Transit Diaries | A Redeye Chicago Podcast

Rideshare drivers. They can be someone you vent to after a long day. A therapist when you’re looking for an unbiased perspective. A helping hand if you’re carrying a heavy bag. A friend when you need one the most. One Lyft driver, who wished to be referred to only as "Dee," strives to make connections with every passenger she picks up. After escaping the stress of being a 911 operator, the 35-year-old Jefferson Park resident became a Lyft driver to find herself again.This is her story. Host(s): Rianne Coale, Akeem Lawanson The Transit Diaries runs in RedEye's print edition every Tuesday on Page 4. If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at redeye@redeyechicago.com with "Transit Diaries" in the subject line.

Twitter has many parody accounts of celebrities, organizations and brands. Chicago's CTA has quite a few, each putting their own unique and quirky spin on the happenings that occur on the bus and train. In this episode we speak to the creator of CTA CIA, a CTA parody account consisting of a collective of individuals who document their travels while in transit. This is their story. Host(s): Rianne Coale, Akeem Lawanson The Transit Diaries runs in RedEye's print edition every Tuesday on Page 4. If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at redeye@redeyechicago.com with "Transit Diaries" in the subject line.

When it comes to using a rideshare service or taking a taxi, we’re essentially putting our well-being in the hands of another person. Usually the ride goes off without a hitch, and we get to our destination comfortably and safely. But imagine instead of a driver taking you to your destination immediately, that person puts your safety in jeopardy. That’s what happened to Alexis Taylor, a 25-year-old Edgewater resident and friend of mine, on March 20. This is the story she told me. Host(s): Rianne Coale, Akeem Lawanson The Transit Diaries runs in RedEye's print edition every Tuesday on Page 4. If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at redeye@redeyechicago.com with "Transit Diaries" in the subject line.

Imagine confronting the person who just robbed you on a CTA platform and having more than a dozen people watch and do nothing to help you. That’s what happened to 27-year-old Nina Bennett on her way home from work just minutes before the 5 p.m. rush hour. This is her story. Host(s): Rianne Coale, Akeem Lawanson The Transit Diaries runs in RedEye's print edition every Tuesday on Page 4. If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at redeye@redeyechicago.com with "Transit Diaries" in the subject line.  

Sometimes you get too drunk you can't even. So you order an Uber or a Lyft. It's never fun getting to that point where you can barely remember the evening ... but you do remember the insane ride back home. Here are our stories. Host(s): Rianne Coale, Akeem Lawanson The Transit Diaries runs in RedEye's print edition every Tuesday on Page 4. If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at redeye@redeyechicago.com with "Transit Diaries" in the subject line.

Strangers passing in the night, all while on public transit. Only a select few have the courage to go up to someone they've been admiring on the CTA. For the rest of us, we go to Craigslist's Missed Connections section. Here are our stories. Host(s): Rianne Coale, Akeem Lawanson The Transit Diaries runs in RedEye's print edition every Tuesday on Page 4. If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at redeye@redeyechicago.com with "Transit Diaries" in the subject line.