Mayor Emanuel: Time to speed up trains to O’Hare, Midway

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday he’s evaluating plans to shave up to 12 minutes off CTA travel times between downtown and O’Hare Airport and Midway Airport, a goal he views as more attainable than his predecessor’s dream of an express train to O’Hare.

Ald. Beale helped trim cab reforms after campaign fund-raiser

An influential alderman was accused Monday of working behind the scenes to soften the blow of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s taxicab industry overhaul five days after principals of an industry trade group hosted a fund-raiser for the alderman.

The Jan. 12 fund-raiser for Ald. Anthony Beale …

Emanuel administration puts brakes on cabbies’ call for fare hearing

Four times in the last five years, Chicago cabdrivers have petitioned the City Council for a fare increase, only to walk away empty-handed.

Now, they can’t even get that far.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration has ruled that veteran cabdriver Thaddeus Budzynski failed to meet the …

Disability-parking abuse crackdown targets meter cheaters in Loop

Ten able-bodied drivers who authorities say used disabled-parking placards or license plates to try to park for free in metered spots around downtown Chicago were ticketed Tuesday in the city’s first sting operation since stricter, new city penalties for the offense took effect Sunday.

Metra riders rush to buy passes before 25 percent fare hike

Irritated commuters rushed Tuesday to buy Metra tickets before fare hikes averaging 25 percent go into effect Wednesday. But they couldn’t buy more than a month’s worth of discounted 10-ride passes, thanks to a Metra policy.

South Shore rail fares to rise 5 percent Feb. 15

The cost of riding the South Shore commuter railway between downtown Chicago and northern Indiana is going up, with a 5 percent increase in fares starting Feb. 15.

Metra fare increases begin Wednesday

Metra riders will need to dig a little deeper starting Wednesday, when fare increases averaging more than 25 percent kick in.

One-way tickets will increase an average of 15.7 percent across all fare zones, while 10-ride tickets will go up an average of 30 percent. …

How’s that cabbie driving? Call 311 to report it, stickers urge

Chicago’s 6,892 taxis will be slapped with bumper stickers encouraging people to call 311 to report good and bad drivers, thanks to a plan unveiled Friday to improve cabbie performance and pedestrian safety.

As promised during City Council budget hearings, the campaign will be bankrolled …

Cabbies complain Rahm left them at the curb

Chicago cabdrivers have already accused Mayor Rahm Emanuel of changing virtually everything about the taxicab industry except by giving them the thing that matters most to them: a fare increase.

Now, they’re complaining about being “disenfranchised” when it comes to their future ability to petition …

Disabled freight train delays Metra trains in Joliet area

A disabled freight train in a Joliet rail yard temporarily halted Metra trains Tuesday morning, causing delays and headaches for southwest suburban Metra commuters. Crews have managed to restore inbound train service from Joliet on the Heritage Corridor and Rock Island District lines, but commuters …

One CTA station project finished, three more in the works

A glitzy $73.6 million facelift to the Grand Avenue Red Line stop — a four-year headache to both commuters on the CTA trains and cars on the streets above — was unveiled Tuesday, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel touting upcoming similar renovations or construction of new …

$1 Chicago cab fuel charge now permanent

Chicago’s on-again-off-again, $1 fuel surcharge on taxicab fares would become permanent — and part of the cost of entering a cab — thanks to a surprise change tied to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s overhaul of the cab industry.

Slippery conditions persist after first snowfall slaps area

It was more of a slap than the winter “punch” some predicted, but the first major snowstorm of the season promised icy, treacherous roads Friday morning. “The public needs to be aware that even though it has stopped snowing, slippery conditions will persist,” said Guy Tridgell, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Close call at Midway being investigated

Southwest Airlines says it’s cooperating with federal officials investigating a close call on a runway in Chicago last month. A Southwest plane that had just landed at Midway Airport was preparing to cross a runway when the co-pilot yelled at the pilot to stop to avoid a smaller jet that was taking off. Federal officials say air-traffic controllers didn’t cancel the smaller jet’s takeoff clearance or tell the Southwest plane to stop. The planes came within less than 300 feet of each other during the Dec. 1 incident.

Chicago weather: 4 to 8 inches of snow coming

Enjoy the warm weather while it lasts — forecasters are already warning Chicago-area residents about a storm Thursday that could bring up to 8 inches of snow and strong, bitterly cold winds.