School runs

[Buslover88]

Hello to all of my fellow bus fans out there. I pose this question to the drivers, especially to the Forest Glen (or North Park) drivers: how are school runs? I know most of them have loud and rude kids on them, but I've never heard on any inside stories on how exactly they're like and what goes down on them. Share your school run story. I'd, and probably others, sure like to hear them.

[Guest]

Hello to all of my fellow bus fans out there. I pose this question to the drivers, especially to the Forest Glen (or North Park) drivers: how are school runs? I know most of them have loud and rude kids on them, but I've never heard on any inside stories on how exactly they're like and what goes down on them. Share your school run story. I'd, and probably others, sure like to hear them.

I worked out of Kedzie when I was hired. There I would operate school runs for Crane and Marshall H.S., they were pretty well behaved, I never really had any issues with those students, CPD was always on sight. When I worked at North Park working the #204 Dodge, that was an entirely different story. I rememeber doing Evans. Township H.S., they were a nightmare! I remember having to call for Evanston P.D. quite a bit. The kids were always loud, obnoxious and just plain mean kids. On one occasion they broke a couple of windows on my bus. From FG I worked Mother Guerin at Belmont and Pacific, they were behaved. Steinmetz students were a bit loud. Ill never forget Lake View H.S. on Irving/Ashland, some of the kids there were just plain dumb! One time I was approaching the WB stop at Ashland. As I was pulling up, I saw one kid pushed another kid off the curb into the street, I almost hit him with the bus. I got so upset with the kid who had pushed the other kid, I chewed him out and turned him over to a nearby cop. That was really upsetting because of a stupid prank, it couldve turned tragic. There was another story I remember working #80 Irving Pk. As I approached Narragansett, most of the kids from Lake View H.S. had gotten off. There were only maybe 3 or 4 left. There were two girls in the back of the bus and I check the interior mirror and I see the two girls making out in the back!. So those are some of the stories Ive experienced operating high school runs.

[jajuan]

I worked out of Kedzie when I was hired. There I would operate school runs for Crane and Marshall H.S., they were pretty well behaved, I never really had any issues with those students, CPD was always on sight. When I worked at North Park working the #204 Dodge, that was an entirely different story. I rememeber doing Evans. Township H.S., they were a nightmare! I remember having to call for Evanston P.D. quite a bit. The kids were always loud, obnoxious and just plain mean kids. On one occasion they broke a couple of windows on my bus. From FG I worked Mother Guerin at Belmont and Pacific, they were behaved. Steinmetz students were a bit loud. Ill never forget Lake View H.S. on Irving/Ashland, some of the kids there were just plain dumb! One time I was approaching the WB stop at Ashland. As I was pulling up, I saw one kid pushed another kid off the curb into the street, I almost hit him with the bus. I got so upset with the kid who had pushed the other kid, I chewed him out and turned him over to a nearby cop. That was really upsetting because of a stupid prank, it couldve turned tragic. There was another story I remember working #80 Irving Pk. As I approached Narragansett, most of the kids from Lake View H.S. had gotten off. There were only maybe 3 or 4 left. There were two girls in the back of the bus and I check the interior mirror and I see the two girls making out in the back!. So those are some of the stories Ive experienced operating high school runs.

Thanks for the insight. Anyone else willing to share their memorable experience(s)?

[cta 5555]

Why? Should we, When i post stuff and told u about the flyers u came back and bit my head off. We may say something bad about a school and u may do the same. Bit my head off again!

[cta 5555]

I noticed you didnt ask for input from us Chicago operators. Only forest glen and north park ones. I forgot we are the black sheep of the forums!

[cta_44499_FG]

Thanks for the insight. Anyone else willing to share their memorable experience(s)?

Can't say much now at North Park because I don't deal very much with any school kids, except on my Friday run on the 93 California/Dodge I get a few, but I'm not out there until after 1700 and those kids are pretty well behaved. The few I get on 147 and 151 are not a problem. I hardly see any on the 36.

At the Glen however, I can say most the kids on those streets are pretty roudy. I have to agree with 5750 that the Lakeview HS kids are pretty dumb! The Steinmetz kids were obnoxious only on the 86 Narragansett/Ridgeland. One time I had a few of the African-American kids, and they kept ringing the stop request bell south of Grand, so after three times I asked them to stop or everyone was getting off the bus. They got off at North Ave and told me go f*ck yourself you white f*ggot! I let it go though, I was better and obviously more mature then them. They'd be the ones in jail one day...not me. I've heard stories about the Taft kids, but I never had any problems with them. Lane Tech is always well behaved, usually. (And they better be because they're dealing with an alumni!)

I'm surprised that 5750 said the Evanston HS kids were bad. When we had the 206 at the Glen and even when I ran it out of NP...I've never encountered problems with them, they are the most polite and say thank you 98% of the time.

[T8H5307A]

Out of Chicago, we have a few school runs also. We have runs on the 53 Pulaski that stage at Chicago/Pulaski for the Orr High School/Campus, we have some that go to 31st/Kostner for the Little Village Lawndale High School. We have a run on the 66 that pulls out and goes around the block so to speak to stage westbound at Chicago/Pulaski for Orr also. We have a couple of 70 Division trips that start at Western for Clemente High School and we have a run on 20/X20 that starts at Adams and Homan for Marshall High School. There is a run on the 57 Laramie that starts at Harrison/Leamington for the Michelle Clark High School/ I have worked some of these and really haven't had any issues on the bus. The Orr kids normally pick their fights before they get on the bus and move them to the middle of the intersection of Chicago and Pulaski and cause a stalemate for traffic!

[BusHunter]

Can't say much now at North Park because I don't deal very much with any school kids, except on my Friday run on the 93 California/Dodge I get a few, but I'm not out there until after 1700 and those kids are pretty well behaved. The few I get on 147 and 151 are not a problem. I hardly see any on the 36.

At the Glen however, I can say most the kids on those streets are pretty roudy. I have to agree with 5750 that the Lakeview HS kids are pretty dumb! The Steinmetz kids were obnoxious only on the 86 Narragansett/Ridgeland. One time I had a few of the African-American kids, and they kept ringing the stop request bell south of Grand, so after three times I asked them to stop or everyone was getting off the bus. They got off at North Ave and told me go f*ck yourself you white f*ggot! I let it go though, I was better and obviously more mature then them. They'd be the ones in jail one day...not me. I've heard stories about the Taft kids, but I never had any problems with them. Lane Tech is always well behaved, usually. (And they better be because they're dealing with an alumni!)

I'm surprised that 5750 said the Evanston HS kids were bad. When we had the 206 at the Glen and even when I ran it out of NP...I've never encountered problems with them, they are the most polite and say thank you 98% of the time.

Cool, I'm a LT (Lane Tech) alumni also. Yeah Lane has a nice group of kids, but I've seen some pretty wild behavior when I was there. When I went there the #7100's were the artic bus. They had some pretty large windows on them. Well one day while the bus was standing loading it's passengers on the #152, a group of kids were on the back of the bus and there buddy was outside the bus. So the kids open the window and their buddy crawls in the window from the outside. The only time I ever saw that for a free ride. The loudest and wildest buses I've ever experienced had to have been the Marshall #52's. There was a lot of shouting and even people engaged in sexual conduct, though it was nothing extreme. I remember getting off that bus and my ears were ringing from the loudness. Evanston also has some loud kids. Wouldn't want to drive that too much. I'm surprised nobody mentioned the #91. I've heard of some pretty rowdy behavior on those. In the afternoon's they would pick up the Taft kids, then have to pick up the addison crowd. Must have been some pretty wild rides.

[Buslover88]

Why? Should we, When i post stuff and told u about the flyers u came back and bit my head off. We may say something bad about a school and u may do the same. Bit my head off again!

Because I want to know. And the NF thing is totally different from school runs thing. Even if you guys have something bad to say about the school runs, I don't care, unless if hateful language is used.

The Orr kids normally pick their fights before they get on the bus and move them to the middle of the intersection of Chicago and Pulaski and cause a stalemate for traffic!

Even though we've had our arguments, I have to say, that's awful about the traffic being blocked because of those stupid fights. We've got fights at my school too that also completey block traffic.

We have a couple of 70 Division trips that start at Western for Clemente High School

How are the runs out of Clemente? I've like to get an inside view of those runs because I've heard horror stories on those runs.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the #91. I've heard of some pretty rowdy behavior on those. In the afternoon's they would pick up the Taft kids, then have to pick up the addison crowd. Must have been some pretty wild rides.

Me too. I've heard about stuff take place on that route. I'm also surprised at nobody mentioning the Schurz HS runs. I've heard horror stories about those.

[jajuan]

Out of Chicago, we have a few school runs also. We have runs on the 53 Pulaski that stage at Chicago/Pulaski for the Orr High School/Campus, we have some that go to 31st/Kostner for the Little Village Lawndale High School. We have a run on the 66 that pulls out and goes around the block so to speak to stage westbound at Chicago/Pulaski for Orr also. We have a couple of 70 Division trips that start at Western for Clemente High School and we have a run on 20/X20 that starts at Adams and Homan for Marshall High School. There is a run on the 57 Laramie that starts at Harrison/Leamington for the Michelle Clark High School/ I have worked some of these and really haven't had any issues on the bus. The Orr kids normally pick their fights before they get on the bus and move them to the middle of the intersection of Chicago and Pulaski and cause a stalemate for traffic!

Those have to be some intense fights to have them spill into the middle of such a busy intersection. Do they stall traffic for long or do the kids get cleared from the street right away? There were a couple occasions where I'd been on a 49/X49 or 70 when Clemente let out out. I didn't run into any issues other than it being a bit loud from teenagers joking around on those few Clemente dismissals I've run into. Is that a fluke? because I've heard Western and Division operators speak of dreading those trips because the Clemente kids can get rowdy.

[BUSANGEL#1]

Y is no one commenting about the south garage school runs? Those operators have the most hell. Particularly 77th and 103rd operators. The worse I've seen was @ 103rd/michigan. I was getting off the #106 and there were 6 TMCs sitting there in the dark. There were about 80 kids running everywhere in the street from two gang fights between three high schools. These schools were Harlan, Corliss, and Julian. A lot of them meet @ 103/Michigan to catch a #34/119 south. Harlan usually boards @ between 95th and 97th but the fighting starts at the redline and goes as far south as 111th where Fenger and Brooks Prep kids transfer. As drivers would change shifts someone would go and cut the battery off and board from the back to fight. Sometimes they would storm these buses and jump on anybody they could find. The operators were so terrified at the chaos and because of the lack of response from control or the police. This is a big problem because the schools are so close in that area. There were many times my commute from school would be ruined as well as others during the rush. This also was a main reason why new buses werent allowed on those routes until there was more of them. It is a real serious issue.

[MetroShadow]

I went to Payton from 2000-04 (1st graduating class mind you), and that I normally sit on the 70 runs* from the Red Line to the Blue Line or Austin. The kids aren't terribly bad considering you had Payton, Orr, Clemente, Wells, etc. through that run. I've seen no fights during that run (and heck, it gave me a chance to talk to the clemente girls when I had the chance).

I'm surprised there was no attention to the south side routes, where I too have seen pretty rude behavior. I would imagine the Michigan, Jeffery, or the 79th corridors would be pretty rough, in terms of getting everyone everywhere.

* Okay, so we don't get school trippers, but Payton kids back then needed a quick ride to the Blue Line without having to take the subway.

[Busjack]

I'm surprised there was no attention to the south side routes, where I too have seen pretty rude behavior. I would imagine the Michigan, Jeffery, or the 79th corridors would be pretty rough, in terms of getting everyone everywhere.

Well, there was Blair Holt...

[BusHunter]

Those have to be some intense fights to have them spill into the middle of such a busy intersection. Do they stall traffic for long or do the kids get cleared from the street right away? There were a couple occasions where I'd been on a 49/X49 or 70 when Clemente let out out. I didn't run into any issues other than it being a bit loud from teenagers joking around on those few Clemente dismissals I've run into. Is that a fluke? because I've heard Western and Division operators speak of dreading those trips because the Clemente kids can get rowdy.

Clemente can get wild. I passed by once when there was a street blockage/fight. You sit there while all these kids are in the middle of the street. Then about 10 police cars show up. And in my instance the whole thing spilled over onto west division. Security guards and cops all out there trying to break things up. It's very surreal. Speaking of the south side I've heard of an instance where the kids shut off 3 or 4 buses at once on 79th. I couldn't help but notice all the newer buses, I believe #1400's and up now have a key lock over the access door to the battery cutoff switch. I guess that puts the kids out of business.

[T8H5307A]

Clemente can get wild. I passed by once when there was a street blockage/fight. You sit there while all these kids are in the middle of the street. Then about 10 police cars show up. And in my instance the whole thing spilled over onto west division. Security guards and cops all out there trying to break things up. It's very surreal. Speaking of the south side I've heard of an instance where the kids shut off 3 or 4 buses at once on 79th. I couldn't help but notice all the newer buses, I believe #1400's and up now have a key lock over the access door to the battery cutoff switch. I guess that puts the kids out of business.

All the New Flyer's have locks installed on the whole panel where the batteries are and the small access panel in which you need square key, same size as the end of the door control handle (which are not removable on cta buses anymore). There was a question to this locking the battery doors raised by the fire dept. Technically there aren't supposed to be locks in case of a fire the batteries need quick access. The agreement/solution was to issue the fire dept keys that would open them. The fire departments response was no guarantee if push comes to shove they will put an axe to to the door to access it!

Getting back to the reason they are locked, besides the kiddies new form of entertainment of shutting off the buses and creating havoc, some individuals were taking this a step further, turning off the batteries, disabling the bus in the process, and then robbing all the passengers on the bus. Not a good situation!

[Buslover88]

Y is no one commenting about the south garage school runs? Those operators have the most hell. Particularly 77th and 103rd operators. The worse I've seen was @ 103rd/michigan. I was getting off the #106 and there were 6 TMCs sitting there in the dark. There were about 80 kids running everywhere in the street from two gang fights between three high schools. These schools were Harlan, Corliss, and Julian. A lot of them meet @ 103/Michigan to catch a #34/119 south. Harlan usually boards @ between 95th and 97th but the fighting starts at the redline and goes as far south as 111th where Fenger and Brooks Prep kids transfer. As drivers would change shifts someone would go and cut the battery off and board from the back to fight. Sometimes they would storm these buses and jump on anybody they could find. The operators were so terrified at the chaos and because of the lack of response from control or the police. This is a big problem because the schools are so close in that area. There were many times my commute from school would be ruined as well as others during the rush. This also was a main reason why new buses werent allowed on those routes until there was more of them. It is a real serious issue.

That is WHACKED. Why are they doing these kind of things?

[Guest]

Can't say much now at North Park because I don't deal very much with any school kids, except on my Friday run on the 93 California/Dodge I get a few, but I'm not out there until after 1700 and those kids are pretty well behaved. The few I get on 147 and 151 are not a problem. I hardly see any on the 36.

At the Glen however, I can say most the kids on those streets are pretty roudy. I have to agree with 5750 that the Lakeview HS kids are pretty dumb! The Steinmetz kids were obnoxious only on the 86 Narragansett/Ridgeland. One time I had a few of the African-American kids, and they kept ringing the stop request bell south of Grand, so after three times I asked them to stop or everyone was getting off the bus. They got off at North Ave and told me go f*ck yourself you white f*ggot! I let it go though, I was better and obviously more mature then them. They'd be the ones in jail one day...not me. I've heard stories about the Taft kids, but I never had any problems with them. Lane Tech is always well behaved, usually. (And they better be because they're dealing with an alumni!)

I'm surprised that 5750 said the Evanston HS kids were bad. When we had the 206 at the Glen and even when I ran it out of NP...I've never encountered problems with them, they are the most polite and say thank you 98% of the time.

Evanston H.S. was a nightmare! It really was, maybe times have changed but back in 1999 when I would work Evanston routes on the extra board they were hell to deal with. And I do recall now that you mentioned it, Steinmetz H.S. on the #86 had some rough punks going south to North Ave. I encountered problems with kids pulling the cherries on me. Once I remember that happening on Belmont at Campbell, I threw every single passenger off the bus! And it felt good! I didnt care what disciplinary action was waiting for me. I felt I just had enough of the kids ringing the bell cord repeatedly and the cherry being pulled. I was called in to see the manager at FG that same day. I had explained what had happened that day and that the kids actions endangered the safety of everyone on the bus as well as the motorists around me. I was given a "slap on the hand" and no action was taken against me.

[Buslover88]

Once I remember that happening on Belmont at Campbell, I threw every single passenger off the bus! And it felt good! I didnt care what disciplinary action was waiting for me. I felt I just had enough of the kids ringing the bell cord repeatedly and the cherry being pulled. I was called in to see the manager at FG that same day. I had explained what had happened that day and that the kids actions endangered the safety of everyone on the bus as well as the motorists around me. I was given a "slap on the hand" and no action was taken against me.

Woah. You've must have been really, really mad to have done that. I don't blame you for being mad at those kids. Got a couple questions for you, though.

1) Did you tell the innocent passagers that they were being thrown off for their safety or did you just simply tell them to get off?

2) I'm just curious, but what does "a slap on the hand" mean? Did it mean that you couldn't do a school run for a few days or something? Just wondering . If you can't tell me or it's none of my business, that's fine .

3) Where did you go after you threw the passengers off?

I hope anything like that ever happened to you again while you worked for CTA. What those kids did were uncalled for and I'm hoping they were punished for it.

[sw4400]

OT Slightly

I'm more interested in #77 Belmont runs. Any FG operators input on this route would be welcome. Personally, I think the operators let the buses become too crowed at the Kimball Blue Line Station. When there are no seats, people throughout the aisle and standing in the stairwells of the 6000-Series Flxibles and wheelchair ramps of 6400-Series NOVABuses, that just screams 'safety issue' there. Suppose a fire broke out(God forbid that does happen), can you imagine the pandemonium of excited and fearful people all making a bee-line for the exits all at once? You'd have more hurt than out safely. I would like you FG operators to bring that up to your Garage Supervisors, who I hope will talk to their Supervisor, who in turn will bring this up with Ron Huberman. This needs to be fixed, as I'm sure regular #77 riders & bus operators would agree. Here's what I propose....

-An X77 Belmont Express, run exclusively by Articulateds that stops at the Blue Line Kimball Station, while the local #77 skips that stop.

-A local 77A and 77B route. "A" route will stop at the Kimball Blue Line Station. "B" route will skip that stop(I know it sounds just like the Express idea, but this is in case the CTA decides not to look into Express bus service on Belmont).

-Or if the CTA says "no" to both ideas, then the CTA Bus Operators and Supervisors should have the "nerve" to make a cutoff on boarding at this stop. Once the seats are taken and the aisle behind the silver or yellow line is filled, cutoff the rest of the people and tell them to wait for the next bus!!! I don't care if riders are mad about you telling them this.... too bad!!! Tell the rest of the crowd to wait for the next bus, close the doors and drive off!!! Right or wrong, I'd probably do this if I was a CTA Bus Operator working the #77 route

Something must be done to fix the #77!!!

[Guest]

Woah. You've must have been really, really mad to have done that. I don't blame you for being mad at those kids. Got a couple questions for you, though.

1) Did you tell the innocent passagers that they were being thrown off for their safety or did you just simply tell them to get off?

2) I'm just curious, but what does "a slap on the hand" mean? Did it mean that you couldn't do a school run for a few days or something? Just wondering . If you can't tell me or it's none of my business, that's fine .

3) Where did you go after you threw the passengers off?

I hope anything like that ever happened to you again while you worked for CTA. What those kids did were uncalled for and I'm hoping they were punished for it.

Most of the passengers were school kids. There were other passengers on the bus as well, I ejected everyone off the bus. I know there were people on the bus that didnt deserve to exit but in opinion the safety of my bus was being compromised. I would rather have ejected all the passengers than risk causing a serious accident and possibly killing someone because of someone elses stupidity, I would never be able to get over that. It may sound a bit dramatic but these are 40,000 pound vehicles were talking about, they dont stop as easily as a car does. You never know what can happen when a heavy vehicle is forced to make an emergency stop. After I ejected all the passengers I just continued on my route. This was the one and only time I ever had to that. Believe me I didnt like having to eject every paassenger, I was very upset, but I felt it was the better decision for everyones safety. As far as "a slap on the hand", basically meant that my boss at FG, after I explained that the actions of these kids were compromising the safety of the bus and the motorists around me. He basically understood the decision I took and he informed me that next time call CTA Control for the police instead of taking it upon myself to eject passengers. I would never do such a thing again though.

[Buslover88]

Most of the passengers were school kids. There were other passengers on the bus as well, I ejected everyone off the bus. I know there were people on the bus that didnt deserve to exit but in opinion the safety of my bus was being compromised. I would rather have ejected all the passengers than risk causing a serious accident and possibly killing someone because of someone elses stupidity, I would never be able to get over that.

I completey understand. You had to think of the passenger's safety, the other motorist's safety and your safety as well, so I fully support you throwing off those passengers for that reason and quite frankly, those passengers should have been thankful for you thinking about their safety.

It may sound a bit dramatic but these are 40,000 pound vehicles were talking about, they dont stop as easily as a car does. You never know what can happen when a heavy vehicle is forced to make an emergency stop.

I agree to this as well. I think about/see it everyday on my bus ride going to and coming from school.

[Guest]

OT Slightly

I'm more interested in #77 Belmont runs. Any FG operators input on this route would be welcome. Personally, I think the operators let the buses become too crowed at the Kimball Blue Line Station. When there are no seats, people throughout the aisle and standing in the stairwells of the 6000-Series Flxibles and wheelchair ramps of 6400-Series NOVABuses, that just screams 'safety issue' there. Suppose a fire broke out(God forbid that does happen), can you imagine the pandemonium of excited and fearful people all making a bee-line for the exits all at once? You'd have more hurt than out safely. I would like you FG operators to bring that up to your Garage Supervisors, who I hope will talk to their Supervisor, who in turn will bring this up with Ron Huberman. This needs to be fixed, as I'm sure regular #77 riders & bus operators would agree. Here's what I propose....

-An X77 Belmont Express, run exclusively by Articulateds that stops at the Blue Line Kimball Station, while the local #77 skips that stop.

-A local 77A and 77B route. "A" route will stop at the Kimball Blue Line Station. "B" route will skip that stop(I know it sounds just like the Express idea, but this is in case the CTA decides not to look into Express bus service on Belmont).

-Or if the CTA says "no" to both ideas, then the CTA Bus Operators and Supervisors should have the "nerve" to make a cutoff on boarding at this stop. Once the seats are taken and the aisle behind the silver or yellow line is filled, cutoff the rest of the people and tell them to wait for the next bus!!! I don't care if riders are mad about you telling them this.... too bad!!! Tell the rest of the crowd to wait for the next bus, close the doors and drive off!!! Right or wrong, I'd probably do this if I was a CTA Bus Operator working the #77 route

Something must be done to fix the #77!!!

Believe it when I tell you and Im telling you from facts because I am an experienced Belmont operator my entire five years that I spent at FG. There is not one operator that would let his or her bus get crowded. The Kimball Blue Line is a busy transfer point. You have people coming not just from the north and southbound trains but both NB and SB Kimball buses as well. When the Belmont bus shows up every person waiting is hoping to board that bus even if its crowded. And when the seats are filled then you have passengers that dont move all the way to the rear and sometimes you cant see all the way back. All you can do is instruct them to move, the more they refused to move the longer it will take them to get home!. Even on saturdays this can be a problem. As for the fire hazard issue, either way the bus is crowded, of course we would never want to see a fire break out on a crowded bus let alone any city transit bus, but thank god for the "cherry" and the emergency window exits. Even if a fire were to break out on crowded bus, the passengers know to alert the bus driver and they know how to escape. Of course we wish the passengers of the 1950 Green Hornet disaster wouldve had that chance! Their only means of escape was the rear window. The streetcars didnt have the cherries or emergency escape windows. But getting back to Belmont, the #77 Belmont is a very busy route, the crowds really cannot be controlled. Should there be express service? I would say yes!, but in reality I dont think express buses on Belmont would work simply because Belmont ave. is too crowded, theres always too much traffic and its a two way street almost the entire bus route. The 77 express buses wouldnt get through and they wouldnt have the opportunity to pass up the locals. If Belmont had portions that were wide enough such as Irving Pk. then I think express service would work well. But back to Kimball, the operators cant control the passengers that are boarding, everyone wants to go home, no one wants to wait and you simply cant just shut the doors on the passenger, there youre asking for trouble! There arent a lot of people nowadays willing to wait for the next bus even if you announce it. And yes, there is the issue of the standee line but really how often is that enforced?. Even a CTA bus instructor wouldnt bother with that. There are too many issues to be dealt with before express service on Belmont could be implemented. This is my opinion from experience. SW4400, you said before to tell the the riders that they would have to wait for the next bus, that you dont care? Try telling that to the passengers that are waiting in the subzero temps or on a 95 degree day and I think youll get an unpleasant response. Theres no doubt in my mind the bus operator is in control but in some cases that dosent always happen. Theres times you have to just sit there and just deal with it.

[Busjack]

But getting back to Belmont, the #77 Belmont is a very busy route, the crowds really cannot be controlled. Should there be express service? I would say yes!, but in reality I dont think express buses on Belmont would work simply because Belmont ave. is too crowded, theres always too much traffic and its a two way street almost the entire bus route.

Undoubtedly correct about express service, but I am still surprised that they don't run articulated buses on it. 60 of the 150 have reportedly arrived, but we don't see much of a change in their deployment, certainly not what I would have expected.

[Guest]

Undoubtedly correct about express service, but I am still surprised that they don't run articulated buses on it. 60 of the 150 have reportedly arrived, but we don't see much of a change in their deployment, certainly not what I would have expected.

Artics theoretically would work but once again the issue of narrow main streets such as long narrow stretches of Belmont might be an issue. Particularly the WB turn off of Kimball term. onto Belmont, sometimes it can be tough even for a 40 footer. I think there would be a high accident rate for artics on Belmont, not to say FG operators arent the best! :)

[MetroShadow]

Artics theoretically would work but once again the issue of narrow main streets such as long narrow stretches of Belmont might be an issue. Particularly the WB turn off of Kimball term. onto Belmont, sometimes it can be tough even for a 40 footer. I think there would be a high accident rate for artics on Belmont, not to say FG operators arent the best!

Other than that, it *technically* shouldn't be a problem since artics are on Addison from time to time. If this is the only problem, then have the bus stop across the street to accommodate the artics there.

Of course, the next reasonable solution is to implement a "BRT-lane" on the entire street (Halsted to Narragansett)