US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has put Chicago and Boston on notice: step up safety on your public transit systems, or risk losing federal funding. He made the tough warning on Friday, blasting local leaders for what he calls a failure to protect riders and workers amid a wave of violent attacks.
Duffy pointed to shocking incidents on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), two of the biggest transit networks in the US. These include a brutal assault on a 27-year CTA veteran who got punched and thrown onto the tracks, an elderly woman shoved off an MBTA bus and slammed to the ground, and a man whipping passengers with his belt. The Department of Transportation highlighted these cases in its release to underline the urgency for better transit safety.
“President Trump cares about our great cities and the hardworking Americans who live there,” Duffy said in a statement. He accused local officials of putting criminals first and referenced the tragic death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally attacked on a North Carolina light-rail train last month. “We’re not waiting for the next Iryna,” Duffy added. “Chicago and Boston need to boost safety, cut crime, and support their riders and workers—or face the consequences.”
In separate letters to CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng, Duffy demanded detailed reports within 14 days. The agencies must outline actions to fight crime, stop fare evasion, and clean up their systems. They also have to break down funding for safety and security in fiscal years 2025 and 2026, including any help from federal groups like the Department of Homeland Security.
Duffy didn’t hold back on broader issues, slamming the cities’ cashless bail policies for letting “deranged criminals” keep terrorizing public spaces. This fits into his ongoing crackdown on transit problems—he’s already sent similar warnings to systems in Washington, New York, and Los Angeles earlier this year.
The MBTA responded quickly after the bus shoving incident. General Manager Phillip Eng said Thursday that safety is their number one focus and that such violence won’t be tolerated. Transit police arrested the suspect right away, and Eng praised their fast work. He urged riders to report issues anonymously through the See Say app, adding, “The public deserves a safe ride, and we’re committed to making that happen.”
The CTA and MBTA haven’t commented yet on Duffy’s letters or the federal pressure. As cities grapple with rising concerns over public transportation safety, this push highlights the growing call for secure commutes for everyday Americans.
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