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You're the only one calling her a "model operator." The headline says she "models customer service," and that's exactly what she's doing. Customer service isn't about seniority, it's about being nice to people. If you take a step back and read this thread from a viewpoint of a regular passenger who doesn't know or care anything about seniority, union issues, etc., perhaps you could even see why a lot of bus operators have the reputation of being rude, surly, etc. If you're going to go around with a chip on your shoulder, it gets notice by the riders. And no, they're not going to excuse you just because you spent the first half of your shift dealing with high school students on the #20. You may not think it's fair just because someone with limited seniority gets their picture in the paper. If that really gets you worked up, then you need to find another world to live in, because this world isn't fair. If I had a dollar for every time someone else got recognized for doing something I have done just as well or better, I could probably afford to buy my own paper. But instead of complaining about it, I would just shake their hand, say good for them, and thanks for giving all of us a better name. You say it's not about HATE (your own words), but then you use phrases like "SUCKHOLE," and "suck up" to describe this very operator, which "pisses [you] off" (again, your very own words). If it's not about hate, then what is it? Jealousy?

ChicagoBus.org Transit Forum is becoming Chicago Transit Forum! Starting later this month, our new address will be chitransit.org. All posts and member accounts will remain exactly the same, and all existing links will continue to work. In addition to a fresh new look, we'll be introducing an improved mobile experience and additional enhancements. Frequently Asked Questions Why the change? The new name better reflects our members' interests in both bus and rail transportation. Will all content, membership information, and private messages remain in tact? Yes. Your account, settings, and posts will all remain in place. Please note that you will be required to log in again once the new forum launches, even if you have the "Remember me" option enabled. What will be different on the new forum? The new forum will sport a fresh new look and improved user interface. Rather than a separate (and limited) mobile view, the new forum will be fully adaptable to all screen sizes. Will there be a change in ownership or administration of the forum? No. Kevin and MetroShadow will continue to serve as moderators of the forum. What's happening to the non-forum pages of ChicagoBus.org? The rest of ChicagoBus.org will remain fully operational. You'll still be able to reach the forum from the site, and a list of recent forum discussions will continue to appear on the home page. Forum member Stanley Garmon (garmon757) will now be handling content updates to the buses and garages sections of ChicagoBus.org. With the help of our eagle-eyed forum members, Stanley will be keeping ChicagoBus.org up-to-date with the latest roster information and photos.

About time these came out

Wow...such hate for the lady. Give her a break. As one who has driven (albeit commuter routes with motorcoaches) AND being a rider, I can say the following. Certainly driving a bus has its challenges. You are more likely to get better reviews if you have a regular route with decent passengers. I had one route where the passengers LOVED me because I was always on time and got them to and from work quickly and safely. Sometimes I was forced to do another route where the passengers had to get used to me because I was punctual. Their regular driver almost always ran 10 - 15 minutes behind schedule in the P.M. rush, which was okay with the regulars, but if the passengers were dependent on that on a day when I was driving that route, they would still be standing on the curb. I wound up with this route often because, other than the regular driver, no one else would do it (they were some rough people, but they never called in on me either). I was courteous and polite, but I told them I adhere to the schedule and if you want to get home with me, you'd better be on schedule like me. Some of this lady's riders probably have never ridden with her before, so seeing someone so energetic made them take notice. Just last week I witnessed a passenger and a driver going back and forth calling each other's mothers whores and such, because the passenger felt the bus was running 20 minutes late (in the frigid cold)for no reason. She gave it to him and he gave it back. So yes passengers can cause drivers to go off. Good customer service is part of the job, period. "Over the top" customer service is what gets attention and commendations. Based on what I read, she is 'over the top" That is probably her personality (not sucking up). People like her and the old guy that used to drive "the LOVE BUS" are outstanding because they stand out. I would agree that most do a good job and don't get appreciated for it, but I'd bet there are more "surlies" than over the tops which is why there are way more complaints than compliments.

Nova Smart Bus 7901 at South Shops on 2/3/ 2014

This photo was taken at Skokie Shops last week. There are a total of 8 cars being re-decaled into the as delivered livery. Four cars will get the full treatment, the end cars, and the four belly cars are suppose to get only the side striping. No dates or lines have been decided on yet. Mel

Here it is guys!!! #701!!!!

Several years ago I was walking through the bus terminal at Howard and found a small pamphlet laying on the ground. I almost didn't pick it up, but I'm quite glad that I did. I stashed it away with some other CTA odds and ends for a while until recently when I pulled it out having now started as a bus operator myself (North Park). I took a few minutes over the past few days when I was able to try out some of the codes on this guide and, for the most part, they all work as you would expect. It seems that the CTA's style is to leave old signs in the programming, adding codes when needed and updating others. (For example, the code for "NW Station" in the guide properly displays "Ogilvie Station".) It's interesting to see what options are available and I have a few questions that perhaps someone can help with such as why there is a 290 to McCormick option. Was that at one time part of a North Park pull in routing? Regardless, this at least explains why from time to time I see 145, etc. signs on buses when I assume something went wrong. Other things I've noticed include that "to Howard Station" (061) seems to no longer work and displays "Chicago is / My Kind of Town" and that code 003 gives an easter egg, likely from whoever was programming the signs at some point reading "Hi Zac!" Anyway, enjoy!

Frankly, I could write the exact same response. If an article saying nice things about a bus operator is a problem for you, then don't read it. I have a right to speak my mind when I don't agree with what you say (I don't see why you should have free reign of the board, while I should just "move on"). As for you having a problem with my remarks...well, don't read them. Move on. You have gone out of your way to write offensive things about the bus operator in this article. You never did answer my question about your motives behind calling the operator a "suckhole." It isn't hate, you claim. It isn't jealousy (well, you never said it wasn't, just that you didn't care for the remark). Then, what is it. What could possibly motivate you to write such an offensive remark about someone you have never in your life even met, and about which you have only read a commending article. You say my jealousy remark is "childish." Then, please tell me what kind of a remark "suckhole" is.

So my pet project recently has been recreating the entire CTA in the game Train Simulator by Dovetail Games. I have completed part of the route but decided to restart from scratch using my own assets. Both the old route and new route are included in the download below. The new route includes the entire Brown Line, the entire Orange Line, the Kimball yard, the Skokie Shops, and a small segment of the State Street Subway (highly WIP; don't expect it to look nice). The old route includes the entire Brown line, Orange line, and parts of the Red and Green lines. Included with both routes are three types of vehicles: the Bombardier-built CTA 5000-series railcar, the Morrison-Knudsen-built 3200-series railcar, and a fictional "Automatic People Mover 400" vehicle (just for the fun of it). All the content is a work-in-progress, so keep that in mind! Videos New 5000-series Model and Texture Demo NEW Brownage (Brown/Orange Lines) Midway - Kimball (3200-series, new route) NEW Brownage (Brown/Orange Lines) Kimball - Midway (5000-series, new route) Brown Line Kimball - Loop (5000-series) Orange Line Loop - Midway (5000-series) Brownage (Brown/Orange Lines) Kimball - Midway (5000-series, old route, narrated) (OLD) Brown Line through State Street Subway* *This happened during a reroute due to a fire. Brown Lines went through the subway to 35th/Bronzeville-IIT Source Files/Contributing The project source files are available on GitHub, which is a project collaboration site. The files are split up into two repositories, along with my side projects. I have a master project located here: https://github.com/users/briman0094/projects/1. In this project are several repositories containing my RailWorks source files, including the CTA assets (track/train/scenery models, textures, etc), the CTA routes, and some other side projects. Keep in mind that the project files are very large and the first time cloning (downloading) the repository will take a long time. Anybody is welcome to offer contributions to the project as I haven't had much time at all to work on it. However, contributions aren't guaranteed to be accepted into the official project. It will depend on how well the contributions fit with the rest of the project as a whole. Contributors should be at least somewhat familiar with how GitHub collaboration works; there is a plethora of excellent documentation on the internet for working with a GitHub project. Installation Currently, the project is not available in a "compiled" or "ready-to-install" form. Anyone who wishes to use the project will need to download the source files and compile them using the RailWorks authoring tools. Installation instructions: All routes require the New York - New Haven route. The old routes require the London - Brighton route. The new route requires the "Racetrack - Metra BNSF" route. Some of these routes should both be included in Train Simulator 2015 by default, and some are available in the Train Simulator DLC shop. Automatic Installation Download the "Automated Installer" archive from the link above Requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 or higher Extract the installer and all other files from the archive to their own folder Run the installer and follow the prompts The installation can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on your internet speed. The installer should properly update previous installations and fix broke installations. Manual Installation Download the ZIP archive from the link above Extract the archive to a folder of your choice Copy the "Assets" and "Content" folders to your RailWorks root directory so that they merge with the ones already there For Steam installations, the folder should be at: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\RailWorks\ For non-Steam installations, the location may vary, but should be in the C:\Program Files (x86)\ directory. Route Details: There should be one route named CTA and one route named CTA (Old) included in the package. The one titled CTA is a new route on which I am using a lot more my own models, textures, etc and less third-party content. The old route has more of the Red Line, however, it is of lesser quality and is not being maintained any longer. The rolling stock used for the Red Line is a a custom-built rail vehicle modeled after the real CTA 5000-series railcars. The sounds should be very familiar to a regular CTA Red-, Purple-, Yellow-, Green-, or Pink-line rider and the physics should be nearly identical to those of a real CTA 5000-series train. The rolling stock used for the Brown and Orange lines is also custom-built, modeled after the CTA 3200-series railcars. Again, the sounds and physics behavior should be very familiar to any regular Brown- or Orange-line rider. Usage Information: The main CTA vehicles are driven like most standard Train Simulator vehicles. The controls are listed below. All CTA trains have a "track brake" which is a form of emergency brake, and this can be activated by holding the "E" button. CTA trains also have a safety feature called ATC, or Automatic Train Control. ATC ensures that the driver is following a safe speed but does not have direct control over the train. If you hear a high-pitched constant beep, ATC is regulating your speed and you are required to apply full brakes. It will then beep every four seconds until you are below the speed limit set by ATC. If you don't apply the brakes within 2.5 seconds, ATC will stop the train and you will have to apply full brakes before being allowed to move again. If you must pass an at-danger signal or move the train in another situation where the ATC restricted speed is 0, you can enable "Rule 6.4 mode" by pressing Ctrl+C. This mode restricts your max speed to 15 MPH and the system will sound a short reminder beep every 4 seconds while the train is moving. The term "Rule 6.4" is a reference to the CTA motorman's handbook section 6.4, which illustrates "operation on-sight" rules, such as when the cab signalling system is unable to be used. The 5000-series vehicles also feature what the CTA calls "ATO," or "Automatic Train Operation." This is a common term in the rail industry, however it normally implies fully automated control of the vehicle, whereas the CTA's ATO system does not actually control the vehicle. This feature is more of a cruise control feature. If you hold the throttle at 100%, the train will automatically coast once you reach the speed limit so that it does not accelerate past the speed limit, and will resume acceleration automatically once the speed limit increases without the driver needing to move the throttle. This feature can only be disabled by disabling the entire ATC system (Ctrl+D). Controls: W/S - Reverser Lever A/D - Throttle Lever E - Track Brake (hold) Note: disables CBTC when pressed Space - Horn (hold) J/Shift+J - LED Destination Sign/Class Lights U - Enable/Disable CBTC Ctrl+D - Enable/Disable ATC Ctrl+C - Enable/Disable Rule 6.4 mode (operation on-sight; max speed 15MPH; used to pass at-danger signals) Note: The train must be completely stopped to enable or disable ACT or R6.4 T - Open Doors Z - Turn 600V system on/off (complete power cutoff/shutdown) The APM400 vehicle drives like a normal train and does not have most of the features of the 5000-series, as it is meant to be driven in CBTC mode exclusively (but can be controlled manually if you desire). All of the vehicles (CTA and fictional) are equipped with Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) which, on the new "CTA" route, will drive the train automatically obeying speed limits and stopping at all stations. Turn this on or off by pressing the "U" button. Note: the real CTA trains do not have this feature, and cannot operate automatically. This is simply a proof-of-concept for the simulator. Credits A big thanks goes out to Dovetail Games and their amazing simulator and content, and especially for their new developer documentation which helped me actually get this stuff in the game. Thanks also to the members of this awesome forum for providing information to make the project more accurate and enjoyable!

This is the best photo I could get of 8350. I like the slight difference of this bus in comparison of 8349-25. They remind me of a updated 6400 series as far as the top look lol ???.

Nova 7900, CTA photograph

I thought this was a worth while story to report. I don't live in the Chicagoland area but I felt this was a really great depiction of a model CTA bus operator (for once) who really enjoys her job. Big ups to Darlene for being customer centric and focused throughout some of the most challenging times with the CTA.

Guys no disrespect but can we stay on the subject or topic at hand. It's like lately when I click on a topic and read the comments it has nothing to do with anything. I was ginuely hoping somebody saw a Nova on a new route but yall talking about female operators being fine and calling people out on being married and flirting?? This not Facebook lol let's keep it according to the title of this form again ????.

Let me start by saying that Dave posted some very nice photos. Thanks for sharing them Next, this charter being discussed was my charter. It was a private charter for my close friends, fellow workers and myself who wanted one more ride on the 2200s thru out the city in a stress free enviroment. More often than not, on public trips / charters, one has to deal with constant noise, arrogant people and simply folks trying to run you over to get a picture that 50 other people are trying to get. Seeing the video and photos from the last cta run of these cars, that fact was evident. Plus on this site you see the constant fight amongst people and for what guys? Its nothing more than a train. 6000s, 2200s, SD70Ms... Who cares! Use this site for what it should be, discussion and information. This is why my charters are small and why these fine folks pay 100 bucks plus just to ride around in peace and quiet. At the end of Sunday, we all felt a little sad that the era of the 2200s had drawn to a close, but we all left with a smile as we all had a GREAT time. Eric

So how about them Bears everybody? Haha.

To have so much hate for this lady is just wrong. I mean Customer Service is Key. There are many bus drivers that shows up with the worst attitudes, and Darlene is making up for that. She don't have to be a SUCKHOLE or KISS uP, She is just probably excited to have a job in these hard times. It dosen't matter if she drove for 20 years.....Her Hard work and enthusiasm made her stand out. And no, She's not doing this for camera time, I ride with her alot, and yeah on the 82,145, and even the 151.

Hi everyone - I've been lurking for a while but finally got the push to actually sign up and post! One of my goals for the year has been to build a webapp that might be marginally useful to people other than me, so I've created a very basic Busfinder. Busfinder allows you to input the bus ID (as shown painted on the buses and on the cta bus tracker). It will then put a pin on the map where the bus currently is. It's extremely barebones and sometimes buggy, but I wanted to get it out sooner rather than later. I figured that with the electric pilots (700, 701) and the holiday bus (4335) this might be something that people here might like. It's actually probably the same as the official holiday bus tracker, but extended to let you look up other buses too. This is the first things i've develoepd end to end, so please let me know what you think. http://busfinder.byronasaurus.com/

8384

@Mr.cta85 I was actually just in the process of typing this when I saw your post. I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking of Busjack today. It has now been six months since Busjack last posted on here, so I feel this tribute is in order. Busjack was a pillar of the community since the very beginning of this forum in 2005. He authored over 20,000 posts, which is nearly 20% of the posts on this site to date. Almost everyone here had some interaction with him, as it was rare to find a discussion that he wouldn’t participate in. His expertise, sense of humor, and attention to the goings-on at CTA, Metra, and Pace drove many of the discussions here. Whenever a legal question would arise, he could be relied upon to provide the answer. Although we often disagreed, Busjack influenced my perspective and broadened my knowledge on many topics. Thank you, @Busjack. I sincerely hope you are doing well.

Moderator note: This is a discussion forum, not a messaging platform. For those who wish to send short messages back and forth, please use the Messages feature. Off-topic and one-word posts have been deleted.

Better pictures I just taken ??

Here are shots of 8337 working Belmont and 8341 working Addison

I think I need to add a new line to the Community Guidelines: Anyone who posts April Fools Day jokes will be immediately and permanently banned.

All, While I was browsing the web yesterday, I came across this site, http://irm-cta.org. It contains a wealth of information such as old bus/rail schedules, bus/rail equipment assignments and a whole lot of other information that would be useful. Even better, pretty much all of the documents are in .pdf form also. Check it out.

I was on the 22 Clark bus and I saw #700 as a training bus on Clark/Birchwood

Hey guys, can we keep it down a notch about the 5000s deliveries. Kevin already talked about this recently. I cannot stress this enough. We don't want members and guests to be discouraged (that wouldn't be a good sign). Right now, our primary focus is the rest of them being delivered and assigned not jumping at each other throats about it. Any information and updates with appropriate verification is considered. It's a fair warning to everybody. Please, let's not take matters into our own hands that leads to disaster. Thanks.

I'm glad you guys like the site. I started it a year and a half or two years ago, inspired by Graham's outstanding Chicago-L.org site for Rapid Transit. What I couldn't find is much on the web for the Surface System. Working with what I had amassed over the years, Bob Heinlein, Bill Wulfert, IRM's Strahorn Library, what was in the Motor Bus & Trolley Bus Department collections, and things that so many people had donated to IRM over the past several years, I started to put together irm-cta.org. There was so much interesting stuff, it was not doing anyone any good just sitting in boxes. So hey, why not scan it, put it on the web, let everyone enjoy the items, and get the museum more exposure. Due to my real job, it has been a few months since I last added to the site, but I hope to get back into it very shortly. We are working feverishly, scanning as many items as we can - thanks for your patience - new updates are coming very soon! And thanks to Andrethebusman for his help in the transfer section!!!

I just saw 3 8100's at South Shops. One of them was numbered 8102.

I am one of the volunteers working on the Highliners and the 'L cars, and I will try to answer your questions, although from what you all have written, I don't think you'll like my answers. To trainman8119: What is wrong with them being Metra cars? How would you propose to make them back into IC cars- for starters, where would you get all of the parts, or are you in favor of creating a hybrid car that never existed? The Metra decals are present, just painted over, and they will have that paint removed. The department curator agrees with us volunteers that it is not realistic to attempt a backdated restoration and that preservation as 2014 cars is the most appropriate action. Work so far has focused on the initial steps to conserve the cars and examine their operational condition. We have started on 1534, as it is known to have run most recently. All of the cars' battery sets are already showing signs of damage from sitting idle, as they are lead-acid cells and were stored dead, which causes plate sulfation and an inability to take a charge. We have proven out most of 1534's 74 volt DC circuits and have run the motor-alternator on 600 volts. Work continues as we have time. To busjack: What do you mean by South Shore overhead? If you mean 1500 volts DC, yes, that's what they're intended for, but like the older IC electric cars in our collection, they will run acceptably at 600 volts. Sometimes minor adjustments are needed to circuits that read the voltage, but the original equipment is always still installed and in use. If you mean "have they run on the South Shore compound catenary section of the mainline", the answer is of course not, because they just got here Thursday! The South Shore orange cars do occasionally run, and have always run on electricity. I don't know what else you could have meant by that. To bushunter: Saying that we like to take cars to original vintage is not really correct. Our primary mission is to educate the public through our museum and operations. If a restoration is contemplated on a car and within the restrictions put on us by a given car's condition and history, the curator and volunteers consider what historical values a car has and what time period would be appropriate. Sometimes that's back to the beginning, and sometimes it's the end of service, and sometimes it's somewhere in the middle. 2153-54 were restored to the 1969-72 period- green and white, Lake-Dan Ryan service, with WABCO cab signal and ACI tags and blue upholstery. All of that has been achieved except the upholstery, and that is planned after fundraising. It would not be practical to make them into 1964 Congress-Douglas-Milwaukee cars (they were not Lake St. cars), mostly because of the cab signal. Yes, there are minor details that are not right at present. Some of them we can do something about, and will in time, and some we can't. 2433-34 will not be painted like CTA's farewell cars. Instead, we plan to put skinny stripes and painted ends back on it, which will suffice to return it to approximately 2004 or so. That is about as far back as they can go and keep the left-side drop sash window, the inverters, the automated announcements, and other items. The cars have had trolley poles installed since early April, and have run in testing. We are ironing out some minor problems and will start introducing them to public service soon. It is not practical or safe to run a pair of cars from other running cars' trolley poles. We do run car 22 through a jumper to car 41, although we don't like to, because that is the only way it can operate. 2 cars from one trolley pole is a lot of current draw. 3 or more cars is just plain unreasonable. Adding trolley poles to equipment is a step we don't take lightly. It is always done in a minimal, reversible, safe way, and is only done when the alternative is for equipment to be completely inoperable. The Museum does not exist to write history, it exists to preserve the railroads' history. Richard Schauer

Welcome #8000, #8001, #8002, #8003, and #8004!!!

#4333 @ the back of the yard. I used my binoculars to get a clear shot and it wasn't easy at all.

Hello everyone. I've been a long time lurker here and for numerous reasons never joined in on the fun but I've just moved back to Chicago a couple months ago a figured why not get involved. So yeah... Hi. Yesterday was really something. Found myself affected by both fires during my commute and ultimately trapped on LSD for a VERY long time on a 148. By the time I arrived on scene what was left of 4333 had been dragged from the fire scene onto Michigan Ave. I assumed it was to get it out of the way to wait on a low boy trailer or something but it appears they were setting it up for a standard tow. When I rode by they had already put new wheels and tires on and were probably doing an inspection to make sure it could structurally hold up to the trip. Anyways I'll try and add a few pictures. Probably nothing new except for the new tires don't know if I've seen that on here yet.

This was put out the day before the buses were placed in service. If the buses still are operating on the listed runs, maybe someone at Kedzie can supply the actual times. G46-14 New Flyer Electric Bus Pilot - Kedzie.pdf

I did actually drive L trains 1977-82, so this is from experience. Flat wheels on the equipment I worked with (6000's thru 2400's) were all caused by a single reason - sliding the wheels. L cars series 2000 to 2600 have four rates of braking, ranging from rather light (P1) to maximum (P4). Unfortunately, CTA practice has been for years to apply brakes at the last possible second to avoid overrunning the station. This means using P4 at each stop. Now, the problem is that in P4 under anything less than ideal conditions (wet rail, snow, salt spray), there is enough pressure being exerted on the disc brake that if the wheels lose their grip on the rail, the brakes will lock up that axle, and cause the wheel to skid. One skidding stop is all it takes and you have a flat spot. 6000's were not given to these problems simply because maximum braking on a 6000 was just not strong enough to lock up an axle, but the newer cars have a lot more braking force and can easily do so. The problem was that once your train is sliding, the only thing you can do is release the brakes, and go to coast until the wheels catch the rail again, when you can start braking again. But if you have not left yourself enough room to do this, the only thing you can do to avoid rolling thru the station is to let it slide, and stop by slamming down the track brakes. So now not only are you flattening wheels, but also grinding rail. This is why especially on the Ryan, where road salt forms a slippery surface on the railhead, rail at stations had to be replaced about every 10 years. while between stations lasted from 1969 until the general rebuilding a couple of years ago.

Got a distant picture at Adams/Wabash for ya:

Bus 7900 came by 567 today (as stated above), briefly, so that Planning could see it. Per Engineering people on board, the next bus (7901), also considered a prototype but part of the 300 bus order, is due around April 9th. The deliveries of the following 48 buses would be in late April/ early May. Then after 8 weeks or so, the next 50 would come in, and so on in groups of 50 until all are here.

I almost equate this to the time when you would have the X services, and people would flip out because the driver wouldn't let them off on a side street. Same as the the Brown/Purple fiasco: You see "loop" but you don't pay attention to the color. Bottom line is that people don't pay attention--this is universal and not limited to one side of the city. This might be a good time to at least change the sign codes to reflect the changes, but to also educate the potential changes that would happen to that route. Placement of that bus at the terminal will definitely need to be addressed.

Oh give me a break man. How about you take your own advice and read back to the number of folks on the forum who said that they found sw's posts in the thread useful to varying degrees. I mean really. A bit too cynical much? My point was was and is now you already established you didn't see the point to his posts while others disagreed with you. So as I said why waste time taking pock shots at the guy's thread when he's continuing for those aforementioned forum members who said they found the thread useful? Or do you want to continue edging closer to being guilty of what you sparred with chicagopplcar of doing against you? Just saying....

Here's my .02 cents worth... This Operator was most likely recommended to Hilkevitch(Busjacks favorite reporter ) probably through compliments from her customers through 1-888-YOUR-CTA. Being a Public Servant myself, it really makes my day when a Customer says something nice about me to a Supervisor. I still wear my #1 Service pin that I got a few years ago from when a Customer called my Store Mgr. and made a compliment about me to him(and there are plenty of other cashiers with more experience then me). If I see a Bus Operator go out of his/her way to do something nice for passengers, I'll call and make a compliment to the CTA Operator, because I know what kinda stuff they have to put up with on a daily basis. The only difference is my venue is a cash register, theirs is a seat behind the wheel of a 35, 40, or 60-Foot Bus. Bottom Line: If you do your job satifactorily, nothing comes of it. If you do it above expectations, you'll get some merit, like this Operator did. It doesn't matter if you've been with your company 1 year, 5 years, or 45 years.

The operator got a write up in the paper so what. Why she did or didn't get laid off is really nobodys business. Ask yourself how is she affecting your paycheck and your job. To be perfectly frank we're all suck holes at one time or another, stop hating on someone who has done nothing to you personally, and get on with your life.

In other blue line news 2819-2820 are in the spirit of chicago livery

The 7000s are another step closer to running in passenger service. They were testing at Bryn Mawr today.

The low 7900's that went back to 77th is not even true lol. 1st its only 2 buses we got from 77th which are 7903-04. Which are both at 103rd. All garages have rehabbed 1000 series so I don't see the unfairness there neither unless you wanna mention them having the oldest nf but so does my garage but still irrelevant cause they're all rehabbed. I was the 1 who said FG might lose their Novas in exchange for flyers but that doesn't mean it's going to happen lol. I have my reasons as to why I said it but I wont speak on it to just to avoid the back and forth. But currently as I said more than a few times at this point, FG still has 89 new novas so why are you guys still upset? I get the 6400's are still there but they're also on the way out. It's a reason FG have the fleet they have. You a former Operator I'm assuming from that garage so you know just as well as I do how different things are from the North and South side of the city. Kedzie and NP dont have Novas at all but you dont hear anybody on their behalf upset like you and Bus Hunter. Bus Hunter dont even ride public transit so I definitely dont see his reasons lol. He mad about the "lack of new buses" when he riding past people at the bus stop in his personal vehicle ???? come on. Its Novas all across the city now. I feel all garages should get 60 a piece but since that's not the case as of yet FG still have 89 in comparison to our lil 20 so yea.

Oh man, you in it for a real treat @BusHunter!!! #8240 #8241 #8242 #8243 #8244 #8247 #8248 #8250 #8251 and #8252 have arrived!!!! Also, bonus shots of the actual engine without the mesh and #8252's decals on the left!!!!

I was on a southbound Red Line today, and happened to be on car 5648, one of the ones spotted on the Orange Line. Sure enough, it even had the Orange Line map instead of the Red Line map! I'd find it very strange if they changed the map for a charter run... It was like this on all cars in the consist that I could see. Was in a rush and didn't get the rest of the car numbers or run number, unfortunately.

I have created a website which shows which 7900 series buses are currently in service, and which routes each of them are on. It updates every 10 minutes with the latest data from the CTA's Bus Tracker. Please let me know what you think. https://maths22.com/cta/

CTA bus driver models customer service Chicago Tribune December 12, 2010|By Jon Hilkevitch | Getting Around My link The Chicago Transit Authority manages millions of dollars worth of buses, trains and other financial assets, but there's no way to put a price tag on the value of customer service. There is also no way not to feel your mood brighten when greeted by Darlene Coleman, a CTA bus driver who describes herself as having "a big personality and big hair." Coleman, 43, is right in both cases. The part-time driver, on the job less than 2½ years after working in an office for 18 years, says she loves the CTA. "Where else can you work and get paid to tour our wonderful city and meet new people?" she said. Your Getting Around reporter encountered Coleman on the No. 121 Union Station/Wacker Express route, a short but difficult run because of construction and lane closings on Lower Wacker Drive, rush-hour traffic congestion and the challenge of delivering Metra commuters to work and to their trains on time. Simply, she gets it. She's an enthusiastic, standout performer.The same cannot be said of many CTA drivers, including a driver on the No. 151 Sheridan route who on a recent cold morning drove past me and others waiting at a bus stop, then refused to let us board when we chased him down at a red light a few feet away.But justice was served when I called the CTA to complain about the bus stop pass-up and challenged transit officials to download video from an external bus camera. They did, and the driver was interviewed, charged with a behavioral violation, issued a written warning and a one-day unpaid suspension, said CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney. I've ridden Coleman's bus numerous times, and the first impression she created — courteous, service-oriented and upbeat — wasn't a fluke. On more than one occasion when I thought heavy evening traffic downtown would prevent me from making my intended train to the western suburbs, Coleman surprised me. An assertive but not an aggressive driver, she prods other drivers to keep moving along the ramp from Lower to Upper Wacker, and she uses her horn and eye contact to get cooperation from city traffic-control aides who otherwise usually do little more than mimic traffic signals. "One day, I got a standing ovation from the passengers," Coleman said. "Some came up and said they love me. I said, 'I love you more.'" "She's amazing," said Julie Cooper, of Orland Park, a Metra SouthWest Service rider. "I would ride her bus, and only her bus, all the time if I could." Not only has Coleman memorized the Metra schedules, she embodies excellent customer service, and CTA managers have rewarded her efforts with numerous service commendations. It's a shame the CTA cannot clone her. Especially now, when relations between CTA management and the transit agency's labor unions are at what may be an all-time low. Poor morale at the CTA is reflected by many employees who misdirect their anger through indifference and rudeness toward passengers. The CTA received 1,241 complaints about rude bus operators in the first 10 months of the year. Over the same period, 826 complaints were filed about bus drivers failing to assist customers — more than the number of such complaints in all of 2009, according to records. "I enjoy people, and they usually enjoy me back," said Coleman, who offers a big smile, a hello and the wish for a wonderful day to each boarding passenger. She also makes brief but well-timed announcements during many trips, like this one as her bus rounded a curve on Lower Wacker: "This is the CTA roller coaster. Please hold on." "People love the fact that I use the microphone," she said. "It changes the mood on the bus. Most customers didn't know until riding with me that the buses have microphones."

To 5750 and trainman: I can understand your frustration with some of the inner workings of CTA, though I don't work there. It seems there are politics and people with connections that get people places that they may or may not deserve to get to at the expense of some equally or more qualified people. I'm not completely sure how the part-timer rule works at CTA, but it seems all transit agencies, motorcoach companies, etc, need part-timers. One, it is not as costly (little to no benefits, little to no overtime, flexible schedules, etc). Also, would any full-time driver really want to go to part-time status? I would imagine some would and some wouldn't. As I stated in an earlier post, this was about "outstanding" or "over the top" customer service. All bus drivers are expected to navigate traffic and its hazards and get passengers from point A to point B safely. But her personality and friendliness is what got her this attention. The customers certainly love her, and I think the author just happened upon her bus and wound up with a story, a positive one at that. Usually you guys take a beating in the papers concerning rudeness, etc. I would think you would be glad to see a good write up in the paper about a co-worker. Perhaps to some people it is just a job, some people try to do the best job they can, and others LOVE what they do. The article said that she memorized most of the Metra train schedules. That is not part of her job, but she did it for the benefit of her riders. It is people that go beyond the call of duty that get commendations. BTW, based on the picture it looks like the bus was stopped behind the vehicle waiting on Lower Wacker, possibly approaching Randolph where I am sure all lower level traffic must exit due to construction.