New Express Routes Coming Soon.

[Busjack]

4 hours ago, Sam92 said:

So in other words you emphasize EVEN MORE that bringing MCIs to Chicago just for the sake of diversifying fleet as the original commenter is both pointless AND an added expense. Replacing a 60 ft vehicle with 40-45ft one is a step backward ESPECIALLY if you have to add runs to the route. I doubt UofC would go for that and pay that extra money. I can't speak for what goes on in NY or NJ but I DO know that MCI is a TOURIST/CHARTER focused bus build. That's why the few of them we have with pace are again used on LONG HAUL COMMUTE routes. 

It's obvious that someone to whom you replied is only interested in a plush velour seat in a black car for a $1.25 ride. Maybe he can get it from UberX. CTA isn't in that business. Pace has definitely said it is in the public transportation business. He might have to stand.

[artthouwill]

Since this is in a PACE thread:

Pace route 855 was at one time the ONLY route that offered motorcoach service.  For years, it was contracted out to Greyhound,  Keeshin/Coach USA,  Neal's, and Mid-America.  Pace didn't run the service itself until the Bus On Shoulder service was implemented and expanded on the I 55 corridor.

Pace introduced  its motorcoach service on routes  877 and 888 and for a time also used them on 891 and 892 UPS Service between UPS Hodgkins and Indiana.   877=888 went to transits when South went to CNG.

THE I -90 Bus on Shoulder  expansion used Suburbans rather than motorcoaches.  Motorcoach service is considered premium service now .

[Busjack]

Although only an engineering proposal at this point, Pace is contemplating an inline station on I-55 at Harlem Ave. I suppose like the I-90 one at Barrington Road and to interchange with the Harlem Pulse. Makes sense if there are riders between the far southwest suburbs and the near west ones.

Update: I see that @Pace831  had an earlier news item foreshadowing this.

[Busjack]

Solicitation for an I-290 study. I again see @Railguy foreshadowed this.

I

[Busjack]

On 8/16/2024 at 11:08 AM, Tcmetro said:

This is what I inferred from the "Plus 10" scenario.

• I-90 Express: Looks like it might be one route every 15 mins connecting Rosemont, NWTC, I-90/Barrington, I-90/Rt 25, Elgin TC.

 

On 8/16/2024 at 12:52 PM, artthouwill said:

The I -90 Express being one route makes a ton of sense to me.  It essentially combines the 600, 603, and 605 rather than running 3 separate routes relatively empty. ***

To put this in a less fanciful topic, even if it was suggested in the concept, which it wasn't, no, @artthouwill, it wouldn't make sense, because your factual premise is incorrect.* Pre-Covid, at least, while the Randall Road and Barrington Road PNRs were fairly empty (and I can't comment on the split to the Elgin TC), the Schaumburg TC was so overcrowded that cars were parked in the no-parking zones, Pace had to get permission to use an adjoining lot, and Pace eventually purchased the post office and has an expansion project now under construction. So, if they cut 600, they would have to add an amount of buses to the whole route equivalent to the number of  existing short term buses (even if that number might not be great, the route miles on those trips would triple)  or (assuming NWTC demand comes back) have to deal with lack of seats there and a delay for the 603 and 605 passengers.

The I-90 service has already been simplified by cutting 610 (Sears and AT&T are not coming back) and 616 (Pace deemed VanGo to be sufficient; Northwest Point PNR seems dead).

If I were doing anything, I would redesignate 606 as 2XX Algonquin Road, since the only place it is Direct is through the Des Plaines toll.

In light of this topic, I-55 is a better analogy. It was originally only 855, but underwent similar splits into 755, 850, 851, and 855. But now it is so overcrowded that additional trips were added, and Bolingbrook was essentially separated from Plainfield/Burr Ridge inbound. While Bolingbrook hasn't been separated between North and South yet, a solicitation for construction services at the Old Chicago PNR indicates that's coming.

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*RTAMS indicates about 50% pre-Covid  ridership: