New Express Routes Coming Soon.

[Busjack]

8 minutes ago, Pace831 said:

Maps of new bus bay assignments at... Rosemont.

in short, what was marked there (presumably through now) isn't going to mean anything. I'm surprised they are moving 811 to the front door instead of where it is out on the paratransit area (and getting it hung up with the 223s), but I guess Brad Stephens has clout.

8 minutes ago, Pace831 said:

at NWTC

I sure hope Pace cleans up the signs on the shelters. They made a rather half adzed effort in the past 10 years (including after 699 was canned),

[Pace831]

7 minutes ago, Busjack said:

in short, what was marked there (presumably through now) isn't going to mean anything. I'm surprised they are moving 811 to the front door instead of where it is out on the paratransit area (and getting it hung up with the 223s), but I guess Brad Stephens has clout.

I sure hope Pace cleans up the signs on the shelters. They made a rather half adzed effort in the past 10 years (including after 699 was canned),

The schedules for 600 and 895 are supposed to be coordinated. For that reason, I was hoping they would have those routes use the same bay or adjacent ones at NWTC, which is done at Rosemont. When I was out there waiting for 600 on Black Friday, an 895 went by and I thought "I could have been on that bus". Maybe they're afraid people wouldn't realize that some 895's skip Rosemont.

[Busjack]

16 minutes ago, Pace831 said:

The schedules for 600 and 895 are supposed to be coordinated. For that reason, I was hoping they would have those routes use the same bay or adjacent ones at NWTC, which is done at Rosemont. When I was out there waiting for 600 on Black Friday, an 895 went by and I thought "I could have been on that bus". Maybe they're afraid people wouldn't realize that some 895's skip Rosemont.

They are now marked "CHI RIDGE" or "ROSEMONT/CHI RIDGE."

I also wonder how much anyone is going to consider 895 to Rosemont when a highway 600 is scheduled to show up every 15 minutes. In fact, I wonder how much 895 is used for that now, as, while I am not a rider, I've seem people get off from the flex route at NWTC, but nobody boarding the "southbound bus" there.

However, it also makes me wonder if the "ILLEGAL TO FOLLOW ON SHOULDER" bumper on an 895 bus was for the I-90 portion.

[Pace831]

1 minute ago, Busjack said:

They are now marked "CHI RIDGE" or "ROSEMONT/CHI RIDGE."

I also wonder how much anyone is going to consider 895 to Rosemont when a highway 600 is scheduled to show up every 15 minutes. In fact, I wonder how much 895 is used for that now, as, while I am not a rider, I've seem people get off from the flex route at NWTC, but nobody boarding there.

People tend not to look at the signs other than the route number. There's still a chance of someone getting on the wrong bus that Pace would want to avoid.

My observation is that the Rosemont trips on 895 are far more popular than the via I-88 ones. In the PM rush, the most popular is the first one leaving NWTC at 4:00. At Rosemont, 10-15 people get off while and about as many get on, with maybe 5 people staying on. I had assumed most people getting off were coming from NWTC, but from what you say, the flex segment is busier than I realized.

Black Friday wasn't a good day to observe those routes due to everyone having the day off. The 4:00 895 that I watched go by was empty, and the 4:10 600 I got on only had 2 other riders.

Ultimately, it's probably best if Rosemont to Schaumburg riders only use 600, to keep 895 from becoming too crowded.

[BusHunter]

10 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Well I just found the wrapped I-90 bus. Its on the #600 at rosemont currently. Its #6492.

Here's that picture of #6492. Now that I'm thinking of it most buses will be retrofitted to this livery by the 19th so it's hard to tell if this is indeed the Meacham ramp prototype scheme or a new one. I'd bet on the first choice though as no buses yet have this livery. i was out and about on the I-90 corridor yesterday and didn't see one bus like this so, so far it seems like the first one.

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

it's hard to tell if this is indeed the Meacham ramp prototype scheme or a new one

As I indicated above, what was in the Daily Herald video matched what was on all the literature, so this is it, one way or the other,

[BusHunter]

2 minutes ago, Busjack said:

As I indicated above, what was in the Daily Herald video matched what was on all the literature, so this is it, one way or the other,

I meant bus not scheme but your still probably right just due to the fact we haven't seen it.

[west towns]

Not in authoeized to use shoulder wrap.  so maybe they really only need the bumper wordimg..    also if 895 buses have the bos bumper phrase this may show the buses dont need to be bos wrapped for operating on  shoulder

[Pace831]

1 minute ago, west towns said:

Not in authoeized to use shoulder wrap.  so maybe they really only need the bumper wordimg..    also if 895 buses have the bos bumper phrase this may show the buses dont need to be bos wrapped for operating on  shoulder

We already established that the flex lane on I-90 is legally different than a shoulder, as on I-55. But on that note, look what else got the bumper decals:

[west towns]

So this and the 895 sighting prove only need the bumper and not full authorized bos wrap 

[Pace831]

2 hours ago, west towns said:

So this and the 895 sighting prove only need the bumper and not full authorized bos wrap 

It doesn't prove anything because unwrapped buses have never been used for a BoS route. It's still a mystery why Pace is putting the bumper decals on unwrapped buses.

[MetroShadow]

Haven't we discussed previously that the "wrapped" concept was no longer a preclusion of BoS (and instead it's the bumper sticker decal)?

Also: I was under the assumption that any Pace bus can use the shoulder, regardless. 

[Busjack]

25 minutes ago, MetroShadow said:

Haven't we discussed previously that the "wrapped" concept was no longer a preclusion of BoS (and instead it's the bumper sticker decal)?

Also: I was under the assumption that any Pace bus can use the shoulder, regardless. 

Neither on either. I was at the meeting where Melinda Metzger said that the State Police required the wrap on I-55, and the only thing state law was amended was to state in the Vehicle Code that in addition to emergency vehicles, buses may use the shoulder. There isn't any explicit legislation dealing with Pace like that that the Suburban Bus Division is exempt from paying tolls, except for the provision in the 2008 RTA Act amendment that the Suburban Bus Division is to establish a BRT project on I-55.

The I-90 project is essentially an intergovernmental agreement between Pace, the Toll Highway Authority, and the various planning agencies. The wraps are for "branding," just like the Pulse ones will be.

Why random SW buses have the "Illegal to follow bus on shoulder" bumpers (which were suggested by Director Montana at the same meeting) has not been explained (I'm concurring with @Pace831. on that).

[BusHunter]

On Wednesday, December 07, 2016 at 4:08 PM, BusHunter said:

Here's that picture of #6492. Now that I'm thinking of it most buses will be retrofitted to this livery by the 19th so it's hard to tell if this is indeed the Meacham ramp prototype scheme or a new one. I'd bet on the first choice though as no buses yet have this livery. i was out and about on the I-90 corridor yesterday and didn't see one bus like this so, so far it seems like the first one.

#6497 now has the new express livery. There are others as well. Looked like one in the #6480 range so they appear to be actively installing this wrap now.

[RJL6000]

On 12/5/2016 at 4:39 PM, jajuan said:

The notices mention that the 600, 606, 610 and 616 will all be undergoing route name changes beginning the 19th.

As mentioned earlier, the currently rush-hour-only express route will now operate all day, Monday thru Saturday, beginning on the 19th.

[jajuan]

1 minute ago, RJL6000 said:

The 600 will not change its name. And as mentioned earlier, the currently rush-hour-only express route will now operate all day, Monday thru Saturday, beginning on the 19th.

Incorrect sir. The advance schedule linked to the passenger notice indicates that the 600 will be renamed 600 Rosemont-Schaumburg Express effective December 19. So it will indeed change names as well as 606, 610, and 616.

[RJL6000]

1 minute ago, jajuan said:

Incorrect sir. The advance schedule linked to the passenger notice indicates that the 600 will be renamed 600 Rosemont-Schaumburg Express effective December 19. So it will indeed change names as well as 606, 610, and 616.

I missed that part.

[jajuan]

15 minutes ago, RJL6000 said:

I missed that part.

It'll keep in line with the practice that the 600 is the Express and 606 the Limited in that the 606 will be named Rosemont-Schaumburg Limited. 

[BusHunter]

Here's #6497

Damn i might have to take a trip out to Elgin next week just for the heck of it and check out this project.

[west towns]

Anyone use the usb ports and wifi on the new buses?

[west towns]

According to brochure online route 600 is geting expanded  frequency  and a name change

[BusHunter]

#6562 has shown up on #610 and some of the higher numbered #6500 highway buses are out here. I'm currently using the Wi-Fi on #6506 but damned if i see where the usb chargers are. They are currently passing out a handout by the front doors of rosemont blue line if anyones interested. I got one maybe i can scan it over. Maybe it says where the usb chargers are. I only glanced at it so far.

[BusHunter]

Oh and #6506 is wrapped and so was #6504.

[BusHunter]

Hmm now that I'm looking #6563 is also on #610 along with #6559. #6560 is on the #606. #6562 wasn't wrapped.

Looks like dundee does #610 now. It has all dundee buses. I'm not seeing anything on nw routes so I guess dundee has more new buses.

[busfan2847]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Hmm now that I'm looking #6563 is also on #610 along with #6559. #6560 is on the #606. #6562 wasn't wrapped.

Looks like dundee does #610 now. It has all dundee buses. I'm not seeing anything on nw routes so I guess dundee has more new buses.

Are these new ones one door or two door?