Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago, IL · NTD ID 50066 · 2024 report year
Chicago Transit Authority carries 309 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and heavy rail — making it the 2nd-busiest transit operator in the United States, and the largest in Illinois. It is based in Chicago, IL.
It spends $1.92 billion a year running that service, or $6.20 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $5.96 per rider — 57% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 32% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 11% on 2023. Fares cover 19% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#3 of 1,162 nationally | 181,733,617 | $1.08 billion | $5.96 | -57% | 18% | 1,505 |
| Heavy Rail#3 of 16 nationally | 127,463,409 | $835 million | $6.55 | -38% | 20% | 1,000 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 309,197,026 | $1.92 billion | $6.20 |
| 2023 | 279,146,501 | $1.75 billion | $6.26 |
| 2022 | 243,538,803 | $1.50 billion | $6.15 |
| 2021 | 195,980,563 | $1.72 billion | $8.80 |
| 2020 | 197,499,793 | $1.74 billion | $8.82 |
| 2019 | 455,743,541 | $1.78 billion | $3.90 |
| 2018 | 468,067,963 | $1.79 billion | $3.82 |
| 2017 | 479,435,218 | $1.81 billion | $3.78 |
| 2016 | 497,704,252 | $1.82 billion | $3.66 |
| 2015 | 515,964,831 | $1.80 billion | $3.50 |
Where Chicago Transit Authority ranks
- Cheapest Heavy Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #4 of 16
- Most Expensive Heavy Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #13 of 16
- Highest-Ridership Heavy Rail Systems #3 of 16
- Best Farebox Recovery Among Heavy Rail Systems #6 of 16
- Cheapest Bus Systems by Cost per Rider #11 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Bus Agencies #3 of 40
- Best Farebox Recovery Among Large Bus Systems #14 of 40
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Ask NTD about Chicago Transit Authority →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.