Evening Purple Line Express Test Falling Short Of Expectations
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Time is running out on the experimental CTA mid-evening Purple Express train, which faces an uncertain future.
Friday is the last night of the six-week test. It's been a disappointment to CTA and the city of Evanston, both of whom thought they saw a market for a mid-evening express train weekdays.
Ridership has fallen far short of the hoped-for 468 riders on the single round-trip train, despite promotional efforts by CTA and Evanston merchants, who have organized a series of special events geared to riding the train, which has left Linden at 8 p.m., makes its last Loop stop at 9 p.m. and returns at 9:50 p.m.
CTA President Dorval Carter was non-committal.
"We still have to decide what the final plans are going to be for that. We're going to study the results from the service and make a decision how to move forward based on that," he said.
The test began June 1.
