My email from CTA

[dp1]

Hello all,

Last year I sent an email in regards to the #169 69th-UPS route. At the time of my email the CTA was in the process of negotiating the contract for that route. I made the suggestion that CTA should put Northwestern College (77th and Harlem) as part of the new contract for that route. I saw a combined NC/UPS subsidized route as a winner for everyone. UPS workers keep or get improved service, while Northwestern College students get express service to the college from the Red Line saving them a transfer at Cicero or the Orange Line, the terminus of Pace routes 379 (on 79th) and 386 (on Harlem). I wanted to share with you CTA's reply from September of last year.

Feedback <feedback@transitchicago.com>

9/26/12

to me

Thank you for your inquiry. We are currently negotiating with the corporate sponsor and believe that we can be successful in getting to a contract which will retain the route. The board action authorizes discontinuance of the route, if negotiations fail to achieve a fully unsubsidized contract. We will provide more information, once a decision is known.

The #169 69^th/UPS Express bus routes operates limited trips to meet the UPS shift changes. Attached is the link to the current #169 schedule: http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/bus_schedules/169.pdf. Given that this bus route is subsidized by UPS, a joint decision would be needed to change the service currently offered.

In order to serve Northwestern College, the hours for the #169 bus route would need to be expanded in order to provide meaningful access for the students, employees, and faculty and the additional hours would need to be subsidized by the college. As part of the service plan that was recently approved, the resources in terms of vehicles and manpower have been fully allocated. Therefore, based on current resources, it is not possible to expand the #169 service.

We appreciate your suggestion and interest in public transit.

CTA FEEDBACK TEAM

Just wanted to share this with you.

[Busjack]

Hello all,

Last year I sent an email in regards to the #169 69th-UPS route. At the time of my email the CTA was in the process of negotiating the contract for that route. I made the suggestion that CTA should put Northwestern College (77th and Harlem) as part of the new contract for that route. I saw a combined NC/UPS subsidized route as a winner for everyone. UPS workers keep or get improved service, while Northwestern College students get express service to the college from the Red Line saving them a transfer at Cicero or the Orange Line, the terminus of Pace routes 379 (on 79th) and 386 (on Harlem). I wanted to share with you CTA's reply from September of last year.

Feedback <feedback@transitchicago.com>

9/26/12

to me

Thank you for your inquiry. We are currently negotiating with the corporate sponsor and believe that we can be successful in getting to a contract which will retain the route. The board action authorizes discontinuance of the route, if negotiations fail to achieve a fully unsubsidized contract. We will provide more information, once a decision is known.

The #169 69^th/UPS Express bus routes operates limited trips to meet the UPS shift changes. Attached is the link to the current #169 schedule: http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/bus_schedules/169.pdf. Given that this bus route is subsidized by UPS, a joint decision would be needed to change the service currently offered.

In order to serve Northwestern College, the hours for the #169 bus route would need to be expanded in order to provide meaningful access for the students, employees, and faculty and the additional hours would need to be subsidized by the college. As part of the service plan that was recently approved, the resources in terms of vehicles and manpower have been fully allocated. Therefore, based on current resources, it is not possible to expand the #169 service.

We appreciate your suggestion and interest in public transit.

CTA FEEDBACK TEAM

Just wanted to share this with you.

I was expecting an autotext response, but you actually got something responsive in the "In order to serve Northwestern College" paragraph. However, given the subsequent notice that the number of UPS trips had been reduced, undoubtedly because that was how much UPS was willing to pay, apparently CTA was not willing to cross subsidize the route through the fares that might have been generated through new passengers, who probably wouldn't be riding for the 3-8 a.m. shift anyway.

In effect, Northwestern College would have needed to be willing to pick up 100% of the cost for CTA to be willing to go out to Bridgeview, and, anyway, from the address you give, it is adequately served by Pace 379 and 386.

So, for a change, a rational response from the Feedback Team.

[dp1]

That's true, but as a graduate of that school, but a different campus, the lack of CTA service there is a complaint. Pace serves the campus well, but only go as far east as Cicero. Many students who I knew attended that campus were going east of Cicero. The 169 bus wouldve been the perfect route as it was a straight shot to the Red Line.

A few years ago I heard that Northwestern College did look into getting the 169 to stop on that campus at 77th and Harlem and would've paid for it. Rumor had it that CTA turned them down because the route was still under contract with UPS and there was no renegotiating the route and schedule. So when I heard that the contract was being renegotiated, I sent CTA an email to see if the 169 bus could stop there now.

[Busjack]

... Pace serves the campus well, but only go as far east as Cicero....

But another part of the Nov. plan was to cut down competition with Pace. Not in the manner I would have, but obviously CTA wasn't going to extend further into Pace territory just to save someone a transfer.

I had discussed here about 5 years ago with someone else that the logic that anything that could connect with the CTA should be run by CTA would result in the destruction of the Pace system, at least in Cook County.

And apparently there was still no negotiating the route or schedule except with UPS.