Transport Department Initiates Safety Audit of Chicago’s Transit System

The Chicago Transit Authority reported 261 crimes, including 94 larceny-thefts and four shooting incidents since the beginning of 2026.

A Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train waits at the Forest Park, Ill., station for the eastern journey to downtown Chicago on Sept. 3, 2024 Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo

Addressing what it called turmoil and unsafe rider conditions, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced March 17 that it will inspect Chicago’s rail transit system and direct the local authority to improve its oversight.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), an agency within the DOT, will initiate a safety inspection of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), which is responsible for Chicago rail system safety.