We analyzed 23,000+ CTA rides in 2026 to measure the real CO2 emissions impact of riding public transit in Chicago. Here’s how much carbon CTA riders actually save.
Everyone knows Chicago public transit is better for the environment than driving. But how much better? We decided to put real numbers behind it.
Transit Stats tracked 23,478 CTA rides across Chicago and calculated the CO2 savings for every single one. The results are bigger than you might think.
The Numbers
Across all tracked rides, CTA riders on the Transit Stats platform have saved a combined 24,656 kg of CO2. That’s over 54,000 pounds of carbon dioxide that didn’t end up in the atmosphere because people chose the bus or train instead of a car.
To put that carbon footprint reduction in perspective, 24,656 kg of CO2 is roughly equivalent to:
- Taking 5 cars off the road for an entire year
- Saving over 2,700 gallons of gasoline
- Powering an average American home for nearly 3 years
And that’s just from thousands of riders. Imagine the sustainability impact if every CTA rider in Chicago could see these numbers.
CTA Train vs Bus: Which Saves More CO2?
Chicago L trains save more CO2 per kilometer than buses because they run on electricity and carry more passengers per trip. Here’s how the CTA ridership numbers break down:
- CTA train rides: 12,801 (55%)
- CTA bus rides: 10,677 (45%)
With 82,933 total miles on public transit instead of in cars, CTA riders on our platform averaged 32.7 rides per person. That means the typical Transit Stats user is saving real, measurable carbon with their daily commute. The Red Line is the most popular CTA line among our riders, accounting for over 5,000 of those tracked trips.
Why Tracking Your Emissions Impact Matters
Most people don’t think about the environmental impact of their commute because they can’t see it. You tap your Ventra card, ride the Red Line to work, and go about your day. But every one of those rides has a measurable CO2 benefit.
Transit Stats is a CTA tracker app that calculates your personal CO2 savings automatically for every ride you take. You can see your daily, weekly, monthly, and all-time environmental impact right in the app. It turns something invisible into something tangible.
Chicago’s Collective Sustainability Impact
Chicago has one of the largest public transit systems in the country. The CTA serves roughly 1.5 million rides on an average weekday. If even a fraction of those riders tracked their environmental impact, the collective CO2 savings would be staggering.
Our CTA ridership data from 23,000+ rides is just a snapshot, but it proves the point. Every CTA ride matters. Every bus trip and every Chicago L train commute is a small but real contribution to reducing Chicago’s carbon footprint.