North | North Shore | Northwest | River Divisions - Changes & Restructuring

[jesi2282]

Came across this on the Pace website; I'm not too familiar with the Waukegan area, so I can't say if some of these changes are good or bad....

 

http://www.pacebus.com/sub/news_events/public_hearings/lake_county_public_hearing.asp

[Busjack]

Came across this on the Pace website; I'm not too familiar with the Waukegan area, so I can't say if some of these changes are good or bad....

http://www.pacebus.com/sub/news_events/public_hearings/lake_county_public_hearing.asp

The only main difference is that routes get split at College of Lake County. 565 gives COLC more direct and frequent service than 570 provided (which ended at Gurnee Mills). 570 Saturday ends in Round Lake rather than Fox Lake.

Also, the split of 572 into 572 and 574 makes that route less snaky. There seemed to be an inefficiency in going west all the way to Mundelein, and then having to go back east to Libertyville and Hawthorn.

Other than these, it seems pretty minimal. A couple of routes go from 60 minutes to 30.

[MetroShadow]

571 Sunday Service is probably the other noted addition. Which is needed for that route and area.

From experience, 572 (574) service in Mundelein and Libertyville is horrific with OTP, mainly due to service at CLC and in Downtown Libertyville.

[twyztdmynd]

New schedules up effective August 19th. So far, looks like the 574 idea is null and void.

[CircleSeven]

New schedules up effective August 19th. So far, looks like the 574 idea is null and void.

If you look at the notices, the changes of the schedule is to "improve the service to/from Waukegan High School". This schedules was probably planned, even before they came up with restructuring proposals. And I think the Pace Board have to approve the restructuring, before we see the changes happen. So I assume, maybe November at the earliest?

[Railwaymodeler]

Word has it that some changes won't happen until the run pick after this one. This run pick takes effect August 18, and is good for up to 3 months (Though once North went close to 6 months before a new run pick some years ago). If they are going to make radical changes to runs, then that entails a new pick as well. So I am guessing November too.

[Busjack]

Both of you are correct. If they have to hold a hearing (not sure that they had to since the only proposed cut was 569 to once an hour*), the board has to approve it, and then there would have to be a pick. This pick was only because of school runs.

____

*Update: Maybe it was the Sat. cutback of 570 from Fox Lake to Round Lake Beach.

[Busjack]

...And I think the Pace Board have to approve the restructuring, before we see the changes happen....

It is on the agenda for the August 14 meeting.

[Busjack]

It is on the agenda for the August 14 meeting.

August Minutes indicate that it will go into effect Nov. 24.

There was some discussion about a suggestion to serve a business park in Gurnee.

[twyztdmynd]

For those who did not see the post I left on Pace's Facebook page... " Yes, the restructuring in the Lake County region will occur. Notices for passengers will be released early next week. Thanks!" That would be in the next 5 days.

[Railwaymodeler]

I saw it. Can't post on it though. Pace has a habit of deleting any negative reviews, or anything they don't particularly agree with, and blocking the poster from writing anything on their page.

Hence why I capture a screen dump of their infamous disappearing reviews, and post them onto my page.

Moved to Kenosha now, but from what I hear from my friends at North, they expect this to be another fiasco, as usual.

[Busjack]

...

Moved to Kenosha now, but from what I hear from my friends at North, they expect this to be another fiasco, as usual.

Basically, I can't see what gets fouled up extending one route to COLC, and cutting back 3 routes to there.

[Railwaymodeler]

Passengers, that's what. Hang around Waukegan long enough, you'll see it.

[Busjack]

Passengers, that's what. Hang around Waukegan long enough, you'll see it.

If someone is in downtown Waukegan and gets on 572, they'll have to figure out that they'll have to transfer at COLC to get to Westfield Hawthorn. Otherwise, there isn't much of a decision to make.

Of course, I just checked, and the Passenger Notices aren't on the web yet.

[MetroShadow]

Passengers, that's what. Hang around Waukegan long enough, you'll see it.

I'll defer to Jack's comment about the 572. I'll also add 565's extension should be more of a positive than a negative.

If someone is in downtown Waukegan and gets on 572, they'll have to figure out that they'll have to transfer at COLC to get to Westfield Hawthorn. Otherwise, there isn't much of a decision to make.

Of course, I just checked, and the Passenger Notices aren't on the web yet.

When I interned for the Village of Mundelein years ago, there were days in which I opted not to drive. Of course, said 572 route made me regret that in itself, regardless of going to Libertyville or Waukegan. As for the other routes, I believe its a step to a larger restructuring (and probably for the better anyway).

[Railwaymodeler]

Sigh. Yes the restructuring might make sense and actually make the system work better. That I won't dispute. However, every time Pace adjusts the schedules, changes a route, or changes bus interlining, it seems there's always angry passengers. Ventra has done enough to irk passengers as it is. In the times I've come down to Waukegan, I've seen a driver get cussed out by a passenger a number of times because his Ventra card was not reading.

The bus driver is the one who takes the abuse more than anyone else, and quite often, unjustified abuse. When the Zion loop was reversed a few years ago, there were notices posted, and Pace tried to make it known there would be a major change to the 571. Still had passengers upset that they would be a few minutes off at their stop. Just because notices are posted, doesn't mean they actually get read. It seems that the passengers who don't read them, seem to think that their not reading the notice is somehow the driver's fault. Not sure how they come up with that, but that is my observation.

After enough instances like that, my friends and I are understandably cynical about any changes.

[MetroShadow]

Sigh. Yes the restructuring might make sense and actually make the system work better. That I won't dispute. However, every time Pace adjusts the schedules, changes a route, or changes bus interlining, it seems there's always angry passengers. Ventra has done enough to irk passengers as it is. In the times I've come down to Waukegan, I've seen a driver get cussed out by a passenger a number of times because his Ventra card was not reading.

The bus driver is the one who takes the abuse more than anyone else, and quite often, unjustified abuse. When the Zion loop was reversed a few years ago, there were notices posted, and Pace tried to make it known there would be a major change to the 571. Still had passengers upset that they would be a few minutes off at their stop. Just because notices are posted, doesn't mean they actually get read. It seems that the passengers who don't read them, seem to think that their not reading the notice is somehow the driver's fault. Not sure how they come up with that, but that is my observation.

After enough instances like that, my friends and I are understandably cynical about any changes.

That's not really the fault of the organization. That's a teething issue, and we humans, as creatures of habit, hate change. Restructurings, discontinuances, fixings, combinations, Ventra. Doesn't matter what the issue is, the public (as much as I don't like to defend them at times) will take out their anger on the messenger, instead of accepting change as (aside from ventra) a good thing.

And it would also help to actually read the notices (read: 544/554 restructuring).

[cta_44499_FG]

That's not really the fault of the organization. That's a teething issue, and we humans, as creatures of habit, hate change. Restructurings, discontinuances, fixings, combinations, Ventra. Doesn't matter what the issue is, the public (as much as I don't like to defend them at times) will take out their anger on the messenger, instead of accepting change as (aside from ventra) a good thing.

And it would also help to actually read the notices (read: 544/554 restructuring).

It's one of those things you have to let go in one ear and out the other. Many like to run their gums off about changes as if their and only their life has come to a tragic end, yet few exhibit the intelligence to pursue the right avenues of complaint. It is always going to be the drivers fault. Just like it's the drivers fault the bus arrived 10 minutes late, though the complaintant watched as the bus jockied thru one lane construction traffic from blocks away when it was otherwise on time. Yep, that's the drivers fault too for doing his/her road construction dance before their shift.

[Railwaymodeler]

That sums up passenger nature in a lot of places. The problem is, the passengers who go ballistic on drivers for the stupidest reasons. People seem angrier and angrier all the time. Doesn't take much for a passenger to have a bad day and go off on the driver. Of course, the SOP states to open your doors and inform the passenger the police are being called. Also states not to leave your seat (Applies to the drivers of course) in the event of an attack. Friend of mine actually did have disciplinary action taken against him for leaving his seat, and standing in the aisle between the wheelwells, preventing anyone else from being assaulted.

I have a copy of the Pace SOP, I'm going to try to dig it out.

Also of note, the same friend who has been most vocal about the restructuring says that something is in the works to cut 569 service mid day to one bus on the road instead of two. Good idea, in theory, until you also notice that the public aid office on Belvidere Road has now moved to Lewis Avenue. I think I see where this is going...

[Busjack]

I now wonder if this was postponed. The Holiday feeder bus Passenger Alerts are up, but nothing about this.

[MetroShadow]

I now wonder if this was postponed. The Holiday feeder bus Passenger Alerts are up, but nothing about this.

Christmas week. 12/22 pick.

[Railwaymodeler]

I heard the Lewis Ave. thing was scheduled for December too. Sounds like originally it was a two-part restructure, I heard the Zion bus would start running on Sundays too. Makes sense, if the 565 is extended to CLC, then it is an hour each way instead of 40 minutes, so then all three routes can meet downtown on the hour on Sundays. Currently thr 565 and 568 interline between each other, a bus comes in as one and leaves as the other. With the 568 being one hour round trip and the 565 being 80 minute round trip, made for some hard to remember schedules on Sunday.

[twyztdmynd]

I can not see the 565 operating to CLC on sundays. The weekends should remain the same.

[Railwaymodeler]

I wouldn't see the point of it either, except perhaps for consistency, and if that extended the route to an hour each way, it would make scheduling and interlining a lot easier. Of course, there are businesses along the stretch of Grand to CLC, but I doubt enough to actually justify extending the route on weekends by themselves. Plus locations for bus stops are somewhat limited.

[Busjack]

I heard the Lewis Ave. thing was scheduled for December too. Sounds like originally it was a two-part restructure, I heard the Zion bus would start running on Sundays too. Makes sense, if the 565 is extended to CLC, then it is an hour each way instead of 40 minutes, so then all three routes can meet downtown on the hour on Sundays. Currently thr 565 and 568 interline between each other, a bus comes in as one and leaves as the other. With the 568 being one hour round trip and the 565 being 80 minute round trip, made for some hard to remember schedules on Sunday.

It was all part of the same plan.

The only thing different is that the representation in the August minutes* that this would be effective Nov. 24 apparently did not come to pass.

________________

*Director Marcucci asked Mr. Donahue how the timing of the restructuring relates to the Thanksgiving holiday, asking if the restructuring occurs right before or after the holiday and if that affects the thinking of the work being done. Mr. Donahue responded that November 24,

2013 was the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the date is affected by the schedule for the division pick[ed].