4300's /Novas

[New Flyer]

4315 and 19 still on the fench at 77th along with 4390. There are 2 Novas painted all white without any CTA markings I wonder if these are the 2 buses being sent to Olive Harvey.

[ChicagoNova]

4315 and 19 still on the fench at 77th along with 4390. There are 2 Novas painted all white without any CTA markings I wonder if these are the 2 buses being sent to Olive Harvey.

Could be.

[Guest]

My soon to be ex-wife told me a while ago that the City Colleges are going to begin shuttle bus service to and from rail stations. In this case, Wright College is planning a shuttle bus service for students from the Montrose Blue Line station. When the service is to begin, Im not sure.

[Busjack]

My soon to be ex-wife told me a while ago that the City Colleges are going to begin shuttle bus service to and from rail stations. In this case, Wright College is planning a shuttle bus service for students from the Montrose Blue Line station. When the service is to begin, Im not sure.

The question would then arise what means they would use. Since CTA would charge full boat, whether they use a school bus operator, van pool, or the like. A while back, it was reported that Chicago State was using Pace vanpool.

[sw4400]

My soon to be ex-wife told me a while ago that the City Colleges are going to begin shuttle bus service to and from rail stations. In this case, Wright College is planning a shuttle bus service for students from the Montrose Blue Line station. When the service is to begin, Im not sure.

That doesn't make sense, especially in the case of Wright College. You have three bus routes with access to several rail lines. #86 Narragansett/Ridgeland(which you can say is a shuttle of sorts as it stops there) has access to the Green Line and the Galewood Station(Metra Milwaukee District). #80 Irving Park has access to the Blue Line, the Metra UP-NW Line, the Brown Line and the Red Line. #78 Montrose has access to all three rail lines mentioned above as well as the Mayfair Metra Station(I think this is also the Metra UP-NW Line). This would be a waste of payroll, IMO. Why not do the same for the overcrowded routes with CPS High Schools, then? Western and Addison would benefit greatly as there would be less crowded buses between 2:30p-4p weekdays.

[Guest]

I think its a way to speed up service for students as well as alleviate the heavy crowds that both the Narragansett and Montrose routes experience. The Montrose route sees a heavy number of students. The Irving Park route dosent see the large crowd of students from Wright.

[qwantae]

My soon to be ex-wife told me a while ago that the City Colleges are going to begin shuttle bus service to and from rail stations. In this case, Wright College is planning a shuttle bus service for students from the Montrose Blue Line station. When the service is to begin, Im not sure.

For Wright College Shuttle, it would be better off shuttling to Jefferson Park Blue Line Station for Accessible.

[MetroShadow]

I think its a way to speed up service for students as well as alleviate the heavy crowds that both the Narragansett and Montrose routes experience. The Montrose route sees a heavy number of students. The Irving Park route dosent see the large crowd of students from Wright.

You and Qwantae both have a point. Driving on Montrose throughout the day is a challenge (the 78 is dismal at times); and even if Jefferson Park might be 2+ miles from the campus, it's still a bit of a wait if taking the bus.

Olive Harvey, on the other hand, might be justified because of the 95th Station fiasco.

[jajuan]

That doesn't make sense, especially in the case of Wright College. You have three bus routes with access to several rail lines. #86 Narragansett/Ridgeland(which you can say is a shuttle of sorts as it stops there) has access to the Green Line and the Galewood Station(Metra Milwaukee District). #80 Irving Park has access to the Blue Line, the Metra UP-NW Line, the Brown Line and the Red Line. #78 Montrose has access to all three rail lines mentioned above as well as the Mayfair Metra Station(I think this is also the Metra UP-NW Line). This would be a waste of payroll, IMO. Why not do the same for the overcrowded routes with CPS High Schools, then? Western and Addison would benefit greatly as there would be less crowded buses between 2:30p-4p weekdays.

It only makes little sense if CTA is doing the shuttle service which no one said they would be. It's probably better to find out what agency or company provides the service before having a tirade. As Busjack pointed out the service could be a school bus operator, van pool service or the type of shuttle service that Free Enterprise provides to some of the local colleges and universities. If it's a separate and different service than CTA then it's actually a help to them as those crowds you mention on the 78 and 86 you mentioned for the Wright College example get alleviated some and leaves room for the average passenger who's not a Wright College student. Given University of Chicago opted to let the current contract for the 170s to run out in August because of CTA pushing for more money, it's doubtful that the City Colleges would be going for CTA to provide this shuttle service if it were to happen, which 5750 pointed out he has no confirmation from his soon to be ex wife that it's more than just a hypothetical passing around among students at this point. And FYI, those schools that have separate shuttle services do often have at least one shuttle route that directly serves the nearest rail stations to those schools. So it's really nothing new or radical. If anything it's City Colleges catching up to what UIC, Northwestern and I think Loyola already do within their shuttle services.

[BusHunter]

There's alot of money in transportation. I wouldn't doubt Wright College plans on adding a transportation fee to the tuition costs. I really don't think a community college needs a bus service. Universities are a different story. Parts of the campus may be widely spread out, plus part of the dorms may be off campus and needs transportation to get to it. So that's understandable. Community colleges don't have dorms so I don't really understand a bus (BTW, U of C already has a shuttle service in place, so I guess they don't need the CTA #170's.) The #78 really is not that affected by the Wright College students. They mostly ride the #86. If something should happen to the #86 wright riders (like if they have a shuttle that goes south) i think that will put the #86 in jeopardy of being cut.

[Busjack]

There's alot of money in transportation. I wouldn't doubt Wright College plans on adding a transportation fee to the tuition costs.....

Which gets down to whether they have to buy U-Pass as part of the student fee.

[sw4400]

It only makes little sense if CTA is doing the shuttle service which no one said they would be. It's probably better to find out what agency or company provides the service before having a tirade. As Busjack pointed out the service could be a school bus operator, van pool service or the type of shuttle service that Free Enterprise provides to some of the local colleges and universities. If it's a separate and different service than CTA then it's actually a help to them as those crowds you mention on the 78 and 86 you mentioned for the Wright College example get alleviated some and leaves room for the average passenger who's not a Wright College student. Given University of Chicago opted to let the current contract for the 170s to run out in August because of CTA pushing for more money, it's doubtful that the City Colleges would be going for CTA to provide this shuttle service if it were to happen, which 5750 pointed out he has no confirmation from his soon to be ex wife that it's more than just a hypothetical passing around among students at this point. And FYI, those schools that have separate shuttle services do often have at least one shuttle route that directly serves the nearest rail stations to those schools. So it's really nothing new or radical. If anything it's City Colleges catching up to what UIC, Northwestern and I think Loyola already do within their shuttle services.

That's fine, jajuan. But whether it's CTA Bus Operators, School Bus Drivers or Motor Coach Drivers... if they are using CTA equipment, it's a cost to the CTA for maintenance of those buses, diesel fuel, and less equipment while that shuttle service is in operation. If anything, why not have CCC lease some School Buses for the Shuttle, or maybe buy some used transit buses and hire drivers? CTA can barely afford the routes they are running, why should they have to supply buses, drivers, or both for Shuttle service to Wright College from a "L" Station?

My soon to be ex-wife told me a while ago that the City Colleges are going to begin shuttle bus service to and from rail stations. In this case, Wright College is planning a shuttle bus service for students from the Montrose Blue Line station. When the service is to begin, Im not sure.

If CTA5750 put this under this topic, one would presume that CTA will operate this Shuttle service.

[i8itall4u]

That's fine, jajuan. But whether it's CTA Bus Operators, School Bus Drivers or Motor Coach Drivers... if they are using CTA equipment, it's a cost to the CTA for maintenance of those buses, diesel fuel, and less equipment while that shuttle service is in operation. If anything, why not have CCC lease some School Buses for the Shuttle, or maybe buy some used transit buses and hire drivers? CTA can barely afford the routes they are running, why should they have to supply buses, drivers, or both for Shuttle service to Wright College from a "L" Station?

If CTA5750 put this under this topic, one would presume that CTA will operate this Shuttle service.

Yes...and the topic is?????

[Busjack]

Yes...and the topic is?????

Good point. Somehow it started with 4300s.

[artthouwill]

Yes...and the topic is?????

Novas and if CCC would purchase or get any 6400s from CTA to run such shuttles. Based on that I don't think CTA would run that service

[sw4400]

Yes...and the topic is?????

Novas and if CCC would purchase or get any 6400s from CTA to run such shuttles. Based on that I don't think CTA would run that service

Actually this topic is about the 4300's sitting at 77th along the fence and two all-white NOVA LFS buses, which are most likely the ones going to Olive Harvey for new transportation-related courses for students. The CTA is not going to sell used buses to be in service for a College Shuttle. That would take paying customers away from the bus lines that service near the Colleges interested in these Shuttle services(Wright being the only one mentioned). Also, the CTA will not sell used buses to be used again to transport passengers for what has been mentioned all too often... liability. If something happens and people get injured or killed because of a mechanical defect on the bus, it'll be the families and the CCC vs. CTA in court. That's why they go to such great lengths to drain all the fluids from the buses and run them until they seize up.

These two NOVA LFS buses won't even see the public road, they'll be on an obstacle course somewhere on the Olive Harvey campus, I guess.

[trainman8119]

At this point, anything is possible in the Rham Emanuel administration. 5750, sorry to hear you'll soon have an ex.

[jajuan]

That's fine, jajuan. But whether it's CTA Bus Operators, School Bus Drivers or Motor Coach Drivers... if they are using CTA equipment, it's a cost to the CTA for maintenance of those buses, diesel fuel, and less equipment while that shuttle service is in operation. If anything, why not have CCC lease some School Buses for the Shuttle, or maybe buy some used transit buses and hire drivers? CTA can barely afford the routes they are running, why should they have to supply buses, drivers, or both for Shuttle service to Wright College from a "L" Station?

If CTA5750 put this under this topic, one would presume that CTA will operate this Shuttle service.

He may have put it under this topic but that does NOT necessarily mean CTA would operate the service. We get folks bringing up topics under a CTA topic all the time that go off topic and have nothing to do with CTA per se, so one would not automatically presume that CTA would operate the service. I didn't and neither did Busjack given his initial response referencing the possibility of van pools or a school bus operator doing the service if in fact the shuttle service had any basis in reality which 5750 already said he was not completely sure if it was. He implicitly left the possibility that this could just be something bouncing around in the student rumor mill. Just say YOU made that assumption.

[Busjack]

I finally got it. It is about buses on the fence, which means, in that neighborhood, whether they would vote for Bill Beavers or Jesse Jackson Jr.

But assuming there is any indication that CTA would "sell" Novas to another government agency (whether the City Colleges or CPD or CFD), sw's point is met by the statement in the Press Release about the Olive Harvey transfer "The buses are fully depreciated and will be sold “as is” and stripped of all CTA logos, markings and fareboxes. The CTA will not be held responsible for any maintenance of the buses after they are transferred."

Thus, CTA basically has CYA with regard to intergovernmental transfers, and guts the buses going to the scrap heap to protect itself in case the bus gets into private hands, although the scrapper would then have to indemnify CTA.

[jajuan]

I finally got it. It is about buses on the fence, which means, in that neighborhood, whether they would vote for Bill Beavers or Jesse Jackson Jr.

But assuming there is any indication that CTA would "sell" Novas to another government agency (whether the City Colleges or CPD or CFD), sw's point is met by the statement in the Press Release about the Olive Harvey transfer "The buses are fully depreciated and will be sold “as is” and stripped of all CTA logos, markings and fareboxes. The CTA will not be held responsible for any maintenance of the buses after they are transferred."

Thus, CTA basically has CYA with regard to intergovernmental transfers, and guts the buses going to the scrap heap to protect itself in case the bus gets into private hands, although the scrapper would then have to indemnify CTA.

In the case of the buses that are going to Olive Harvey, that doesn't really make sw's point about CTA itself doing any type of shuttle service for City Colleges because in the Olive Harvey case, that's still not CTA itself doing any form of shuttle service because the Novas in question are being stripped of their CTA logos, markings, fareboxes and anything else that would identify them as CTA buses. Also CTA won't be doing any repair work or other maintenance that may arise with those buses after the transfer of possession. Basically they're cutting all their ties from these buses once sold. So all that does nothing to back up his big leap in assumption that CTA would be providing a shuttle service that was mentioned as an aside and was already on an implicit level admitted could be something that's rolling around the student rumor mill.