CHICAGO- A bipartisan delegation of state lawmakers and stakeholders representing labor, business, environmental, and transit advocacy groups concluded a public transit delegation trip to Germany last week. The Illinois legislative delegation released the following statement:

Given the fact that every major public transit system in the United States is facing a massive fiscal cliff due to the decline in ridership that was expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic, the positive economic output that a robust public transit system provides, and the fact that the Chicago Metropolitan Agency on Planning references the public transit systems in Germany as models to look at, it was vital to experience firsthand and be thoroughly educated on how an integrated, coordinated, and accountable world class public transit system works.

One comparison speaks volumes. Oberbayern (the Munich region) has less than half of the Chicagoland region’s population yet it has more than double the annual regional ridership. Additionally, the city of Munich has more registered vehicles per 1,000 residents than the city of Chicago. Residents of the Munich region are consciously opting for public transit as their mode of transportation due to the factors of safety, reliability, accessibility, and much more.

The intentionality of an integrated, coordinated, and accountable public transit system was the key takeaway. The mantra of one network, one timetable, and one fare was the guiding principle, one we must replicate for our region.

We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to achieve the type of public transit service that our residents will be able to utilize, a governance structure that demands integration and coordination as well as accountability, and adequate funding.

In recent months, the Senate Transportation Committee held several hearings to discuss the state of public transit across the Northeastern Illinois region as it relates to economic impact, equity and accessibility, community quality of life, public health, and environmental impact. Additionally, a Senate Transportation Committee hearing took place in Springfield to discuss the needs of public transit in other regions of the state.

The delegation included Senate Transportation Committee Chairperson Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado (D-Chicago) who chairs the House Transit Working Group, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), Senate Majority Caucus Chair Omar Aquino (D-Chicago), Senate Transportation Committee Minority Spokesperson Don DeWitte (R-West Dundee), Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford), Senator Seth Lewis (R-Carol Stream), State Representative Anna Moeller (D-Elgin), and State Representative Hoan Huynh (D-Chicago).