A Union Pacific Northwest line train arrives at the Barrington Metra Station on March 16, 2020, in Barrington. Fewer than a dozen commuters boarded. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Metra, which is struggling financially during the pandemic, said Union Pacific’s refusal to send conductors into the train cars is costing the commuter rail system $1 million a month in lost ticket revenue.
Union Pacific, which operates the UP North, Northwest and West lines, is not allowing conductors back into the aisles to punch tickets, citing coronavirus safety concerns. That has created a “no fare” policy, Metra said, essentially giving passengers on those lines a free ride for the foreseeable future.
“Because UP conductors are neither selling tickets nor validating fares, most riders on their trains have been riding for free, which is hurting the system financially and is not fair to riders on the other lines who are being asked to show their fares,” Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said Tuesday.
Metra has been hard-hit by the pandemic, operating at about 10% of its normal ridership as people continue to work from home and attend school remotely. The transit agency projects $682 million in lost revenue through the end of 2021.
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