(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — For the first time in a decade, there’s new leadership at the CTA.
At her first Transit Board meeting as Acting CTA president, Nora Leerhsen said she’s been out meeting some of the agency’s nearly 11 thousand employees.
“I know a time of transition and new leadership can cause anxiety and concern, so I want people to see me,” Leerhsen said.
She said the CTA is hearing common complaints from riders about smoking on board through a chatbot it launched on its website almost a year ago.
“The smoking issue does come up as a primary complaint,” Leerhsen said. “Not all rule violations are created equal, and I think smoking really has an ability to really set a tone for a rider that is not indicative of what we want them to see.”
Leerhsen said that’s frustrating for passengers and CTA workers.
“I'm looking at a clean, on-time train that just got a bad reputation because of that smell of smoke.”
She wants to speed up response times to issues raised in the chatbot and look at increasing funding for additional beds for homeless people seeking shelter on the CTA.
“We've got social service workers out there talking to them, but there may not be a capacity at a shelter, and it's an incredibly frustrating circumstance for everyone involved.”
Leerhsen said she’s been meeting with employees and politicians as the agency looks for financial help when federal pandemic aid runs out. The agency faces a $600 million deficit and accompanying service cuts next year.
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