CHICAGO — A Metra train on its way into Ogilvie Transportation Center was delayed about 20 minutes Tuesday afternoon after a "fare dispute," officials said.
The #344 train, set to arrive Ogilvie from Kenosha, Wis., on the Union Pacific/North Line at 4:31 p.m., was delayed after a customer refused to pay at the Highland Park stop, a Metra spokeswoman said.
An announcement at the Clybourn Station, 2001 N. Ashland Ave., alerted waiting passengers that the delay was "due to an earlier fare dispute."
Metra spokesperson Meg Reile said refusals to pay aren't uncommon, and are usually over the on-train ticket upcharge of $3.
"People hide in bathrooms. People do all kinds of stuff," Reile said. "They move from car to car. They flat out refuse to pay."
Though customers refuse to pay about once a day across Metra's 11 lines, lengths of delays vary based on the size of the disturbance, Reile said.
It also depends on how long it takes for police to respond, "either to get them to pay or remove them from the train."
"I don't know how it was resolved," Reile said about Tuesday's fare dispute.
Highland Park police were unavailable for comment.
