bookielovescta Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Can anyone tell me about when drivers make reliefs, pull buses out and in ? And what routes require reliefs, pull out and pull ins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Any bus operator can make a pullin, pullout or relief at any time throughout the day. It all depends on the drivers printed run schedule or "paddle" instructs him to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Don't forget the street relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Drivers make reliefs when it is time for their shifts to end, or when it's lunch time. BTW: They also make reliefs when Nature calls. :D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksone44 Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Drivers make reliefs when it is time for their shifts to end, or when it's lunch time. BTW: They also make reliefs when Nature calls. Im tired (along with many others) of seeing reliefs during rush hour on the 22, 146, and 147. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cta_44499_FG Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Im tired (along with many others) of seeing reliefs during rush hour on the 22, 146, and 147. Well like it or no, it is what it is. Remember, we like to go home and get our lunch too. :rolleyes: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rideonrulez Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Im tired (along with many others) of seeing reliefs during rush hour on the 22, 146, and 147. Well it has to happen for a combination of reasons such as the length of the route and union rules. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksone44 Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Well like it or no, it is what it is. Remember, we like to go home and get our lunch too. I understand that and respect it, but does it really need to be during rush hour? Cant there be a creative shift in scheduling to make sure it doesnt happen? (St. Louis did it) To make it even worse there has been several occasions where: a) The reliving bus driver hasn't shown up forcing the driver getting off to wait (and eventually making customers wait), or The driver getting off just leaving customers on an unmanned bus because the relieving driver hasn't shown up. Its just downright rude sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmadisonwi Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I understand that and respect it, but does it really need to be during rush hour? Cant there be a creative shift in scheduling to make sure it doesnt happen? (St. Louis did it) There are actually very few reliefs scheduled on the #22 (one of the routes you mentioned during rush hour in the peak direction. In the AM rush, the first scheduled southbound relief is at 8:44. In the afternoon rush, there is only one relief currently scheduled between 15:30 and 18:30. It is similar for the #147. I'm not sure what exactly St. Louis did (if you could elaborate, I'd really be curious to know), but whether such could even apply to CTA depends heavily on the contractual work rules of each agency. If reliefs could be 100% avoided in the rush hour, they would. But keep in mind that an operator that gets relieved at 8:44 am on the #22 has already been working for over five hours. If they were to continue downtown and return, the piece would be too long and would violate the contractual maximum for time without a mealbreak. The relief on the #146 occurs at the terminal, and thus shouldn't impact passenger travel time at all. Other reliefs are scheduled at the point on the route closest to the garage, because that's where the operators are coming from/going to. If the reliefs were moved to the terminals on all routes, it would increase the expense of paid travel time, which CTA certainly couldn't afford to do. To make it even worse there has been several occasions where: a) The reliving bus driver hasn't shown up forcing the driver getting off to wait (and eventually making customers wait), or The driver getting off just leaving customers on an unmanned bus because the relieving driver hasn't shown up. Its just downright rude sometimes. If the relieving driver isn't there, it means that either the bus made it to the relief point early (in which case the bus would sit and wait, even if there wasn't a relief occurring), or the relieving driver is late (which is the fault of that operator). If the arriving driver gets off and leaves the bus with no relief driver there, that's against the rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nabi60SFW9620 Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Major cities the relief points for the drivers is the closest stop to the base. I dont know how SEPTA and CTA do their transportation to and from the base and relief points but I know Baltimore they are on their own getting to the relief points from the base and getting back to the base if they do not pull out or pull in. Some I know take their cars to the relief points and park there and after they are done get in the car and go where ever without reporting back to the base. And some take the nearest bus route to their relief point from the base and vice versa. And some even catch a cab to and from the base and relief points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Major cities the relief points for the drivers is the closest stop to the base Street relief points are generally on the cross street of the garage, i.e. on Foster from North Park, on Central from Forest Glen (to relieve EW routes) or 79th from 77th. Otherwise they are on a bus route from a garage such as Route 106 used to relieve at 95/Dan Ryan. Not sure what 74th uses west of the garage (such as 52A and 53A), as that was said to be a deterrent to assigning those routes to that garage, but it is now happening. I've seen Pace use a "nonrevenue sedan" to get a driver to a street relief point. Otherwise it is a bus, such as taking a 250 to relieve 270 at Milwaukee and Dempster. Of course, Pace buses tend to go more "To Garage" than CTA ones, but some are out for 18 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cta_44499_FG Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Not sure what 74th uses west of the garage (such as 52A and 53A), as that was said to be a deterrent to assigning those routes to that garage, but it is now happening. Both reliefs are along 79th street (Pulaski and Kedzie). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Both reliefs are along 79th street (Pulaski and Kedzie). Does the 6 Jackson Pk Exp have any reliefs? Sure the line ends at 79th/South Shore but that is over 4 miles from the garage. In city traffic that is easily 40- 45 minute ride one way. It would also seem ridiculous to have all buses pull in/out on the same route though the travel time to the garage would be cut in half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookielovescta Posted December 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Does the 6 Jackson Pk Exp have any reliefs? Sure the line ends at 79th/South Shore but that is over 4 miles from the garage. In city traffic that is easily 40- 45 minute ride one way. It would also seem ridiculous to have all buses pull in/out on the same route though the travel time to the garage would be cut in half. Yes, drivers who operates 6 Jackson Park Express do make reliefs. But they relief at 79th/Brandon, westbound on 79th Street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookielovescta Posted December 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Does anyone have any ideas of Archer's Routes ? For example: Why don't the 49 Western or X49 Western Express buses relieve at 79th ST and be assigned to 77th Garage ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Does anyone have any ideas of Archer's Routes ? For example: Why don't the 49 Western or X49 Western Express buses relieve at 79th ST and be assigned to 77th Garage ? Because they are not assigned to 77th garage, they are assigned to Archer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cta_44499_FG Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Does anyone have any ideas of Archer's Routes ? For example: Why don't the 49 Western or X49 Western Express buses relieve at 79th ST and be assigned to 77th Garage ? Because Archer is less than 5 minutes away from Western, meaning it's a short amount of travel time? Of course....after February who knows. Also as rmadison would probably also tell you, being such a long route...it would be difficult if not impossible to set some of the runs up to get that driver back down to 79th in time for fallback without violating the contractual rules of work time without a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Both reliefs are along 79th street (Pulaski and Kedzie). Must be all day getting back to the garage. Not many buses access that garage from the west. Unless they walk 5 blocks from 79th. I thought I remember them relieving at 71st in the past, but that still poses the same problem if they need to return to the garage. Probably one of the more isolated garages in the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 ... Unless they walk 5 blocks from 79th. I thought I remember them relieving at 71st in the past, but that still poses the same problem if they need to return to the garage. Probably one of the more isolated garages in the system. Does anyone have any information on how that site was selected, probably about 19 years ago? 69th was certainly outmoded, but at least it was right on the 9 and 67 routes. While 74th isn't that much more distant, there is the westbound relief problem noted, and also that Ashland is probably the north-south relief line, as 48 only runs sporadically during rush hour. Also, locating it on 74th put it at the far south end of its service territory (in the sense that 75th was pretty much the most southern cross-town route assigned there), which got worse when 47 and 51 were later assigned. Apparently, 44 and maybe 9 are the only routes that can be relieved by using the 75 bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 I really disliked when the #77 Belmont relief point was changed years ago from Bel/Central to the Kimball/Blue Line Sta. It took a lot longer to make a relief for Belmont and the same when you were going home. If you were lucky you would find a Belmont pullin from Kimball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 I really disliked when the #77 Belmont relief point was changed years ago from Bel/Central to the Kimball/Blue Line Sta. It took a lot longer to make a relief for Belmont and the same when you were going home. If you were lucky you would find a Belmont pullin from Kimball. I would definitely classify this as a case of poor planning probably by someone who never had to do it. Why that would be the designated relief point is really bizarre...nowhere near the garage...no easy way to get to/from. Brilliance at its best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 I would definitely classify this as a case of poor planning probably by someone who never had to do it. Why that would be the designated relief point is really bizarre...nowhere near the garage...no easy way to get to/from. Brilliance at its best. Was there a theory to take the Blue Line to Jeff Pk, and there usually is a pull-in sitting there? Not that I am saying that it is a good theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookielovescta Posted December 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Because they are not assigned to 77th garage, they are assigned to Archer. I know that ! I'm just saying, what if Archer Garage closes, the Western buses (49/X49) could be assigned to 77th Garage, and drivers can relief at 79th/Western Terminal like the 49A drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 I know that ! I'm just saying, what if Archer Garage closes, the Western buses (49/X49) could be assigned to 77th Garage, and drivers can relief at 79th/Western Terminal like the 49A drivers. Possible. One would have to weigh the ease in making street relief against the deadhead in choosing between 74th and 77th. In that one could suppose that Western buses would stay out all day, the relief would favor 77th. In fact there is historical precedent, in that Lind indicates that when the 69th barn was converted to bus, Western streetcars used 69th Street to get to the 77th carhouse. Of course, no one knows what goes on in the heads of CTA staff. And, again, there won't be any X49 bus if the planned budget is implemented, as well as there will be room freed up at 77th if X3 and X4 bite it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago13 Posted December 19, 2009 Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 Was there a theory to take the Blue Line to Jeff Pk, and there usually is a pull-in sitting there? Not that I am saying that it is a good theory. Well theoretically, one wouldn't even have to wait for a pull in at Jeff Park as the #85 terminates at Forest Glen anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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