Due to declining on-site ticket sales at the Rock Island Beverly Branch Line’s 95th Street and 99th Street stations, Metra today announced that it will be reassigning the ticket agents at those stations to other positions effective at the close of business March 14.
At 95th Street, where about 525 people board each weekday, the agent sells an average of 39 tickets a day. At 99th Street, where about 620 people board each weekday, the agent sells an average of 58 tickets a day. Those tickets sales totals are the lowest of all of Metra’s manned stations.
“Technology is changing the way Metra customers are buying tickets,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “We continue to look for ways to be more efficient with our limited resources and redeploying the agents from these stations to locations where we need more manpower is simply a good business practice.”
Customers who use the 95th Street and 99th Street stations after March 14 will be able to purchase a paper ticket onboard from a conductor at no extra cost. In addition, customers have a variety of other options for buying tickets. Those include buying from an agent or vending machine at all five downtown stations and buying tickets online through Metra’s website.
As of November 2015, Metra customers can also buy Metra mobile tickets on their smartphones with the new Ventra App. The free app is available for download at the App Store and Google Play. Quick acceptance of the app by Metra customers resulted in 1 million tickets being bought and used via the app within 60 days of its launch.
Metra previously eliminated on-site ticket sales at the Hubbard Woods Station on the Union Pacific North Line in 2014 and the 55th/56th/57th Street Station on the Metra Electric Line in 2015.