What is one major goal of the CTA’s strategic plan?

One major goal of the Chicago Transit Authority's strategic plan is to improve service reliability and efficiency. This focus is critical for enhancing the overall customer experience, ensuring that buses run on time and that passengers can depend on the transit system for their daily commutes and travel needs. By prioritizing reliability, the CTA aims to build trust with its riders, encouraging more people to use public transportation instead of personal vehicles. Enhanced efficiency also means optimizing routes, schedules, and operations, which can lead to reduced wait times for passengers and more effective use of resources.

In contrast, options like offering free transportation services or reducing the number of bus routes do not align with the overarching goal of improving the service quality and accessibility. Increasing fares, while potentially a source of revenue, does not directly contribute to enhancing reliability or efficiency, and could actually deter ridership if fare increases are seen as excessive without corresponding improvements in service.