CTA Service Adjustments

[cta_44499_FG]

I didn't follow all of this, but unless supervisors learn how to use BusTracker, I doubt that the routes will run better. You also didn't report whether all the 78s were stuffed to the gills, but I would tend to doubt it.

The problem isn't so much that supervisors can/can not use Bustracker, the issue is that mobile supervisors are so far and few right now. One supervisor may be covering as much as 10 routes or more in their area, and unless there are no major calls to anything (ie accidents or incidents) they have to prioritize which routes to adjust first. The result of this is one route getting cured (short turns or expressing late buses) while one continues to run bunched until it is addressed (if at all).

What's feeding the paper-thin crew of supervisors out there is the fact that the ones that are in the pool are too busy driving buses rather than supervising, because there is a shortage (or apparent absence due to tardiness) of bus operators. So when an appointed supervisor has off for the day, that car may go unfilled all day, resulting in another supervisor having to cover double or there being no coverage at all. Assuming that most (but not all) bus operators are smart enough to call control for delays, the often canned response received is to "continue in service, someone will get to you", which often never happens. Controllers tends to be reluctant to authorize switchbacks (short turns), despite having authority over supervision anyhow.

That said, until other things such as traffic light timing and refusing issurance of drivers licences to individuals who obviously don't have the brain capacitiy to, or shouldn't be, operating a motor vehicle, buses will continue to be boggled down an often delayed by traffic. Additionally, until some of the often not to keen public grasp that it is NOT acceptable to jump onto a bus first, hold the bus hostage on the corner for 1-2 minutes while they fumble for the fare media they should of already had ready...delays will not ease. Multiply this phenominon by several blocks along the route and it becomes more apparent.

Of course...this is all to be remidied by Gumps beloved BRT package, isn't it?

[mkohut]

I have seen at times 4 to 5 buses bunch together on Western between Irving Park up to Lawrence.Traffic doesn't move.You make better time going on the side streets.

If there was somebody there they can turn around at the Brown Line station.

[Busjack]

I moved the bus bunching to the proper thread.

I also don't want to start a new thread just to add a poll, but maybe you want to vote on which of the following alternatives will occur, undoubtedly by 4 p.m. Wednesday:

• Press release that the CTA Board approved this in full, even though that makes Peterson a liar.
• News Report that as a result of the public hearing, either the plan was pulled from the agenda or the Board sent it back for further review.
• Board approves it for the most part, but sends 11 and/or 145 back for further review.
• Professor uses this next term as a case study on how not to do it.

[MetroShadow]

I moved the bus bunching to the proper thread.

I also don't want to start a new thread just to add a poll, but maybe you want to vote on which of the following alternatives will occur, undoubtedly by 4 p.m. Wednesday:

• Press release that the CTA Board approved this in full, even though that makes Peterson a liar.
• News Report that as a result of the public hearing, either the plan was pulled from the agenda or the Board sent it back for further review.
• Board approves it for the most part, but sends 11 and/or 145 back for further review.
• Professor uses this next term as a case study on how not to do it.

Preferably B, but the likely case for C and D would be the result.

As an aside: Have they brought back merging 55A and 55N?

[jajuan]

Preferably B, but the likely case for C and D would be the result.

As an aside: Have they brought back merging 55A and 55N?

Pointing again to the biggest flaw in all this, that they yet again gave so much weight to the input of the consultants who very likely have not or do not use the system in any significant way especially in the areas affected by this plan, but were willing to bet they would be able to get away with not showing any deference to the actual people that use these routes that don't really fit the definitions of what they said were the premise for changing anything. Not only were there folks standing firm against the changes to the 11 or the North Lake Shore express routes but pointed out that some of those contracted routes are actually important to people getting to their jobs like the X98 express route for instance.

[CURRENTZ_09]

Please use caution when looking at the Route 10 schedule and note that the Effective Date just says September 8th,2012 & it doesn't have a Memorial Day seasonal end date like it usually does now this raises my speculation that the CTA may not continue to negotiate it subsidies with the Museum of Science cone this fall. This is just an observation and an hypothesis.

[Busjack]

Please use caution when looking at the Route 10 schedule and note that the Effective Date just says September 8th,2012 & it doesn't have a Memorial Day seasonal end date like it usually does ...

If it is running, there will be the usual press release, including that it is weekdays between Thanksgiving and New Years (such as here). As someone pointed out earlier, it would be strange to pull the plug on it in the middle of that period.

[jajuan]

Please use caution when looking at the Route 10 schedule and note that the Effective Date just says September 8th,2012 & it doesn't have a Memorial Day seasonal end date like it usually does now this raises my speculation that the CTA may not continue to negotiate it subsidies with the Museum of Science cone this fall. This is just an observation and an hypothesis.

That doesn't say much. This is how the CTA has updated Route 10 schedules with the changing of season picks for quite a while now. When it's operating daily, they post the daily schedule. When it's the times of year that it is weekend only they post the weekend only schedule like now.

[Busjack]

If you look at the agendas for the Committee on Strategic Planning and the Regular Meeting (Word docs), both have

To approve an ordinance authorizing added service to reduce crowding.

The difference is that the Committee one is to "review" instead of approve.

Somehow I get the feeling that that was not the subject of last Tuesday's public hearing, and it was said even then that there was not going to be any increase in costs, but reallocating from one plate to another.

So, is CTA PR engaged in their usual fraud?

[CURRENTZ_09]

Wednesday September 12th, 2012 at 10:00am is the BIG DAY and the CTA Board will vote on the Service Reduction Plan. So my question to everybody is which routes do you think will survive the cuts and which routes will be eliminated?. Also, are there any surprises that anybody should anticipate?

Also, you still have a chance to voice your opinion now!!! Write, email or even call the CTA TODAY, because the route you save could be your own!!!!!!

[Busjack]

Also, you still have a chance to voice your opinion now!!! Write, email or even call the CTA TODAY, because the route you save could be your own!!!!!!

More than likely, the e-mail will go into an archive rather than the recycling bin, trash, or deleted items.

However, as Hilkevitch indicates today, it will have the same effect. If you have any evidence that CTA listens, Post it.

In the meantime, my informal poll continues.

[mkohut]

I predict neither 98X or 169 will get cancel.

As much as Emanuel takes credit for new jobs for Chicago.

I don't think he will want to cut off Bus service for UPS or AVON.

[Busjack]

I pretend neither 98X or 169 will get cancel.

As much as Emanuel takes credit for new jobs for Chicago.

I don't think he will want to cut off Bus service for UPS or AVON.

You "pretend"?

Emanuel may be in favor of jobs in Chicago, but not Morton Grove (Avon) or Hodgkins (UPS).

Also, both reflect that some policy should be made on city-suburban links, in that I am pretty sure that if the right subsidy arrangements were made, Pace would pick up these routes (they had 425 until someone decided that their bus was too small, so contracted with CTA).

Your rationale would make more sense with regard to the witness on Lincoln Ave. that the residents of his home would lose their jobs or have to take paratransit.

[mkohut]

They are Chicago residents with the jobs in both location.

Also,if you look at Pace 382 and 54B there is more duplicate service in Burbank on Central.

[jajuan]

You "pretend"?

Emanuel may be in favor of jobs in Chicago, but not Morton Grove (Avon) or Hodgkins (UPS).

Also, both reflect that some policy should be made on city-suburban links, in that I am pretty sure that if the right subsidy arrangements were made, Pace would pick up these routes (they had 425 until someone decided that their bus was too small, so contracted with CTA).

Your rationale would make more sense with regard to the witness on Lincoln Ave. that the residents of his home would lose their jobs or have to take paratransit.

But as he stated they are still Chicago residents who by having jobs regardless of where said jobs are located are earning money and have ability to pay taxes into the CHICAGO tax revenue coffers in the various forms of taxes the City levies. We're getting close to comparing apples and oranges here. As for which routes may survive, I put through a hypothesis that tinkering with the #11 or the north Lake Shore express routes get a hold placed on them given an alderman stepped up and weighed in on those. I may even see a possibility of the 10 and 192 surviving considering those two don't necessarily run empty. But dropping the X28 in exchange of making all 28's express into downtown during the rush may go through along with the dropping of 64, 69 and 90N along with splitting the current 111 into a new 111 and 115 setup.

[mkohut]

But as he stated they are still Chicago residents who by having jobs regardless of where said jobs are located are earning money and have ability to pay taxes into the CHICAGO tax revenue coffers in the various forms of taxes the City levies. We're getting close to comparing apples and oranges here. As for which routes may survive, I put through a hypothesis that tinkering with the #11 or the north Lake Shore express routes get a hold placed on them given an alderman stepped up and weighed in on those. I may even see a possibility of the 10 and 192 surviving considering those two don't necessarily run empty. But dropping the X28 in exchange of making all 28's express into downtown during the rush may go through along with the dropping of 64, 69 and 90N along with splitting the current 111 into a new 111 and 115 setup.

I don't see 56A or 17 lasting.

[Busjack]

But as he stated they are still Chicago residents who by having jobs regardless of where said jobs are located are earning money and have ability to pay taxes into the CHICAGO tax revenue coffers in the various forms of taxes the City levies. ..

I'm not so sure about that, in that he counts job growth in Chicago as including poaching from the suburbs (such as Google phones).

In any event, they seem to have covered UPS by saying that somehow the people can get to Midway or 95th and catch Pace.

With regard to Avon, besides what I said above, Pace can do the same thing as it did with 892 and about every other time it cancels service--go to the sponsor and ask "how about organizing a vanpool?" I'm sure CTA can also tell the sponsor "they can ride the 208 and 54B," that is if CTA recognizes that Pace operates 208. Heck, CTA can tell them to walk 2 blocks and take 423, which CTA does recognize.

In the meantime, there was a link on the home page to a Red Eye column that maybe CTA should first take care of the bunching problem, which some others also suggested here.

Finally, it again seems to escape CTA the obvious one of "if the riders on 11 and 145 don't like this solution, how about paying a higher fare to allow expansion?" The only thing reflected in the press accounts is the usual transit activist bemoaning the "lack of funding."

[sw4400]

I'm not a problem solver, but a big source of revenue is sitting right under the CTA's nose and they aren't utilizing it to help their budget issue...

There are an estimated 2.9 million people living in this city, and a pretty big number of those people use a car to get around at some point in their lives, if not on a daily basis. Well that car does need gas to keep it going, so why can't the CTA get a gas tax revenue from all gas sales in the Chicagoland area? The motorists need the gas, CTA needs the income for infrastructure repair, new vehicles, etc... It makes sense... CPS(who's still on strike, BTW) gets revenue from the Illinois Lottery, when you buy that beer, wine or spirits, that Liquor Tax goes to something. If you smoke, the cigarette tax goes to benefit some other organization. Why can't the CTA use the taxes from a gas sale to help generate some revenue, then we won't have to talk about fare increases or service cutbacks... who knows, we might actually see some cut service return because of the gas taxes going to the CTA.

[Busjack]

... why can't the CTA get a gas tax revenue from all gas sales in the Chicagoland area? The motorists need the gas, CTA needs the income for infrastructure repair, new vehicles, etc... It makes sense...

Except that the RTA and CTA got other tax increases in 2008, and that didn't fill the hole.

Try getting legislators to increase the price of gas when it currently is about $4.25-4.50 a gallon in the Chicago area.

There are not enough voters on the CTA Tattler who claim that no one should pay to ride CTA to get that one through the legislature. Remember, CTA never had independent taxing powers.

On the other hand, you, like most of those posters, don't explain why fares should be exempt, or, for that matter, why school children who get reduced fares anyway should get free fares during the strike.

And, for that matter, go to last month's Financial Report, which indicates that the dumb CTA is still overpaying for fuel, as a result of still not knowing how to hedge. Clean that up first

BTW, the Liquor Tax increase for Build Illinois goes for the Dan Ryan Red Line project. At least $450 million of it.

[MetroShadow]

Welp. Unanimous Decision.

[mkohut]

Welp. Unanimous Decision.

It looks like the Board made up its mind before Sept 4 meeting.

[CURRENTZ_09]

All changes are FINAL

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/default.aspx?Month=&Year=&Category=2&ArticleId=3082

[CURRENTZ_09]

Also, its to be noted that this board meeting approved a ordinance to re-elect Terry Peterson as Chairman of the Chicago Transit Board, which i'm assumed the board passed 6-0, just like the de-crowding vote, which was 6-0

[sw4400]

Looks like everyone wasted their time at the September 4th Meeting... CTA basically said "Drop Dead" to the voices of the people... all changes are approved and will go into affect December 16th, 2012.

[CURRENTZ_09]

It looks like the Board made up its mind before Sept 4 meeting.

I'm shocked that the 11 realigned, i thought with all that protest and it being vital to the community it served that it would survive. Other than that, all the other adjustments seem to be viable, but @mkohut, it looks like their minds were all ready made up. You knew something was up when they gave riders only 2 weeks notice of the plan and then only a week to voice in their opinions.