Only half of the respondents in the city said they believe transit plays a very important role in its ability to reduce traffic congestion, according to the study commissioned by the Regional Transportation Authority. The figure fell to 46 percent in suburban Cook County and 34 percent in the collar counties.

And only 46 percent of all respondents said they thought transit should serve a lot more destinations, and a mere one-third said much more frequent service is warranted.

If transit services were disrupted for a month, only 41 percent of Chicagoans polled said it would be very inconvenient for them personally.

Most of the survey participants said that if a universal fare card accepted interchangeably on the CTA, Metra and Pace were offered, it would not influence their decision to use public transit. The breakdown was 50 percent in the city would be unswayed, 58 percent in suburban Cook and 64 percent in the collar counties.

RTA board member Valerie Jarrett, who is also the CTA's chairman, questioned the poll's validity at an RTA board meeting last week. So did Getting Around in an interview with the RTA's top official.

"Widespread appeal has already been clearly shown for a universal fare card," Getting Around said to RTA interim executive director Paula Thibeault. "So who are these morons you surveyed? Watchers of the Monster Truck TV Network?"

Thibeault just laughed, then added that no decisions would be made based on the poll results. RTA planning director John DeLaurentiis said agency officials "need to test the validity of the responses." He said a follow-up survey, designed to gauge people's level of familiarity with the transit system, is scheduled for later this year.

Thibeault said the RTA is beginning to look into creating a RTA debit card that could be used on CTA buses and trains, suburban Pace buses and Metra commuter trains while retaining the separate fare structures of the three transit agencies.

The CTA last year introduced its Chicago Card, which is a "smart card" embedded with a computer microchip and is capable of being used as much more than just a transit card. The RTA debit-card idea holds the same promise. Technology is already on the market that would allow riders to use an RTA card on the CTA, Metra and Pace and for the correct fare to be deducted.

Such a capability, however, isn't likely to dissuade transit activists from pushing for universal fares as a means to simplify the current complicated system and significantly increase ridership. A bold move is exactly what is needed to jump-start the sluggish growth in transit ridership here, especially since the overall economy is unlikely to provide the spark.