On October 14, 2026, NITA welcomed riders and regional partners for an interactive open house focused on the future of public transit. Explore topics from the event and find out how you can help shape what comes next.
What Moves You? Help Shape the 2027 NITA Budget - A prioritization survey that has already received thousands of responses is open until Friday, October 16. Take the short survey now to have your voice heard for the 2027 budget cycle.
Take the surveyOne region. One connected transit system. NITA was created to strengthen coordination among CTA, Metra, and Pace and improve public transportation across northeastern Illinois.
NITA brings new regional responsibilities for fares, service planning, safety, capital investment, and oversight. Working with CTA, Metra, Pace, and regional partners, NITA will help make transit easier to use, more connected, and more responsive to riders' needs.
The agency serves a six-county region that includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, with the goal of creating a transit system that works better across agency and geographic boundaries.
Making transit easier, more affordable, and more convenient for everyone. From planning a trip to paying a fare, NITA is working to make riding CTA, Metra, and Pace simpler and more seamless. Improving the rider experience can encourage more people to choose public transit for their everyday trips.
NITA is working toward a more connected transit system where riders can easily plan trips, understand fares, and transfer between services. This includes improving coordination among CTA, Metra, and Pace and making rider information more consistent across the region.
Through its Travel Information Action Plan, NITA is advancing improvements to signage, maps, schedules, real-time arrival information, and trip planning tools. These efforts will make it easier for riders to navigate the transit system, especially when trips involve multiple agencies.
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NITA is also working to simplify fares and improve affordability across the region. The Access Program expanded to CTA and Pace on October 1, 2026, giving eligible riders access to income-based reduced fares on all three transit systems.
Looking ahead, NITA will work with CTA, Metra, and Pace to improve fare coordination and make traveling across the region more convenient. Combined with better rider information and more connected service, these improvements can help make transit a more attractive option for more trips.
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From the event: Fares one-pager
Connecting communities to transit and creating places where transit can thrive. Good transit is about more than buses and trains. The streets, sidewalks, neighborhoods, and destinations surrounding transit stops and stations all influence how easily people can access and use public transportation.
NITA works with communities throughout the region to improve access to transit. Through the Access to Transit program and Community Planning program, NITA funds and helps communities plan for investments such as sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, bicycle facilities, and other improvements that make it safer and easier to reach transit stations and stops as well as supports local governments to advance land use and transportation decisions that make transit more accessible and useful. This includes planning for walkable neighborhoods, better connections between transportation options, and development near transit.
NITA is also exploring joint development opportunities that make better use of publicly owned land around transit facilities. By partnering with communities and developers, these projects can support economic development, encourage ridership, and generate resources to reinvest in the transit system.
From the event: Joint development examples
Making public safety and reliability a priority across the region. Riders should feel safe and comfortable at stations and stops and on board buses and trains. NITA is working with transit agencies and regional partners to strengthen public safety and improve the rider experience.
The NITA Act establishes new regional responsibilities for transit safety and customer experience. NITA is building the structure to coordinate these efforts across CTA, Metra, and Pace, including establishing an Office of Transit Safety and Experience.
This work includes developing a regional transit ambassador program, strengthening coordination with law enforcement and community partners, and exploring new ways for riders to report concerns and receive assistance.
NITA is also responsible for overseeing regional capital investments that help keep transit safe and reliable. From modernizing stations to maintaining vehicles, tracks, and signals, these investments are essential to a better rider experience.
From the event: Ride with confidence: Safety one-pager
Connecting CTA, Metra, and Pace through better service planning.
CTA's Bus Vision is examining how Chicago's bus network can better serve riders through improved frequency and coverage. Pace's ReVision is focused on redesigning suburban bus service, while Metra's System Network Plan outlines a transition toward more frequent, all-day regional rail.
Although each plan is at a different stage, all three share a goal of providing more frequent, useful, and connected service.
Under the NITA Act, NITA will establish regional service standards and conduct transit propensity analysis to help determine where different types and levels of transit service are appropriate.
NITA will also identify key regional transfer locations, known as NITA Hubs, where coordinated schedules, improved signage, real-time information, and other rider-focused improvements could be piloted.
These efforts will help inform NITA's future unified regional service plan and make it easier for riders to travel across agency boundaries.
From the event:
Explore career and business opportunities that keep our region moving. Thousands of employees and businesses support the region's transit system every day. From operating buses and trains to maintaining infrastructure and providing essential services, there are many ways to contribute.
NITA, CTA, Metra, and Pace offer career opportunities in operations, maintenance, engineering, planning, administration, and more. These roles help connect millions of riders to jobs, education, and opportunities throughout the region.
Transit agencies also work with businesses of all sizes to purchase goods and services, deliver major projects, and support daily operations.
Businesses interested in working with NITA or the Service Boards can explore procurement opportunities and learn about the contracting process. Learn more on Doing business with NITA.
From the event:
Your ideas can help shape the future of regional transit. What should our transit system look like in 10 years? What improvements would make your ride better? What should NITA prioritize?
At the Community Vision Wall, we ask attendees to share ideas, experiences, and priorities for the region's future transit system.
This feedback will help NITA understand what matters most to riders and communities as the agency develops new regional policies, service standards, and investment priorities. The conversation won't end after the open house. NITA will continue creating opportunities for public input as regional transit planning moves forward.
Building a connected regional system will take both near-term improvements and long-term planning. NITA is moving forward with new regional responsibilities while continuing to engage riders and communities throughout the transition.
NITA will continue sharing information about new programs, planning efforts, upcoming investments, and opportunities to provide feedback. Subscribe to the newsletter.
Thank you for helping build a stronger, more connected regional transit system.
