For our second action project in Policy we created infocharts on issues within Chicago, specifically monopolies that control our city (for better or worse). For my project, I chose to focus on the CTA’s control over almost all of Chicago’s public transportation. The two graphs I created were about the fare increases over the years, and how much students have to pay. Overall, we hope these graphs can help the reader better understand the concept we are conveying.
The city of Chicago has a monopoly over public transportation, for better or worse. The CTA runs buses throughout the whole city and a few neighboring suburbs (with their only competition being the Pace buses of the suburbs). The trains they have are the most popular inner city commuter train, however the Metra runs trains into Chicago from suburbs. Chicago public transportation is a government run municipal cooperation. Their fares have raised substantially in the last 50 years for a multitude of reasons, mostly due to the increased demand for better trains and buses ; thus needing more money. The tracks have needed serious renovation in the last 15 years, in order to sustain the CTA for another 75 years. Projects such as the Wells Street bridge have drawn from government grants and from the CTA fare prices. Luckily, students don’t have to pay as much. In various cities the prices for students vary. My two graphs are to convey how much the CTA forces customers to pay for a ride since 1950, and it is for the viewer to decide if the changes are necessary or excessive. In my opinion, the fares are fair. Although the prices are getting higher and higher, it is still substantially cheaper then driving or taking a taxi. The other graph is showing how much students have to pay in various cities in 2013. Why can’t every student across the country pay the same price?
There are no statistical outliers in graph #1, which is why I believe the fare prices have been deserved and not too expensive. There are no rapid inclines in prices. However, in graph #2, New York kids get to ride the train for free which is obviously the outlier of the group. Why can’t other cities in America follow in New York’s lead?
Here is the first infochart I created on the fare price increase over the last 60 years in Chicago.
And here is the infochart I created
Citations –
https://www.chicago-l.org/fares/
https://www.mta.info/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/sandy-damange-mta-issue-article-1.1316484