The Feds messing with the CTA, because it's dangerous?

For context, you've probably heard how bad the crime is in NYC? And the concern that Mamdani may make the problem worse. Chicago's current crime rate in 2025 is 15/100,000 compared to NYC's 4/1000. 3.5 times higher! And Mayor Johnson is taking bows for lowering our homicide rate. What a joke!

CTA to send FTA safety plan this week

Axios News

The Federal Transit Administration is demanding that the CTA submit a safety plan Monday after a horrific assault on a Blue Line train.

Why it matters: Safety has been a major concern for the CTA, especially as post-pandemic rider habits shift — and it's back in the national spotlight after a man with more than 70 prior arrests set a woman on fire on the Blue Line.

Driving the news: FTA administrator Marc Molinaro sent letters to Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker last week instructing the CTA to develop a verifiable security enhancement plan and submit it to the FTA for approval by Monday, with a Friday deadline for implementation.

What they're saying: "The CTA is in receipt of a Special Directive from the Federal Transit Administration. We have reviewed the document and will respond within the requested timeline," a spokesperson tells Axios.

By the numbers: Homicides and shootings on the CTA went up in 2025 compared to last year, according to Chicago police data, while Mayor Johnson has touted that violent crime across Chicago is the lowest it's been in years, despite President Trump calling on federal intervention.

State of play: CTA uses Chicago police officers and unarmed security and has more than 30,000 security cameras.

What we're watching: The seriousness of the FTA's threat. The FTA did not answer Axios' questions about how much money is at stake and what standards it's using to determine whether the CTA's safety plan is appropriate.