By Railfan & Railroad Staff

CHICAGO — Metra will start testing a new schedule on four different lines that will see more trains spread throughout the day as opposed to the traditional morning and evening rush-hours. 

The change comes as the economy reopens but the transition to remote work and more flexible schedules changes commuter patterns. The new pilot schedules will start on July 12 on the UP North, BNSF and Metra Electric lines and July 19 on the Rock Island Line. According to the railroad, “the pilot schedules step away from pre-pandemic schedules that prioritized peak rush-hour service in favor of a more balanced approach that spreads out the service to offer better off-peak options. The schedules also have been reimagined with more memorable timetables and service patterns.”

“With this pilot program, we are testing schedules that have changed with our riders’ changing needs. We think flexibility is the new currency in a post-pandemic economy,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “We look forward to our riders’ return, and we will welcome them with clean, safe trains and schedules that meet their needs.”

The pilot schedules for the four lines can be viewed here. Metra officials say they may use the more balanced schedule method on other lines in the future as well. 

Shortly after the pandemic started, ridership on Metra plummeted to 3 percent of normal and plateaued at 10 percent of normal for much of 2020. According to Metra officials, ridership currently sits at 17 percent of pre-pandemic levels.