Chicago Transit Authority Criticized After Suspending All Bus & Rail Service With Barely An Hour Notice

Screenshot from @cta via Twitter.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the public transportation agency for the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs, is facing criticism after it announced it was suspending all bus and rail service Sunday evening.

The reason given for the suspension of service was “at the request of public safety officials,” apparently in response to the protests that have occurred in Chicago and many other cities across America after George Floyd was killed while being arrested by the Minneapolis Police.

The CTA posted on their Twitter account about the suspension at 5:17 pm CT, just a little more than an hour before the suspension was set to go into effect at 6:30 pm CT. There does not appear to be any such announcement on their Facebook page and it’s unclear what other methods the CTA used to communicate the suspension. Several users also posted complaints indicating that service might have ended even earlier than the announced 6:30 pm cutoff.

Reactions from Chicagoans to the suspension of service were overwhelmingly negative. Presumably, fewer office workers might not need to commute home on a Sunday evening but there were still a number of other people posting on Twitter their frustration about losing their regular transportation — especially considering the late and insufficient notice and the need to comply with a citywide curfew imposed due to the protests.

Essential Worker here. Stranded 11 miles from home.

You @chicagosmayor has failed this test miserably.

We are all voters and will remember this.

— G Curtis (@CurtisGycurtis) May 31, 2020

at least us get home safe, coming out from work going to have to walk almost 8 miles

— Miss_K ChoMi?? (@DalliaSorenn) May 31, 2020

@chicagosmayor another day, another awful last minute decision.

— Jono (@jono1989_) May 31, 2020

This is absolutely wrong. How are we supposed to get home before 9:00? An hour’s notice?!

— Rachel Miller (@millerra06) May 31, 2020

How do I get home?

— Keebler Youngblood (@YoungKeebler) May 31, 2020

So people who started the day relying on transit to get home, what’s your plan for them? Even people who aren’t protesting are harmed by your foolishness. We will remember this.

— Side order of Queso (@Grantarita) May 31, 2020

Bad call to do this without notice. @LoriLightfoot do better!

— Adam Martin (@BarnabyJones33) May 31, 2020

This is about to wreak absolute havoc on shift changes at hospitals in the middle of a pandemic, trapping essential workers all over the city.

— Tricia Rae Pendergrast (@traependergrast) May 31, 2020

YOU SUSPENDED EVERYTHING 45 MINUTES AGO I AM STRANDED

— Max Wasserman ?? (@mwasser78) May 31, 2020

All of the bus and rail lines are already stopped- it’s not even 5:30. What image are you trying to protect?

— carmen stan diego (@TylerQHenry) May 31, 2020

As a nurse i have to be on the train by 515 to get to My medical center on time. Making the announcement 5am is very inconsiderate to hospital workers who majority starts at 7am. We don’t all work 9-5

— Sara Terwelp (@NurseSara924) May 31, 2020