Benjamin A. Crane: The CTA is headed for more accidents and financial disaster – Chicago Tribune – Opinion – 1/12/24
November’s Yellow Line accident should raise more than a few alarm bells this year; it should accelerate the facilitation of much-needed changes to ensure passenger and employee safety.This catastrophic incident was the largest CTA crash in decades, causing substantial damage, injuries and numerous lawsuits against the agency. The time has come for CTA to take significant steps to prevent similar costly disasters in the future — disasters that hardworking Chicagoans ultimately foot the bill for.
The Yellow Line accident was a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in CTA’s operations. The accident resulted in extensive damage to the Yellow Line train and other CTA equipment, estimated at a staggering $8.7 million, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Furthermore, multiple lawsuits have been filed against the CTA in the aftermath of this tragic event, underscoring the financial consequences of such mishaps.Most importantly, the accident injured 38 people — 31 passengers and seven CTA employees. These individuals suffered physical and emotional trauma from a series of events that could have been avoided with better safety measures. As an attorney who has represented people in other train incidents, I have seen firsthand the numerous ways such scenarios could be avoided if only proactive steps had been taken.
The preliminary NTSB report on the Yellow Line incident highlights several critical points that must serve as a wake-up call for the CTA. The report indicates that the Yellow Line train was traveling at 54 mph when the operator received a stop command because a snowplow was less than half a mile ahead. Despite the operator’s best efforts to stop the train, it was still going at a significant speed of 27 mph at the time of the collision. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the CTA’s safety protocols, operator training and communication systems.
While it is commendable that the CTA operator followed protocol by remaining standing and appearing fully engaged, it is evident that more needs to be done to prevent such accidents from happening in the first place. The safety of CTA employees and passengers should be the top priority, and the CTA must invest in better technology, training and operational procedures to ensure their well-being.
To boot, public opinion regarding the CTA has suffered a significant blow in the wake of this accident. An unofficial survey conducted by WBEZ-FM 91.5 revealed that the majority of respondents either maintained their negative opinions of the CTA or saw their opinions worsen in the past year. Only a mere 20% felt that their perception of the CTA had improved. This indicates that the public has lost confidence in the agency’s ability to provide safe and reliable transportation services.In light of these troubling developments, the CTA must take immediate and substantial actions to avoid costly disasters such as the Yellow Line crash. These actions should include:
