Many years ago while I was riding a CTA bus, I witnessed an unruly passenger hassle the bus driver. I thought to myself, “Being a bus driver is a job I would never want. Imagine the unpleasant members of the public that a bus driver encounters on a daily basis.” And as an aside, imagine maneuvering one of those articulated buses on crowded city streets. Not a whole lot of fun.

Unlike me, the CTA’s bus drivers have not had to imagine anything as we contemplate a third year of the never-ending pandemic. Last Saturday night a group of several hundred teenagers gathered in the Loop to create mayhem among families celebrating the holiday season. In front of the Millennium Park Christmas tree, several of these teenagers savagely beat a CTA bus driver who had exited his bus to inspect for damage after hearing a loud noise. During the course of the riot, two children were shot. Police arrested twenty-one teenagers. Presumably they were released to their parents a short time afterwards rather than being transferred to a juvenile detention facility. Last September, a CTA bus driver was shot in the jaw just a block away from last Saturday night’s attack.

Unfortunately, those and November’s stabbing of a CTA bus driver in Lincoln Park are not isolated incidents. According to ATU Local 308’s president, Eric Dixon, in 2021 there have been close to 400 violent incidents, double the count for 2020. In an effort to downplay that number, CTA spokesman Brian Steele told the Chicago Tribune that this year there have only been 38 assaults leading to the hospitalization of bus and rail operators.

Of all of the incidents, my favorite occurred last Wednesday night in Englewood. As far as I can tell It was not covered by either the Chicago Tribune or the Chicago Sun-Times. According to a report in CWB Chicago, a 28-year old man boarded a bus, asking the driver to take him to a specific location. When the driver told the man that the bus did not go to that address, the man pulled a gun, telling the driver, “Today, you are going there.” The gun in question was a 45-caliber Glock with a laser sight attached. There were passengers on board the bus.

Fortunately, the police apprehended the man after he apparently had second thoughts about the busjacking. For that, Judge Charles Beach imposed in $40,000 bond, which means the 28-year old will be back on the streets if he deposits $4,000. Remember Beach’s name during the next judicial retention election.

Well, our friendly bus drivers have had enough. At 11:30 AM today, about 100 drivers gathered outside of City Hall for a march to Millennium Park. The event started with a press conference where Dixon and other union officials made the case for stiffer penalties against those who attack transit workers and for a CTA-dedicated police force. As it stands, the CTA has hired unarmed security guards to patrol the system. Among the other speakers was Illinois Congresswoman Marie Newman, who pointed out that President Biden’s recent infrastructure bill included provisions designed to protect transit workers.

But the speakers that made the greatest impression were the drivers. Rena Mosely-Cotton recounted being spat on three times and having a knife pulled on her. Another recounted an armed robbery while he was eating his lunch. Before the demonstration wrapped up in sight of Millennium Park’s Christmas tree, the daughter of one bus driver murdered in the line of duty spoke about her late mother.

Normally I believe demonstration organizers are undermining the mission if they proceed with only a few hundred people because demonstrations first and foremost are visual events staged to draw media attention. Today the bus drivers were so enthusiastic and their stories were so compelling that I am willing to make an exception. More importantly, the union officials promised larger demonstrations if the CTA does not adequately address their demands and the violence continues.

If I were Mayor Lori Lightfoot or Cook County District Attorney Kim Foxx, I would be very nervous. The population at large has taken notice of the daily carjackings, strong-arm robberies, and smash and grabs on the Magnificent Mile, but when public union employees carry signs calling for the resignation of Foxx and chanting for Lightfoot’s and Foxx’s resignations, those elected officials have a political problem on their hands. Governor Pritzker’s name did not come up, but his successful crusade to eliminate cash bail could well come back to haunt him and the state’s Democrats.

Of possibly greater significance, two woman wearing “Let’s Go Brandon” sweatshirts mingled with the demonstrators. I didn’t speak with them, but I assume they were Trumpers. Well, they seemed to be engaged in constructive dialogue with the demonstrators and at least one union official, discussing opportunities to work together.

The people of Chicago have taken notice. Carjackings are now an everyday occurrence, with Chicago set to record 2,000 this year. Just yesterday, in one of the city’s retail districts at 4:33 PM, a 78-year-old woman was instructed to “Get out of the car, bitch,” as she was dragged from her car.

Last night’s storms did not stop the roving gangs of thugs who have been holding up people nightly in the Lakeview neighborhood. In a brazen attack, a group of three gunman held up a party of eight walking down the street. Some of these nightly robberies have taken place within eyesight of the police station just two blocks from Wrigley Field. And why not? The police are now reluctant to chase the offenders, and if they do apprehend one of the many teenage perpetrators, Kim Foxx chooses not to prosecute.

And let’s not forget the smash and grab robberies. Purses and handbags are flying out the doors of Chicago’s luxury retailers, as are coats from Canada Goose and beauty products from Ultra. Just last night, $2,000,000 in watches was taken from a luxury car dealer a block from the Magnificent Mile.

When you can’t run to the corner at 8:30 PM for Chinese takeout or to Walgreen’s for a prescription without fear of being held up by four gun-toting thugs, you look closely at who is in charge of the city.

Our transit workers are leading the way. I will not be surprised if demonstrations about crime in the city continue this spring. And keep in mind that a demonstration involving just 100 people made the headlines in both newspapers and were highlighted on the 10 PM news. I know because I saw my own image on the local CBS affiliate. Violence and crime are on the media’s minds

Next time you get off the bus, be sure to wish the driver a good evening or offer a thank you.

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Copyright 2021, Jack B. Siegel. All Rights Reserved. Do Not Alter, Copy, Display, Distribute, Download, or Reproduce Without the Express Written Permission of Jack B. Siegel.