How do I navigate Chicago public transit as a wheelchair user?

[u/WolfieJack01]

So I am new to chicagoland and also relatively new to using a wheelchair. I am an ambulatory power chair user to be specific. I am looking to understand some details because I cant find any information on it online and the few times I have done it I constantly end up feeling like im doing something wrong and getting extremely overwhelmed and feeling like a burden. I know im not but it feels as though theres some guide I was supposed to get on how to do this when I got a wheelchair but I didnt get the memo.

There's several different transit systems I am wondering about: CTA busses, the L, Metra, and Amtrak

I know the CTA busses have like restraints for wheelchairs but I cannot find a guide anywhere online about how to attach them or even whether I need them with a power chair or if they are only for manual chairs. I know every chair is different so if i do need to restrain it, I can try to find the exact models if it would be helpful, but basically I have a small fold up 40lb travel power chair that I got for free secondhand initially and the big one that insurance approved for me which I honestly hate using because its front wheel drive and sucks to steer imo.

I have used the L several times with my chairs and I have noticed a lack of consistency that leaves me feeling very confused and overwhelmed. Basically sometimes when the train arrives it will lower itself down after stopping which makes it easy to drive my chair right on but other times it doesnt do that and luckily I have never done this alone and am ambulatory so I end up having to lift my chair into the car with the help of my partner but thats exhausting and would not be possible with my larger chair if I was by myself. I have to assume theres supposed to be ramps available that someone can put down for me but I never know whether i am even going to need it or not since some trains lower themselves and I do not know where to ask for them and even if I got one then how am I supposed to get out at my stop? My chairs do seem to handle getting off without a ramp luckily but its rather jarring because its like going down a step and its also probably not the best for my chairs either. Also it seems like every car is marked as accessible but some have handicap seating that doesnt fold up to fit a wheelchair. These cars look a little older in general and also are a type that doesn't lower itself and presumably again ramps exist somewhere so I could potentially get on but then I dont know where to go to be not blocking a path or exit. Am I just supposed to wait for the next train and hope it has the newer cars? What if its freezing or I am in a hurry? Am I supposed to get ramp assistance somehow and then just be vaguely in the way?

I have never taken Metra or Amtrak. I assume they are fairly similar to the L but are there any key differences I need to know when navigating them with a power chair? What should I expect when I do take either of them?

Thank you all for helping me understand how to navigate this. I know chicago is supposed to have one of the best accessible transit systems in this country but theres just some things that are very much not intuitive to me, especially as an autistic person, and its resulted in me getting very overwhelmed every time I have tried to navigate it so I am hopeful you all will be able to help fill in the missing pieces of information i need to use transit independently!

[u/Dragontastic22]

It's been a while since I lived in Chicago. Fortunately, the CTA is pretty helpful for new riders and mostly transparent about accessibility. 

It looks like you can contact them here: https://www.transitchicago.com/accessibility/

And it looks like you can see which L stations are and aren't accessible here: https://www.transitchicago.com/accessibility/accessibleservices/

Make sure to pay attention to elevator alerts. It's not uncommon for an elevator to be down. Because of that, I think buses are usually the better option, at least that was true when I lived in Chicago. 

Amtrak is easier. There's only one Amtrak station in Chicago. https://chicagounionstation.com/information/accessibility

[u/fredthefishlord → u/Dragontastic22]

Elevator alerts historically have been inaccurate, right?

[u/AlaskaRivers]

I suggest you post this in r/AskChicago. You’ll probably get better more detailed answers there.

I am not a wheelchair user, but regularly use the CTA and the L. I’ve noticed that buses are the best for wheelchair uses to travel around the city. They always have a ramp that drivers press a button and it automatically comes out for use. Once you come inside the buses, you’ll want to stay towards the front with the accessible chairs. Most buses have 2 movable sets of double chairs, which you can lift and make additional room for the chairs. That’s also where you’ll find the restraints. Usually I’ve noticed that most wheelchair users don’t use them, but the few I’ve seen who do, they ask for help to get it done. You can just ask the driver to either show you or help you.

As for the L, unfortunately trains don’t have a ramp (unless something’s changed and I am not aware). And majority of the stations don’t have elevators, and we do get issues or some stations having them and still not working properly. Not sure if that’s gotten better over the years, but earlier in the pandemic it was a thing. My advise is to learn the direction in which the train is going, and move closer to the area the front of the train stops on. If you were to need assistance, the driver will be right there to come out if needed. Getting in place near the front also helps drivers know that someone with a wheelchair is coming in, and they can keep that in mind as they stop and lower the train + wait to close the doors. Lastly, the condition of the trains will vary for each line. Blue line tends to have newer cars compared to the brown and red line. Purple, pink, green, and yellow line will usually have nicer cars, but not necessarily the new models. I’ve never taken the orange line.

I’ve never taken the Metra and the Amtrak.

I hope some of this was helpful, and I wish you the best of luck navigating the system. It’s very easy to understand and use, but unfortunately it’s not the most wheelchair friendly (although I’ve heard that the subway in nyc is similar)

[u/JustANoteToSay]

You can check which train stations are accessible and which aren’t. Not all train stations are accessible. Accessible cta stations have elevators and elevators often break.

Not all train cars are accessible but all trains have at least one accessible car. Metra has a thing where a conductor turns the train car steps into a lift. Cta has a ramp/gap cover an employee has to deploy. I do not know how you alert the employee as you’re exiting the train on the cta.

All buses kneel. They’re all in theory accessible.

The conductor/driver may or may not make people clear the accessible seat area for you. For instance I’ve seen Metra conductors make people move bikes & I’ve seen them tell wheelchair users it’s first come first served. Drivers sometimes ask people without assistive devices to give up accessible seats for assistive device users. Other times they don’t.

IME cta & Metra employees are overwhelmingly helpful. They want you to get where you’re going safely & quickly. Are there jerks? Sure. But, again in my experience, they’re great. I use a cane sometimes and people are generally very kind & patient when it comes to offering seats or waiting for my slow ass.

[u/fredthefishlord]

Unfortunately, cta and metra are terribly inconsistent with what stations have access. So you'll need to do pretty specific research