Rider with guide dog says platform‑to‑train gap fillers not reliably deployed; CTA operations pledges follow‑up

Karen Ford, a long‑time CTA rider, told the ADA Advisory Committee that although stations and elevators are being advertised as accessible, she often cannot board trains because the platform and train floors are not level and gap fillers are not consistently deployed.

“I can get on the platform, but I can't get on the train,” Ford said. She said she typically rides buses because she requires assistance to board trains; on one trip a station attendant called ahead but no one was present at the destination when her train arrived.

Committee members and CTA staff described the current procedure for assisting riders with mobility devices: customer service agents (CSAs) and train operators are trained to approach riders using mobility devices or other assistive cues, deploy the gap filler and call control so the receiving station can prepare. A CTA representative told the committee that if a CSA is not available, operators are expected to exit the cab and place the gap filler themselves and call control to flag the stop.

CTA staff encouraged riders to file complaints at transitchicago.org with date, time and location so operations can retrain staff or address specific failures. “If somebody doesn’t do it, file a complaint,” the facilitator said; CTA staff noted complaint details allow targeted refresher training at particular stations or times.

Why it matters: People who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices depend on consistent staff assistance and functioning gap fillers for safe boarding. Committee members emphasized that process design and training are distinct from compliance and that repeated failures should trigger retraining and operational changes.

The CTA representative said the agency is pursuing a more senior customer‑service role to provide consistent platform assistance but acknowledged that position was not yet fully implemented.