A CTA logo and train are pictured.

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval Carter gave his first quarterly update to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way on Tuesday to address ongoing concerns about service levels, safety and staffing on the city’s train and bus system. 

Carter called 2023 a “productive year,” acknowledging that while challenges persist, the CTA showed strong improvements in 2023, hired 1,003 bus operators, 90 rail operators and 101 bus mechanics and hit its highest ridership numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Going forward, the agency is aiming to hire an additional 200 rail operators and return train and bus service to pre-pandemic levels before the end of the year.