliff. The new agency replaces the Regional Transportation Authority, which had governed CTA, Metra and Pace since 1974.
- State Rep. Kam Buckner, who helped craft the legislation, noted the board can now "do things that the last board couldn't really do," including unifying fares and coordinating schedules among Metra, Chicago Transit Authority, and Pace.
- In early votes, the board expanded reduced fare programs for students and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program recipients and committed to a national search for a permanent executive director to replace Rhee.
- NITA must unify fares by 2030 and vote next June on creating a transit police force. Kotarac stated the goal is to build "a system that our children and grandchildren will inherit and be very proud of.
12 Articles
12 Articles
New transit board approves reduced fare pilots – Center Square
Backed by an influx of taxpayer funds, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority board has voted to expand reduced fare programs for students and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program recipients.
New transit board approves reduced fare pilots - Regional Media News
(The Center Square) - Backed by an influx of taxpayer funds, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority board has voted to expand reduced fare programs for students and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program recipients. The NITA board held its first meeting in Chicago on Thursday. Peter Kersten, [...]
Jamie Rhee named interim leader of Northern Illinois Transit Authority
Former Chicago aviation boss Jamie Rhee will serve as the interim executive director of the state’s new governing body for public transit, the board of the nascent Northern Illinois Transit Authority voted during their first meeting Thursday.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
