Okay, not exactly free for all, but today is the first day that millitary personnel ride the CTA for free.  The rub: They must be in full uniform.  So, tell me how many uniforms you see on the system?  And do you think this is a wise move?

While I see value in offering those who serve our country a break in terms of bus and train fare, I'm not as sold on the senior citizens, who are also riding for free-ninety nine due to a doomsday clause from G-Rod.  I feel comfortable saying it because dozens of seniors have written to me saying they don't want the free ride, especially during strapped economic times for the CTA. 

So whaddya think?  Is CTA becoming a free-for-all, or are the deserving getting a much deserved discount?

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 10:04 a.m., Friday, Jan. 18

Doomsday is...not going to happen. Here's what the local papers and TV stations had to say about the transit deal last night and this morning.

Chicago Tribune: Transit back on track

Chicago Tribune: Photo gallery

Chicago Sun-Times: CTA doomsday averted

Chicago Sun-Times: Without billions for capital projects, riders still face slow zones, rickety rides

Chicago Sun-Times: What the transit bill means for you

Chicago Sun-Times: Now it's in hands of City Council

The Daily Herald: Lawmakers OK transit bailout

The State Journal-Register: Transit bill OK’d with free rides

WBBM-Ch. 2: Doomsday Averted: Mass Transit Bailout Passes

WMAQ-Ch. 5: Done Deal: Transit Funding Bill Approved

WFLD-Ch. 32: Riders Happy, Lawmakers Aren’t

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 4:20 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 17

Finally, it's over. Read all about it right here and, folks, have a nice commute home tonight.

And tomorrow, and the day after...

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 2:20 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 17

The transit bill passed in the House this afternoon. It's on to the Senate, which is expected to vote later today.

We'll have an update as soon as there's more news...stay tuned.

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 9:18 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 17

Doomsday is three days away...here's what the local papers and TV stations had to say about it last night and this morning.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Transit-bill detour hurdled

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Not all seniors may ride free

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Let gov take us for a ride

DAILY HERALD: Free rides still imperil transit bill

WBBM-Ch.2: Endgame Arrives For Mass Transit Funding

WBBM-Ch.2: Hear from some concerned CTA customers

WMAQ-Ch. 5: Transit Committee Reluctantly Approves Seniors Clause

WFLD-Ch. 32: Vote Today will Determine if There's Doomsday

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 4:51 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16

From the Tribune:

"A House mass transit panel today approved Gov. Rod Blagojevich's last-minute plan to provide senior citizens with free bus and train rides as part of a mass transit funding solution, setting up the General Assembly to vote it up or down as early as Thursday."

READ THE WHOLE STORY HERE

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 9:41 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16

The House Mass Transit Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, January 16 at 2:00 pm at the Thompson Center, Room 16-503 in Chicago.

Source: http://www.juliehamos.org/transit/news/newsitem.aspx?newsitemid=155

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 9:19 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16

Doomsday is four days away...here's what the local papers and TV stations had to say about it last night and this morning.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Governor to skeptical seniors: Hold nose, ride free

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: How drastic cuts redraw transit map

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: The post-doomsday transit map

WBBM-Ch. 2: Lawmakers To Meet As CTA Doomsday Approaches

WFLD-Ch. 32: CTA board to look at free rides for seniors

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 10:55 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15

It's kind of weird to think the CTA transit problem was actually resolved before Free-Rod stepped in with a plan to give seniors free rides.

You know what's even weirder? Looks like he, knowing or unknowingly, didn't tell the truth about the plan.

Here's what he said last week, according to the Daily Herald:

"I'm going to write a line in the bill that provides free public transportation to every senior citizen who lives in the state of Illinois."

And this is what the Daily Herald discovered when combing through the fine print.

However, a close look at the plan his office filed shows only seniors living in mass transit districts would get the freebie. In other words, suburban seniors could ride Pace and CTA lines for free, but a 65-year-old downstate tourist could not.

So not only is Free-Rod messing with every single CTA customer with his unbelievably self-serving offer to give seniors free rides, he's not even being honest about it.

At this point, I don't see how Free-Rod can come out of this looking good no matter what happens. If doomsday arrives, he'll get all the blame. That's for sure.

Let's say his plan goes through, "all" seniors get free rides and the CTA secures a long-term funding plan. He's still going to be the guy who did his very best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Free-Rod is not a part of the solution. He's just a very, very big problem.

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 9:19 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15

Doomsday is five days away...here's what the local papers and TV stations had to say about it last night and this morning.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Chicago aldermen in a pickle -- transit bailout plan triggers higher real estate transfer taxes

CHICAGO TRIBUNE'S ERIC ZORN: Blagojevich has power to amend, laugh

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: 'Mad as hell': CTA realty tax ripped

DAILY HERALD: Not all seniors may get a free ride after all

WBBM-Ch. 2: CTA Head: Gov. Never Told Me About Free Rides