Chicago-area commuters want the incoming Northern Illinois Transit Authority to focus on improving security and bus and rail service, according to a new survey by the Regional Transportation Authority.More than 1,400 riders surveyed in December and January listed "public safety" and "improving servi ce" to be top priorities of the NITA board, which replaces the RTA on June 1.Those results took priority over "expanding service" and "seamless and affordable fares."The survey results were shared at the RTA's Thursday board meeting. Some of the meeting was focused on transition planning to the NITA board this summer. That board is mandated by the major public transit law signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in December that will overhaul the CTA, Metra and Pace, and infuse them with more than $1 billion in new yearly funding. A new survey from the Regional Transportation Authority found that riders want the incoming transit board to focus most on public safety and improving service.RTA board meeting screengrab The survey results, posted online, also found that over two-thirds of riders said their feeling of personal safety "remained about the same" over the previous three months. About a quarter said their feeling of safety decreased over that time, while about 8% said it improved.The survey also found that satisfaction with "cleanliness" and "personal security" were rated the lowest of all other categories, rated an average of 5.6 and 5.7 respectively on a 1-10 scale.The survey results were shared as the federal government ramps up pressure on the Chicago Transit Authority to improve security of riders and employees following a series of high-profile assaults. The Sun-Times reported last month that aggravated assaults and batteries have reached historic highs on the CTA. A public safety survey presented at the Regional Transportation Authority’s March 19, 2026, board meeting.Livestream screengrab The NITA law calls on the Cook County sheriff's office to study the possibility of creating a transit-wide police force. Currently, only Metra has its own police force. The CTA is currently patrolled by Chicago police and other local agencies, as is Pace.FTA walks back funding threat on CTA, ramps up pressure on stateThe Federal Transit Administration this week tempered its threat to cut $50 million in funding to the CTA, but increased pressure on the Illinois Department of Transportation. It follows the CTA issuing its second revised safety plan to the FTA last week that boosts the police presence on the system by 75%, with the addition of sheriff's deputies who are patrolling trains.In a letter sent to the CTA on Tuesday, the FTA said it is "not withholding federal funding at this time," but reserves the right to cut funding "without further notice" if the CTA does not follow through with its commitment to the FTA's initial demands issued in December. The FTA promptly rejected the CTA's first response to the FTA's demand in December, which boosted K9 units and CPD's staffing.The FTA also issued a new demand this week to IDOT, which the FTA claimed has failed in its oversight role over the CTA. The FTA claims that IDOT has not used all of its federally issued funds meant to be used in that oversight role."IDOT has not exercised its authority, resources, or responsibilities at a level commensurate with CTA’s size, complexity, or safety risk profile," the FTA wrote in its directive to IDOT.Metra to pilot fare collection on platformsSome Metra commuters may have to show their Ventra ticket or paper ticket on downtown platforms, instead of to a conductor on a train, in a pilot program set to begin April 6. Metra's board on Thursday approved a plan to test handheld ticket scanners that could help the incoming NITA board transition to integrated tickets that can be used across the CTA, Metra and Pace.The test will initially be conducted on off-peak trains to avoid jams, the agency said in a statement. ...read more read less