Town hall focuses on future of regional public transportation; ‘It has to be accessible, affordable and energy-efficient'
Members of the Illinois General Assembly, with support from public interest groups like the Sierra Club, the Illinois Environmental Council, the Climate Cabinet and others, are trying to create the organizational structure and funding to make it happen.
Now operated by four separate agencies — Pace, Metra, the CTA and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) — in a six-county area around Chicago, there is legislation pending in the state legislature to transform the quartet into a single agency.
Known as the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act (MMA), Michael Podgers, the Midwest policy lead for the Climate Cabinet, said a unified agency could coordinate schedules and fares to make a trip more efficient and less time-consuming.
'Right now, a bus will show up right after a train leaves,' Podgers said. 'A coordinated schedule will have the bus arrive five minutes before the train, and wait five minutes after it arrives so the people getting off the train can board the bus.'
Podgers was one of two activists and eight state legislators to speak at a Transportation Town Hall Wednesday in Waukegan, explaining the current state of public transportation in northeast Illinois and how it can be reformed in an environmentally positive way.
Dany Robles, the climate policy director for the Illinois Environmental Council, said his trip from his home in Chicago to Waukegan was an example of the possibilities. He took a bus to a CTA train, and then boarded a Metra train to Waukegan.
'It was a short walk here (to the Christ Episcopal Church) from the station,' Robles said. 'In any form, taking public transportation will reduce greenhouse gases. The more people use it, there will be less cars on the road.'
Along with creating a more efficient system, public transportation locally and nationwide is facing a fiscal cliff. When people stopped using public transportation during the coronavirus pandemic, federal funding covered the shortfall, keeping it afloat.
State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, introduced the MMA in January. He said ridership is increasing, but fares are not enough to cover the $771 million differential needed to keep the trains and buses running. Even more is required for the future.
'Federal funding will run out by 2026,' Villivalam said. 'We don't (yet) know how to fill the gap for next year. We need $1.5 billion to get to 2050. That's our goal. We need $1.5 billion, not $771 million.'
Public transportation needs to be as energy-efficient as possible, but state Rep. Laura Faver Dias, D-Grayslake, said it needs to be more. Plans must be equitable, enabling the people who most need to use buses and trains to do so.
'It has to be accessible, affordable and energy-efficient, and reach our most vulnerable population,' Dias said. 'It's a question of equity and accessibility. Those with low income and with disabilities need it. They are among our most vulnerable.'
'It has to be safe, equitable and sensible,' added state Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove.
Chair of the state Senate Transportation Committee, Villivalam said having four agencies managing public transportation in the Chicago area is not the most efficient method. It worked 50 years ago when it was formed. He is looking at something that will be sustainable through 2050.
'We need to look at what will work, what level of funding is needed and how is it going to be funded. There needs to be coordination between Pace, Metra and the CTA,' Villivalam said. 'All the people want is to get from point A to point B.'
State Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, made it clear what she wants to see when the MMA bill gets to the House of Representatives chamber. She wants to see an agency that does not include the RTA.
'The RTA is very, very Chicago-heavy,' Mayfield said. 'There are bus drivers in Chicago making over $300,000 a year because of overtime. The system is broken. How are we going to fix it? People want to get from point A to point B, and do it efficiently.'
Along with Lake County, the others included are Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry and Will counties.
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Derailed: Looming funding cuts to Philadelphia's transit system offer a lesson for Chicago
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Dana White Won't Risk Jon Jones Headlining UFC White House Event
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 12: U.S. President Donald Trump attends the UFC 314 event alongside UFC ... More President and CEO Dana White at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Jon Jones's brief retirement from the UFC ended when he learned that the UFC might hold a fight card on the grounds of the White House. Jones's hopes of competing on that card were dashed on Saturday at the UFC 318 post-fight press conference when UFC Dana White told Jones, thanks, but no thanks. "I can't risk putting him in big positions in a big spot and have something go wrong," White said after Saturday's UFC 318. "Especially the White House card." Not long after hearing White's comments, Jones expressed disappointment on social media, but said he was going to continue to train for a UFC fight. "I heard the comments made at last night's press conference. While I was a little disappointed, I'm still in the UFC's drug testing pool, staying sharp, and continuing to train like a professional. I'll be ready for whatever comes next. "In a recent interview, I shared that the opportunity to fight at the White House gave me something deeper to fight for, a 'why' that goes beyond paychecks or belts. Fighting for my country gives me a greater purpose! "The silver lining in all this is knowing the fans see my heart. They see, I am ready and willing to take on anyone, to represent my country on a historic stage. For me, it's never been just about the opponent. I'm chasing legacy, something timeless, something bigger than the moment. 'So for now, I'll keep grinding, stay patient, and stay faithful. I'm ready to fight on July 4th. #IndependenceDay' Jones announced his retirement in June. "Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC," White said during the post-fight press conference following the June 21 2025 UFC Baku fight card. "I obviously feel bad for Tom that he lost all that time and money, but we'll make it up to him," White added. "Tom Aspinall is a good guy. He's been incredible through this whole process that we've gone through. He's been willing to do anything – fight him anywhere at any time and do this. Now he's like, 'I'll fight anybody. Tell me who and I'll fight him.' Aspinall has been great. He's going to be a great heavyweight champion for us and I'm excited to work with him." On that same night, news broke that Jones had been charged in Albuquerque on a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident in February. In July, authorities added the charge of 'Use of Telephone to Terrify, Intimidate, Threaten, Harass, Annoy or Offend,' related to that incident. This is not the first time White has expressed reluctance in using Jones in a UFC main event. 'I don't (trust him), no. I don't. In my opinion, I would never take the risk of headlining a show with Jon Jones again," White said in 2016. "I'd put him on the card, but I wouldn't headline with him until he consistently gets back on track. Millions of dollars are spent on this. For a card to fall apart, and how many cards have fallen apart because Jon Jones gets in trouble for something? So no, I'm not at that place with him.' The UFC booked Jones in seven main events after White made those claims.
