The region’s mass transit operators have kicked off an advertising campaign to encourage bus and train riders to urge legislators to come up with more funding.

The Regional Transportation Authority rolled out its Save Transit Now campaign yesterday with ads on radio, television and social media platforms, as well as billboards and signs on trains, buses and transit shelters.

Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority, and Pace — which provide rail and bus service in the city and suburbs — face a funding shortfall or “transit cliff” of $771 million a year when federal pandemic-relief funding dries up next year.

The RTA — which coordinates funding for Metra, the CTA and Pace — wants $1.5 billion to hire more staff to improve service with increased frequency. It’s looking to the state Legislature in Springfield to come up with the money, or the transit lines will be forced to cut service.

"This isn’t just a transit crisis — it’s a regional emergency," RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden says. "If the General Assembly does not act this spring, hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans will wake up in 2026 without a way to get to work, school or medical appointments. This doomsday scenario can still be avoided as long as our state partners vote to fully fund transit operations before it’s too late."

But it’s an uphill climb: The state, which saw its COVID-19 funding dry up already, is facing its toughest budget in years. Many fear that actions by the Trump administration to cut funding even further will put greater strain on the budget. Add to that the state’s perennial pension challenges, and it becomes an even tougher sell.

There are competing proposals in Springfield about how to tackle the problem. Gov. JB Pritzker and leaders of the General Assembly have made clear they want to see reforms at the transit agencies, from governance and transparency, to service quality and safety, particularly at the CTA. The conversations will get more intense as the Legislature heads toward the end of the session next month.

RTA estimates the cost of the campaign, which includes print ads, at $750,000.