There have been a rash of stabbings on local transit, as well as a wave of assaults on CTA workers, and even a series of hammer attacks. Since last July, there have been at least three murders on buses and trains. Violent crime on trains was up another seventeen percent as of early March 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. The violent crime rate on the El system more than doubled between 20. It’s a time when many Chicagoans have experienced economic and mental health crises, and transit ridership has plummeted, meaning fewer eyes in the cars to deter bad behavior.
There’s not much debate that the CTA has gotten more dangerous and dirty during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’d take food, drink and bathroom breaks along the way. So I hung out on the Red and Blue routes from 5pm to 5am, partly inspired by the legendary “This American Life” “ 24 Hours at the Golden Apple” segment, recorded at the longtime Lakeview diner. While I ride CTA trains, mostly the Red Line, a few times a week, I was interested in getting a better sense of what conditions are like on the El at other times of the day. The Jackson Red Line platform on Friday, March 11 at 5pm/Photo: John Greenfield
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