Today we're giving you the Smart Brevity™ breakdown of another topic in Mayor Brandon Johnson's transition report: transportation.

Why it matters: About 280 million people in greater Chicago relied on public transportation in 2022, down from 560 million in 2019, according to the Regional Transportation Authority.

Catch up fast: We pored over the 223-page transition report to better understand the blueprint for Johnson's first term, as well as how he'll tackle big issues like getting riders back onto public transit.

• Yesterday we talked all things immigration.
• Later this week: Environment, public safety, and arts and culture.

Transportation

The scope: The transition team's recommendations share a goal for how to better and more equitably get around the city and near suburbs.

Committee members: State Rep. Kam Buckner, who made the CTA a focal point of his mayoral run, and former state Sen. Kirk Dillard, chairman of the RTA, lead the 32-member group.

Goal 1: Get the CTA back on track after declines in ridership, reliability, safety and cleanliness during the pandemic.

Intriguing recommendations: Prioritize growing the city's bus rapid transit system with dedicated bus lanes and improve bus and train service beyond rush hour.

Between the lines: The report stops short of calling directly for the firing of CTA head Dorval Carter, despite complaints from several alders that the transit chief skips City Council meetings and rarely rides the CTA.

• Buckner said during his mayoral run that there is a lot that Carter "has done wrong."

Goal 2: Improve access to existing public transportation stations and service lines, especially on the South and West sides, where many residents live in "transit deserts."

Intriguing recommendations: Create more affordable housing and retail areas near transit stops.

• Use state and federal funds from the CTA Red Line Extension Project to invest in developments close to the new train stations.

What we're watching: How the RTA, which oversees CTA, Metra and Pace, can avoid a projected budget shortfall of $730 million by 2026, without raising fares.

Keep reading.

Chicago auto thefts may be way up for the year, but carjackings have finally fallen.

The big picture: Law enforcement officials think the trends may be linked.

• "I believe some offenders are thinking stealing cars rather than carjacking them allows them to keep the car longer with less risk of getting picked up," Cook County Sheriff's Office director Roe Conn tells Axios.

Yes, but: Conn also credits the carjacking task force —a joint effort among city, county and state law enforcement — for improved car recovery rates and times, which he says averaged 40% and 10 days, respectively, in spring 2021.

• "This year, we're getting close to 90% recovery, and the average time for recovery is just under two days," he says.
• The work got an extra boost this spring when the Illinois Secretary of State directed $21 million to address the problem.

Be smart: Conn recently shared tips on what to do before or during a carjacking.

• Anticipate that the offenders will demand your keys, phone, wallet and PINs. Stay calm and cooperate.
• Let the offender know if there's a child in the car. "The majority of the time they will let the child go, because they don't want an extra kidnapping charge," he says.
• Keep copies of your registration and insurance card on other devices or with a loved one.
• Memorize your license plate number. You'll need it when you call 911, so law enforcement can get manufacturer permission to track your car.
• You can speed that up by registering with the sheriff's tracking program.

Go deeper: Conn's tips on reducing your vulnerability to carjackers

Every month, we look back on businesses that have recently closed up shop.

Why it matters: Amid inflation, rising labor costs and changing consumer habits, Chicago has seen many businesses shutter so far this year.

• Here are some places that announced closings in July:

🛏️ Big box stores: Bed Bath & Beyond on Clybourn.

• Even though BBB announced at the beginning of the year that it would close all stores, the Lincoln Park store finally sold its last towel on Sunday.

🍝 Classics: Bella Notte.

• The West Town Italian restaurant was a staple for more than 25 years, but the owner cited rising crime and city bureaucracy for closing up shop this month. They plan to reopen in the suburbs.

🎨 Relocating: "Monument with Standing Beast."

• The famed deconstructed Snoopy sculpture in front of the Thompson Center is moving to the Art Institute. So get your selfie with it soon. (See above.) Though technically not a closing, the artwork's relocation after nearly four decades marks the end of a mini-era.

🍹 Temporary: Castaways.

• The boat-shaped bar at North Avenue Beach is being renovated. Owner Phil Stefani is hoping it will be up and running for the Air and Water Show this month, but then it will close again for the rest of the year.

Honorable mentions.

Nearly 40 teenagers were arrested Sunday night after a large group failed to disperse and looted some businesses near Roosevelt Road. (WGN-TV)

🏊‍♂️ The Park District is closing some indoor pools and reassigning their lifeguards to beaches and outdoor pools as student lifeguards return to school. (BlockClub)

🪧 Some 200 workers at Loretto Hospital in Austin are on strike, protesting poor working conditions and low pay. (Sun-Times)

⚾️ The Cubs acquired Jeimer Candelario from the Washington Nationals. (ESPN)

💼 Check out who's hiring now.

1. Chief Engineer at Janko Hospitality.
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• It's a storied room in a famous store,
• Tucked away on the seventh floor.
• Winter diners come for the tree,
• But summertime still offers plenty to see.

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