Chicago Transit Authority | Diversity Employer

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates the nation's second largest public transportation system and covers the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs. On an average weekday, approximately 1.6 million rides are taken on the CTA.

The CTA is an independent governmental agency created by state legislation. We began operating on October 1, 1947, after acquiring the properties of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the Chicago Surface Lines. On October 1, 1952, CTA became the sole operator of Chicago transit when it purchased the Chicago Motor Coach system.

Our mission

“We deliver quality, affordable transit services that link people, jobs and communities.”

Our values

We will accomplish our mission with a diverse workforce that is:

• Courteous - We will create a pleasant environment for ourselves and our customers.



• Innovative - We will seek out and encourage employees who initiate change, improvement, learning and advancement of our goals.



• Motivated - We will meet each task with spirit, enthusiasm and a sense of pride to be second to none.



• Professional - We will provide transit service with the highest standards of quality and safety for our customers and ourselves.



• Reliable - We will be dependable for our customers and fellow employees, and will maintain the highest standards of trust.



• Results-Oriented - We will focus on getting the job done and will derive personal satisfaction from the service we provide.

Our commitments

We will accomplish our mission by:

• Setting clear goals, standards and priorities.



• Communicating openly with customers and employees.



• Helping all of our employees develop to their fullest potential through enhanced training and education.



• Being accountable to fellow employees and customers.



• Supporting employees so that they can serve customers.



• Engaging employees in decisions that affect them and their work and creating a stronger sense of ownership among our employees.

Our culture

We believe the best way to accomplish our mission is to cultivate a diverse workforce that values being courteous, innovative, motivated, professional, reliable and results-oriented. We are committed to giving our employees the support, training and clear standards and priorities to succeed in their positions.

Employee development
CTA is more than a job, it is a career. Positions at the CTA are designed to encourage constant employee growth and development.

CTA’s Training and Workforce Development (TWD) team is committed to fostering a learning organization that develops the Chicago Transit Authority's workforce through the development and delivery of learning opportunities that are relevant, effective and address the Authority's goals of a safe, industry-leading, customer-focused organization.

TWD focuses on four core areas of work: curriculum development, career development programs, safety/technical training programs and training facilitation and logistics. The department serves every department across the Authority and works in close partnership with Transit Operations, Safety and Human Resources. TWD provides a strong foundation for workforce development at the CTA.​​

Community efforts
The CTA is dedicated to giving back to the communities we serve through employee led volunteer programs and community partnerships. CTA employees participate in a variety of community efforts such as our annual Coat Drive, the famous Holiday Food Train, the yearly Blood Drive, and “Clean and Green” events where we clean and beautify the areas surrounding our work locations.

Careers at CTA

We connect people, places & communities
Chicago Transit Authority employees keep nearly 1.5 million people in Chicago and 35 suburbs moving every weekday. This would not be possible without our skilled and dedicated workforce. Learn what qualities make a great CTA employee and find a career opportunity that matches your professional skill set and interests.