Watch CBS News

Dogs And Cats, Riding Trains Together? Not Mass Hysteria To Metra

Rail Agency May Allow Pets

(CBS) – Metra commuter trains may one day purr along the tracks – literally -- if a test program allowing small pets is approved by board members.

WBBM Newsradio's Craig Dellimore reports.

The Metra board is poised to consider a pilot program that would allow pets on the weekends on the Rock Island Line. The animals would have to be confined to individual pet carriers, and owners and their critters could be ordered off the train for problems such as noise or bad odors, a spokesperson says.

"They have to sit on your lap or under the seat. They can't take up any seats. They can't take up any space on the floors or the aisles, and they can't be disruptive to any other passengers," Metra's Michael Gillis says.

In other news, the Metra board has postponed raising the financial penalty for buying tickets on the train in cases where they are available from agents or machines at stations.

Some board members want to launch "mobile ticketing" first, which allows smart-phone purchases, to give commuters that option, Gillis said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.