This is the response I received from Merrill Silverman after 2 months of waiting for a response. (I sent 1/16, received email 3/5).

"Dear Megan and co-signers of the petition “Keep Northwestern’s Train Station Shuttle Buses Running,”

The transportation and parking unit of Northwestern’s Department of Safety and Security, along with our campus partners — Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab — has reviewed your petition. Thank you for sharing your concerns and giving us a chance to respond.

Northwestern and our partners will not be reinstating the Chicago Train Station Shuttle service. This decision affects only the downtown Chicago train shuttle. It does not apply to other Northwestern shuttle services, including the Intercampus, Loop, Frostbite and Safe Ride.

Over several months in 2024, with our campus partners, we led a comprehensive assessment of transportation options and needs on the Chicago campus and determined the downtown shuttles were duplicative of service provided by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). At that point we partnered with the CTA to identify and implement even better options to serve the entire Chicago campus community. The following informed our decision to make this transition:

Safety first: We want to emphasize that the safety and well-being of all Northwestern community members is — and always will be — our top priority. The enhanced CTA 120 and 121 services are among the safest in the network, operating during rush hour and primarily serving professionals commuting downtown. No crimes were reported on either express route in 2024. Additionally, we trust the CTA’s algorithm to determine when additional buses are needed to prevent overcrowding.

Cost, flexibility and reliability: Faculty and staff who already have a Metra pass can add a Regional Connect pass for only $30 a month, which provides 24/7 access to all CTA buses and trains and Pace buses. This option is less expensive to staff than the $52 monthly pass — a cost that likely would have gone up over time — for the private train shuttle, which operates only during commuting hours on business days. In the past, we have received requests to operate later in the morning or earlier in the afternoon. Buying a Regional Connect pass means the flexibility to use CTA anytime.

Currently, the train shuttle operates with a limited number of buses and drivers. If there is a mechanical issue or an absence, the run must be canceled. In contrast, the CTA has a large fleet and personnel to handle these situations without interruption.

Route times: The CTA has agreed to reduce the number of stops between the train stations and campus and expanded their service hours. After recalculating the new route times, we found there is little to no difference in commute times as compared to the shuttles.

Commuting in comfort: The CTA has much better infrastructure to support our commuters, including covered waiting areas and wheelchair accessibility at Union Station. We stay in close communication with CTA officials and will promptly relay any major issues to quickly identify solutions.

Operating costs: The cost of operating the private train shuttle was highly subsidized — an offering that was not sustainable. The roughly 225 Northwestern employees who pay to ride the shuttle only cover approximately 25% of the total operating cost. In fact, if we continued with the offering, riders would have experienced cost increases over time. In the current financial environment, we are being diligent to ensure our transportation funding is utilized effectively and services the highest percentage of our community as possible.

We encourage you to try CTA transportation with an open mind, and we welcome your feedback during the transition and beyond. We will continue to monitor the impact of these changes over the coming months and adjust transportation service offerings based on needs over time.

Lastly, please note: We will provide refunds for 10-pack passes not used by March 28."

Very disappointing, but keep emailing and sharing your feedback with the shuttle email.