New Flyers running the route 55, X55,and 67

[ctaboy]

I was at work and I saw a CTA New Flyer in the 1600 series' running the route 55 Garfield and X55 Garfield Express,and I was on my way home and I saw a New Flyer on 71st/Western running the route 67 67th/69th/71st.

[jesi2282]

That is because 74th is now getting the next order of 1000 series New Flyers.

[nflyer22]

I was at work and I saw a CTA New Flyer in the 1600 series' running the route 55 Garfield and X55 Garfield Express,and I was on my way home and I saw a New Flyer on 71st/Western running the route 67 67th/69th/71st.

Well, it is true that 74th is receiving the next order of New Flyers, but if you say the 1600s, then that would be peculiar, seeing how 74th's receiving 1731 (or 1730?, I forget ) and up.

[BUSANGEL#1]

Well, it is true that 74th is receiving the next order of New Flyers, but if you say the 1600s, then that would be peculiar, seeing how 74th's receiving 1731 (or 1730?, I forget ) and up.

Don't be happy too long because they are only recieving 30 buses.

[jajuan]

Don't be happy too long because they are only recieving 30 buses.

It's been suggested that 74th wasn't getting as many NFs as hoped by some people. I'm just curious about where you heard that the exact number will only be 30 buses.

[Kevin]

It's been suggested that 74th wasn't getting as many NFs as hoped by some people. I'm just curious about where you heard that the exact number will only be 30 buses.

Busangel is correct. 74th will only be receiving 1731-1760 (all of which are likely there by now).

[CircleSeven]

Busangel is correct. 74th will only be receiving 1731-1760 (all of which are likely there by now).

Well, does that means many Flx-6000s will still be in 74th? If that's the case, Hallelujah!!!!

[qwantae]

I was at work and I saw a CTA New Flyer in the 1600 series' running the route 55 Garfield and X55 Garfield Express,and I was on my way home and I saw a New Flyer on 71st/Western running the route 67 67th/69th/71st.

Today, I did spotted #1745 on 67th/ Stony Island working #67 for the 1st time.

Last Saturday, I've rode #1738 on #55- Garfield from Hyde Park to Western, seems that some 74th drivers aren't happy about them like they need more training on them, the driver lady I rode with was complaining about gettin up and down the driver seat steps, tryin to put into a drive. And other driver they was switchin at 55th/Ashland- he said that we wouldnt want to drive them cause they are comfusing, he rather drive a 6000. Seems that 74th drivers needs more training on New Flyers and I really do agree with Circleseven that 74th shouldnt be having many New Flyers yet and leave mostly 6000s there. And I did spot another Flyer at Garfield/Red Line working #59.

[jajuan]

Busangel is correct. 74th will only be receiving 1731-1760 (all of which are likely there by now).

At least they got something. And I wouldn't be so quick to celebrate a lot of 6000s still being there because half of all the 6000s will be on the scrap heap by early next year. Even if they weren't, you still have to admit given their age the likelihood of breakdowns is still a lot higher and it costs a heck of a lot to maintain.

[CircleSeven]

Seems that 74th drivers needs more training on New Flyers and I really do agree with Circleseven that 74th shouldnt be having many New Flyers yet and leave mostly 6000s there.

I agree, because many of those drivers will have a very good change that they would get a New Flyer when they'll get their buses by relief instead of a pull-out. They do need to accellerate the traning of those NF buses for the drivers at 74th. Yet I've been reading the other thread and some drivers liked the NF buses. I'm glad there are some drivers are complaining about the new buses. I guess the main factor is that many drivers over there are so use to the 6000s, it seems that they love them better than the newer buses.

[Buslover88]

Don't be happy too long because they are only recieving 30 buses.

That's really lame. Why is CTA only giving them 30 New Flyers? Oh, I know why, CTA doesn't want them to have new equipment. It figures .

Well, does that means many Flx-6000s will still be in 74th? If that's the case, Hallelujah!!!!

Yeah, you got your wish.

[jajuan]

I'm glad there are some drivers are complaining about the new buses. I guess the main factor is that many drivers over there are so use to the 6000s, it seems that they love them better than the newer buses.

Well they shouldn't be complaining about anything unless it's a safety issue, and no one should be glad they're complaining if it's not a safety issue that they're complaining about. As an operator, they need to be used to handling whatever equipment CTA provides for them to use. That's their job and what they get paid $20+ an hour to do. As for the female operator complaining about stepping up and down from the driver's seat of a New Flyer, give me a break. If she's too freaking lazy to take that one step up to the driver's seat, she doesn't need to be doing the job. That's not the type of operator I want driving any bus that I'm aboard regardless of the model. And if it's a matter of she thinks the step is too high, again maybe she should be in another profession. How can passengers trust her feet are reaching the pedals of the bus properly if she can't even step up to the driver's seat with no problem?

I'm reminded of an incident a couple weeks ago with a heavyset male operator driving one of Kedzie's 1600s on the 12 Roosevelt. Every time he came to a stop the bus would jerk from him pressing too hard on the brake. One guy said to him 'Do you mind taking it easy on the brakes, I almost hurt myself.' His response, 'Don't blame me. It's not me. It's the CTA's fault for buying all these raggedy buses. Take it up with them!' No lead foot, it is you not the bus. Other drivers have driven NFs including the newest ones without the bus jerking everytime it comes to a stop. You just got too used to driving TMCs and Flx-5300s when Kedzie still had them.

[Buslover88]

Well they shouldn't be complaining about anything unless it's a safety issue, and no one should be glad they're complaining if it's not a safety issue that they're complaining about. As an operator, they need to be used to handling whatever equipment CTA provides for them to use. That's their job and what they get paid $20+ an hour to do. As for the female operator complaining about stepping up and down from the driver's seat of a New Flyer, give me a break. If she's too freaking lazy to take that one step up to the driver's seat, she doesn't need to be doing the job. That's not the type of operator I want driving any bus that I'm aboard regardless of the model. And if it's a matter of she thinks the step is too high, again maybe she should be in another profession. How can passengers trust her feet are reaching the pedals of the bus properly if she can't even step up to the driver's seat with no problem?

I'm reminded of an incident a couple weeks ago with a heavyset male operator driving one of Kedzie's 1600s on the 12 Roosevelt. Every time he came to a stop the bus would jerk from him pressing too hard on the brake. One guy said to him 'Do you mind taking it easy on the brakes, I almost hurt myself.' His response, 'Don't blame me. It's not me. It's the CTA's fault for buying all these raggedy buses. Take it up with them!' No lead foot, it is you not the bus. Other drivers have driven NFs including the newest ones without the bus jerking everytime it comes to a stop. You just got too used to driving TMCs and Flx-5300s when Kedzie still had them.

Excatly. Some drivers seem so quick to blame the new buses for everything that goes wrong and 74th's drivers REALLY shouldn't be complaining at all. These drivers are paid to do this job. Sometimes I feel like yelling at operators who complain about pointless stuff. And jujuan I agree with you on everything you said here.

[CircleSeven]

That's really lame. Why is CTA only giving them 30 New Flyers? Oh, I know why, CTA doesn't want them to have new equipment. It figures .

Yeah, you got your wish.

Not really, my real wish was that they wouldn't get the new buses in the first place, but that didn't happen too long after they were previously an all 6000s garage. But, they are the very last garage to get low-floor buses.

Well they shouldn't be complaining about anything unless it's a safety issue, and no one should be glad they're complaining if it's not a safety issue that they're complaining about. As an operator, they need to be used to handling whatever equipment CTA provides for them to use. That's their job and what they get paid $20+ an hour to do. As for the female operator complaining about stepping up and down from the driver's seat of a New Flyer, give me a break. If she's too freaking lazy to take that one step up to the driver's seat, she doesn't need to be doing the job. That's not the type of operator I want driving any bus that I'm aboard regardless of the model. And if it's a matter of she thinks the step is too high, again maybe she should be in another profession. How can passengers trust her feet are reaching the pedals of the bus properly if she can't even step up to the driver's seat with no problem?

I'm reminded of an incident a couple weeks ago with a heavyset male operator driving one of Kedzie's 1600s on the 12 Roosevelt. Every time he came to a stop the bus would jerk from him pressing too hard on the brake. One guy said to him 'Do you mind taking it easy on the brakes, I almost hurt myself.' His response, 'Don't blame me. It's not me. It's the CTA's fault for buying all these raggedy buses. Take it up with them!' No lead foot, it is you not the bus. Other drivers have driven NFs including the newest ones without the bus jerking everytime it comes to a stop. You just got too used to driving TMCs and Flx-5300s when Kedzie still had them.

Yeah, I agree that they shouldn't make some stupid and pointless complaints on the newer buses. But it's still kind of foreign to them. And I wished they would've done more traning to all the 74th drivers when the deliveries first started. To that Kedzie operater that kept the bus jerking after stopping, I wished he can tone down on hitting the breaks too hard, Otherwise I don't think anyone would ride with him on the street because that would be a potential safety hazard. I don't drive the buses but by hearing many operators in the past, the breaks on the newer buses (Novas & NABI's included) are too sensitive. Like I stated before they been used to the higher floor buses since many of them started working that the CTA and it will take some time to get use to. I doubt that they'll stop complaining about the Flyers but I'm hoping they will manage.

[Busjack]

Observations:

• Tokenism.
  
• No training? No Bus Tracker (even if a software glitch)? The showing of competence in the Huberman administration is waning.
  
• Circle 7 is back with his "I don't want some neighborhoods to have ..." routine. With 500 buses still to be retired by February, and Kedzie fully stocked, that doesn't wash.
  
• For that matter, since Kedzie is overstocked, especially if it is getting DE60LFs at least for 8, it might be that 1700-1730 are temporarily there for Kedzie to wear out before sending to 74th.
  

My dudgeon for the day. :(

[CircleSeven]

They might give those buses to the Glen, or 77th, or 103rd, or even the Park for that matter. Those following garages also have older buses awaiting their fate in the scrapper by next February. So check out those possibilities as well.

[BusHunter]

That's really lame. Why is CTA only giving them 30 New Flyers? Oh, I know why, CTA doesn't want them to have new equipment. It figures .

I'd have to agree with you. Why even bother with 30 buses? At least 100 would have given them a 100 percent NF fleet on the weekends. There fleet is getting so old there it's like I travelled back in time or something. Alot of the drivers are reflecting that themselves. Some complain about new equipment, which is completely nuts. There so used to driving 1990's era equipment there not comfortable driving something more up to date. It seems to me every driver at 74th drives these buses like they have a corvette. No wonder, Alot of the old equipment doesn't respond right away when you press the gas. Well it's a cinch now the #6000's will end up at 74th, when all deliveries are complete. It's really strange how things are working out at 74th. With a fleet of 226 (minus any NF's), you have 30 NF's. Leaving 200 #6000's. I wonder if they will receive 100 Nova buses. They are the next oldest if you erase the #5800's. The tradition of giving them the oldest equipment is still alive. Why not? I wonder Who will get #1761? Another loop bound garage. The loop is really overloaded with NF's. It's practically all you see now.

[Buslover88]

Not really, my real wish was that they wouldn't get the new buses in the first place, but that didn't happen too long after they were previously an all 6000s garage. But, they are the very last garage to get low-floor buses.

Why? They deserve new equipment like everyone else. What were they supposed to have after the 6000s are gone? The 5800s? Give me a break. Its a total shame how people treat 74th. Just because they're a southside garage doesn't give anybody the right to treat them like its being treated right now and I hope this come backs to haunt CTA in the future and anybody who didn't want them to have new buses.

They might give those buses to the Glen, or 77th, or 103rd, or even the Park for that matter. Those following garages also have older buses awaiting their fate in the scrapper by next February. So check out those possibilities as well.

As for FG recieving these New Flyers, they don't deserve them ... yet. They shouldn't be getting anything for another few years, or maybe they should get cast offs like 74th and 103rd have.

I know my opinion is rather harsh here, but it just gets me mad that some people don't like seeing 74th get new buses.

I'd have to agree with you. Why even bother with 30 buses? At least 100 would have given them a 100 percent NF fleet on the weekends. There fleet is getting so old there it's like I travelled back in time or something. Alot of the drivers are reflecting that themselves. Some complain about new equipment, which is completely nuts. There so used to driving 1990's era equipment there not comfortable driving something more up to date. It seems to me every driver at 74th drives these buses like they have a corvette. No wonder, Alot of the old equipment doesn't respond right away when you press the gas. Well it's a cinch now the #6000's will end up at 74th, when all deliveries are complete. It's really strange how things are working out at 74th. With a fleet of 226 (minus any NF's), you have 30 NF's. Leaving 200 #6000's. I wonder if they will receive 100 Nova buses. They are the next oldest if you erase the #5800's. The tradition of giving them the oldest equipment is still alive. Why not? I wonder Who will get #1761? Another loop bound garage. The loop is really overloaded with NF's. It's practically all you see now.

Exactly.

[jajuan]

Observations:

• Tokenism.
  
• No training? No Bus Tracker (even if a software glitch)? The showing of competence in the Huberman administration is waning.
  
• Circle 7 is back with his "I don't want some neighborhoods to have ..." routine. With 500 buses still to be retired by February, and Kedzie fully stocked, that doesn't wash.
  
• For that matter, since Kedzie is overstocked, especially if it is getting DE60LFs at least for 8, it might be that 1700-1730 are temporarily there for Kedzie to wear out before sending to 74th.
  

My dudgeon for the day.

Maybe, but who's to say it will be 1700-1730 to go to 74th if it were to get some of Kedzie's oldest buses? Why not make it 1122-1151 given the continual pattern of giving 74th other garages' oldest buses? Those are after all Kedzie's oldest 40 foot buses. Either way they really won't be worn out too much since Kedzie's maintenance crew does do a good job of keeping the buses there in good shape. The NP/Kedzie NABI swap is a testament to that. If we really want to follow the pattern at 74th pull 30 NFs from NP snce NP wears its buses down more.

[qwantae]

Excatly. Some drivers seem so quick to blame the new buses for everything that goes wrong and 74th's drivers REALLY shouldn't be complaining at all. These drivers are paid to do this job. Sometimes I feel like yelling at operators who complain about pointless stuff. And jujuan I agree with you on everything you said here.

74th drivers especially the newbie ones needs to grow up and stop complaining, 74th does need Kneeling buses, 6000s doesnt kneel anymore which I am concerned. Thats why Im still not happy with them on Routes: 53A/52A and maybe 47, well at least they got some Low Floors back. Plus it will help the bus bunching like #9/63/67, because too many 6000s breaking down more than 4400.

[jajuan]

74th drivers especially the newbie ones needs to grow up and stop complaining, 74th does need Kneeling buses, 6000s doesnt kneel anymore which I am concerned. Thats why Im still not happy with them on Routes: 53A/52A and maybe 47, well at least they got some Low Floors back. Plus it will help the bus bunching like #9/63/67, because too many 6000s breaking down more than 4400.

You just hit the nail on the head of why it's dumb to keep 74th an all 6000 garage. These buses are past their federally recommended average useful lifespan of 12 years, meaning their likelihood of breaking down is now exceptionally high which you are now starting to see. Anyone still hating that 74th got some new euipment now, as small as the numbers will turn out to be in the near future?

[CircleSeven]

I still don't think 74th should've been next. They should've continued the deliveries at either North Park, 77th or 103rd. They still have the worst of the worst equipment ('91 buses). Especially those slow TMCs.

[Buslover88]

You just hit the nail on the head of why it's dumb to keep 74th an all 6000 garage. These buses are past their federally recommended average useful lifespan of 12 years, meaning their likelihood of breaking down is now exceptionally high which you are now starting to see. Anyone still hating that 74th got some new euipment now, as small as the numbers will turn out to be in the near future?

Yeah, the 6000s are starting to break down too much now.

I still don't think 74th should've been next. They should've continued the deliveries at either North Park, 77th or 103rd. They still have the worst of the worst equipment ('91 buses). Especially those slow TMCs.

I'm sure the TMCs can wait a little longer, you know. 74th was in need of new buses big time. And besides, its NP's fault why their buses are bad, they're maintence isn't good.

[CircleSeven]

Yeah, the 6000s are starting to break down too much now.

I'm sure the TMCs can wait a little longer, you know. 74th was in need of new buses big time. And besides, its NP's fault why their buses are bad, they're maintence isn't good.

Finally, something I can agree with you on. 74th had the slowest TMCs in the system. Those buses had to go, I agree with you on that. I despise the TMCs after they had their mid-life overhaul, also the addition of the heating and colling at the back of the buses, replacing the window in the back. So I will be happy when they get rid of all those TMCs.

[jajuan]

I still don't think 74th should've been next. They should've continued the deliveries at either North Park, 77th or 103rd. They still have the worst of the worst equipment ('91 buses). Especially those slow TMCs.

Now put in this context your argument makes a bit more since. If you'd made these points instead of framing your argument as 74th shouldn't have gotten anything because you think it should have stayed an all 6000 garage, you wouldn't have upset as many folks as you did. The way you framed your argument before, you were making it sound as if 74th is supposed to remain stuck with woefully aging equipment just because you're so fond of the 6000s. It was basically so 'what if these buses are old and break down a lot, as long I get to keep seeing Flx-6000s on the road.' It really came off as elitist though I don't think that's how you intended to sound.

Plus I think Buslover's point about the TMCs is that the garages that do still have them aren't now in as much dire straits as 74th on having old equipment considering that the average age of their buses are now lower than 74th's since they have NFs or Novas or both along with them as well as ome NABIs. From the point of view of average bus age per garage, 74th was worse off by having all buses at around 13 years in age.