Making the CTA More Competitive in the 21 st Century

Sponsored by the Chicago Transit Authority   (CTA) and Chicago Transit Partners (CTP), this project provides a unique opportunity for students and faculty to work collaboratively with the CTA, generating research projects that are defined by common interest and their potential to advance the state of practice in transit management, planning and operations.   The research agenda focuses on the development of new knowledge to support efficient, equitable and appropriate capital investment, policy and operating decisions. Research teams identify areas of common interest through consultations with CTA and CTP staff.    Specific research topics are chosen based on student interest, the commitment of a faculty advisor and the identification of appropriate and interested CTA personnel.   

The project began in 2001 as collaboration between the CTA, UIC, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).   The program currently administers separate contracts with UIC and MIT under the prime contract between the CTA and CTP.   However, close cooperation between the two universities continues, often resulting in complementary projects covering a specific research area.

The program focuses on six areas of research: (i) Transit Operations, (ii) Transit Facility Design and Construction Processes, (iii) Decision Support for Service Development, (iv) Future Transit Funding Strategies and Opportunities, (v) Transportation Planning and (vi) Infrastructure Renewal and Replacement.

 

Ongoing projects include:

  • Bus Fleet Optimization for the Chicago Transit Authority

  • CTA Automatic Passenger Counter (APC) Accuracy Study and Bus Arrival/Departure/ Dwell Time Prediction

•  Evaluating the Potential of a Time-Based Fare Structure within the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

  • Development of Long Term Financial Solutions for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

  • The Effect of Crime and Fear of Crime on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Ridership

  • Evaluating the Impact of the U-Pass Program of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

Developing A System and Methodology for Identifying and Ranking Value Capture Opportunities in the CTA Service Area