Metra is losing riders, but gaining locomotives

The number of passengers riding the commuter railroad is down 4.4 percent over the last four years, and 2.2 percent between 2016 and 2017, officials said at last week’s monthly board meeting.

Metra cited fare hikes, low gas costs and the popularity of telecommuting as possible factors behind the ridership decline from 83.4 million passengers in 2014 to 78.6 million last year…Please click here to read Mary Wisniewski’s story in the Tribune.