The Breakdown Thread

[Bus1883]

On 3/23/2026 at 10:42 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

It’s 15 minutes actually, this applies to novas too.

Novas have 30 min idle

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

On 1/6/2022 at 7:14 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Ye true. Now I’m walking past it they’re hooking it up to tow truck 250 I heard the crew said 4095 had a leak

This morning I saw #4095 getting hooked up to the same tow truck pictured above at the North Ave NB entrance ramp on Lake shore drive

 

last time I saw 4095 the rear of the bus looked like it needs a paint job

[nflyer22]

4056 was towed northbound on 90/94 yesterday at 7:00pm.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#4189 broke down yesterday afternoon on the 6 at 5800 S. Stony Island

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#4158 took a breakdown this afternoon on Michigan Ave during the pm rush hour

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#1134 broke down around 1:30pm this afternoon on 59th street around U of C

 

#4034 has been taken out of service at Jefferson and Washington and operators are jumping buses.

[EasyMoney]

12 minutes ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

#1134 broke down around 1:30pm this afternoon on 59th street around U of C

 

#4034 has been taken out of service at Jefferson and Washington and operators are jumping buses.

I don’t understand Why CTA Doesn’t Order New Artics The Current Artics We Have Now Are Old And Always Breaking Down (Wouldn’t It Be Cheaper To Buy New Equipment)A Lot Of Other Transit Agencies Have New Artics 

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, EasyMoney said:

I don’t understand Why CTA Doesn’t Order New Artics The Current Artics We Have Now Are Old And Always Breaking Down (Wouldn’t It Be Cheaper To Buy New Equipment)A Lot Of Other Transit Agencies Have New Artics 

I Don't Understand Why You Use All INITIAL CAPS.

Your question has been answered before. The electrification plan says that the DE60LFs are to be replaced by 200 BEBs, and the current capital plan says order 100 first. Other people pointed out that the New Flyer website does not include a hybrid 60 foot bus.  Even if CTA ordered the buses tomorrow, they probably would not arrive for two years. And it has frequently been said that CTA has too many artics, anyway.

 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#8742 was towed to FG this morning but is back in service on the 76.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#4306 is broken down at Washington/jefferson and had a service van there getting work done on it.

#4177 broke down on Lake Shore drive expres nb around 4300 south, bus is now being driven south on cottage grove. 4177 has been nothing but constant breakdowns and issues in the year of 2026.

[YoungBusLover]

#1425 must be trying to set a record for the amount of tows it has gotten in the past few months. I've seen it on the tow truck at least 4 times so far. #1428 is not that far behind it as well as far as tows. It brokedown at Grand and Union this morning. 

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

#1425 must be trying to set a record for the amount of tows it has gotten in the past few months. I've seen it on the tow truck at least 4 times so far. #1428 is not that far behind it as well as far as tows. It brokedown at Grand and Union this morning. 

It's starting to indicate a combination of 17-18 year old buses that CTA thinks will soldier on for another 5 years, and poor maintenance. Only immediate hope for replacement is the 150 hybrids, for which there does not appear to have been a procurement yet.

[YoungBusLover]

19 hours ago, Busjack said:

It's starting to indicate a combination of 17-18 year old buses that CTA thinks will soldier on for another 5 years, and poor maintenance. Only immediate hope for replacement is the 150 hybrids, for which there does not appear to have been a procurement yet.

I'll be suprised if they get that procurement out by the end of the year. That should of been done in conjuction with the #8350s. As usual CTA put themselves further behind trying to stay in compliance with EPA standards in regards to electric purchases. We all can see how bad of investment that has been in the last 5 years across the US. At least we're not in a bigger pickle like Miami-Dade is with having to dispose of 75 Proterras.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#4180 has broke down at 103rd & Bensley headed northbound on the J14 two days in a row 😬😬

[EasyMoney]

7 hours ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

#4180 has broke down at 103rd & Bensley headed northbound on the J14 two days in a row 😬😬

@Busjack you see what I’m talking about 😂 old ass artics 

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, EasyMoney said:

@Busjack you see what I’m talking about 😂 old ass artics 

The 1000s thru 1630 40' are even older than the 2009 artics.  No one is disputing these New Flyers need to be replaced.   But CTA appears to have to Overhaul 500 of the 40' buses and put out a RFP for 150 hybrids at the minimum.   The 2009 artics need to be replaced as well as 1621 - 2029, with the 4300s  being 13 years old already, they are now eligible for retirement as well.   Maybe NITA will address this in September once they are settled in. 

[EasyMoney]

4182 Broke down on the 26 at 87 and commercial southbound 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

36 minutes ago, EasyMoney said:

4182 Broke down on the 26 at 87 and commercial southbound 

i just rode that yesterday 🤣

[YoungBusLover]

#4180 broke down earlier at Harrison & State earlier this evening.

[Adam Hubbard]

These Breakdowns Will get worse and won't get any better, and 2008 60 Footers REPLACEMENT is needed and retired.

[EasyMoney]

11 hours ago, Adam Hubbard said:

These Breakdowns Will get worse and won't get any better, and 2008 60 Footers REPLACEMENT is needed and retired.

I got lectured for saying that

[artthouwill]

27 minutes ago, EasyMoney said:

I got lectured for saying that

We know tjeartics are falling apart.  CTA doesn't have hundreds of millions of dollars just laying around 

  If they had it and ordered 200 New Flyer artics TODAY. they probably wouldn't enter revenue service for at least two years 

  Remember New Flyer is the only manufacturer making artic nuses.  The artics aren't the only busethat CTA needs to replace.   

CTA needs federal funding  but I'm not going to get into the political dynamics of that.  Suffice it to say that CTAhas to work within the funding it gets.

[EasyMoney]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

We know tjeartics are falling apart.  CTA doesn't have hundreds of millions of dollars just laying around 

  If they had it and ordered 200 New Flyer artics TODAY. they probably wouldn't enter revenue service for at least two years 

  Remember New Flyer is the only manufacturer making artic nuses.  The artics aren't the only busethat CTA needs to replace.   

CTA needs federal funding  but I'm not going to get into the political dynamics of that.  Suffice it to say that CTAhas to work within the funding it gets.

Didn’t Novabus offer Artics before they pulled out the states?  I know New York, Maryland  and Houston Metro have some  Not trying to start a debate or anything I totally understand what yall saying 

[Busjack]

21 minutes ago, EasyMoney said:

Didn’t Novabus offer Artics before they pulled out the states?  I know New York, Maryland  and Houston Metro have some  Not trying to start a debate or anything I totally understand what yall saying 

Ansswer is yes, but since they pulled out, doesn't make any difference.

[Sam92]

2 hours ago, EasyMoney said:

Didn’t Novabus offer Artics before they pulled out the states?  I know New York, Maryland  and Houston Metro have some  Not trying to start a debate or anything I totally understand what yall saying 

I think we're required to prioritize domestic merchants first so if they pulled out that disqualifies them probably