CTA Accidents

[YoungBusLover]

8 hours ago, Busjack said:

Sure CTA can sue, and the driver will probably be joined in any litigation as a necessary party, but unless he has sufficient liability insurance,  it won't matter.

How many times do I have to repeat that the warranty only covers manufacturer's defects,  not accidental damage? Hyundai will not pay if you drive your car into an L pillar,  unless the collision radar system didn't work as represented. 

And to repeat another point--why is it more important to the bus operator community that a bus can be repaired than one of your colleagues is lying in critical condition in [presumably] Stroger Hospital? I really want to know. 

 

 

I'm just repeating what I've been told from the mechanics chief the buses are under warranty regarding everything not just miscellaneous parts from defects. I bring up the warranty aspect due to the age and severity of the bus itself. Unless the CTA believes the bus is a total loss while under warranty they'll keep it around until the litigation process has completed to then determine what direction they want to go. In regards to your second point about us fellow operators worrying about our fellow co workers, I have been given very little info on the conditions of both operators at this time other than what I could dissect from scanner traffic. I can only speak for myself but rest assure everyone at K and the rest of the system is praying and send nothing but well wishes for a speedy recovery for everyone involved in that accident. 

[Busjack]

26 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

'm just repeating what I've been told from the mechanics chief the buses are under warranty regarding everything not just miscellaneous parts from defects. I bring up the warranty aspect due to the age and severity of the bus itself. Unless the CTA believes the bus is a total loss while under warranty they'll keep it around until the litigation process has completed to then determine what direction they want to go.

I take that a just that if the bus is under 12 years old, they'll consider whether to fix it. There's a congruity between the FTA 12 year service life and the 12 year structural warranty, but the result is that transit authorities keep buses, even wrecks, on the roster 12 years. The only time the 12-year structural warranty came up was with the NABIs, which were found within 6 years to be structurally defective, but there the remedy was not repairing the buses, but NABI taking an approximately $50 million hit in the pocketbook.

[Shannon tahoeppv]

On 5/28/2026 at 10:46 PM, Javi75 said:

In this scenario does CTA make a claim against the driver of the sedan, can cta sue someone for damage to CTA property?

I know

[Bus1883]

On 5/29/2026 at 8:49 AM, YoungBusLover said:

Once the litigation process has concluded we probably will see #8912 again at some point, the bus is still under warranty as of right now. #1192 will get retired due to it's age, the litigation timeline and the overall damage sustained. It's a shame a lot of these recent #8350s haven't even hit two years old yet and they've had major accidents already. 

8506,8509,8572,8594,8792,8912 so far 

[Bus1517]

#1162 was involved in a crash by a stolen car just today on the 29 state

[Bus1517]

1209 was ALSO involved in the same crash on the 21 Cermak

[ArcherRider]

I see 4384 was in accident today on Michigan and Huron. 

[jajuan]

8511, operating on the 26, was in an accident with an SUV on LSD southbound right before the 53rd Street exit not too long ago. Just rode past the accident scene a few minutes ago while riding the 10 on my way home. Looks like both vehicles clipped each other with the SUV stopping in a half spin. I was wondering why we hit a traffic snag near the 47th Street exit ramp. 

[Bus1807]

27 minutes ago, jajuan said:

8511, operating on the 26, was in an accident with an SUV on LSD southbound right before the 53rd Street exit not too long ago. Just rode past the accident scene a few minutes ago while riding the 10 on my way home. Looks like both vehicles clipped each other with the SUV stopping in a half spin. I was wondering why we hit a traffic snag near the 47th Street exit ramp. 

Oh shoot, is the bus badly damaged or is it minor from when you saw it?

[jajuan]

1 hour ago, Bus1807 said:

Oh shoot, is the bus badly damaged or is it minor from when you saw it?

No real visible damage to the bus from what I could see. But the SUV was pretty dinged. The larger concern is whether anyone got injured. 

[Bus1807]

3 minutes ago, jajuan said:

No real visible damage to the bus from what I could see. But the SUV was pretty dinged. The larger concern is whether anyone got injured. 

Yeah that’s on me. I hope everyone is okay.

[artthouwill]

13 hours ago, jajuan said:

8511, operating on the 26, was in an accident with an SUV on LSD southbound right before the 53rd Street exit not too long ago. Just rode past the accident scene a few minutes ago while riding the 10 on my way home. Looks like both vehicles clipped each other with the SUV stopping in a half spin. I was wondering why we hit a traffic snag near the 47th Street exit ramp. 

My guess based on my driving experience and observations.   The bus was probably traveling in the far right lane which is the exit lane for 53rd.  The bus was probably merging left and the SUV didn't want to allow the bus in.  The bus hot the SUv .

 

I have personally performed that maneuver countless times.  Most cars see the turn signal and decided they weren't go to let me over.  I would gently merge until one car would figure out they didn't want to chance getting hit.

 

The primary reason for the maneuver is to cut down travel time as traffic usually starts to slow down around 49th Street.   SOUThbound LSD goes from 4 lanes to 3 at 53rd then loses another lane at 57th.   Most bus drivers can pull this off.  

[EasyMoney]

1252 Was Involved in a auto accident Northbound on king drive at 48th with a black BMW Looks like the advertisement sign was damaged 

[Bus1807]

5 hours ago, EasyMoney said:

1252 Was Involved in a auto accident Northbound on king drive at 48th with a black BMW Looks like the advertisement sign was damaged 

Is everyone okay?

[EasyMoney]

13 hours ago, Bus1807 said:

Is everyone okay?

Yeah it looks like it bus was barely damaged 

[Bus1807]

28 minutes ago, EasyMoney said:

Yeah it looks like it bus was barely damaged 

Alright phew.

[jajuan]

On 10/14/2026 at 7:03 AM, artthouwill said:

My guess based on my driving experience and observations.   The bus was probably traveling in the far right lane which is the exit lane for 53rd.  The bus was probably merging left and the SUV didn't want to allow the bus in.  The bus hot the SUv .

 

I have personally performed that maneuver countless times.  Most cars see the turn signal and decided they weren't go to let me over.  I would gently merge until one car would figure out they didn't want to chance getting hit.

 

The primary reason for the maneuver is to cut down travel time as traffic usually starts to slow down around 49th Street.   SOUThbound LSD goes from 4 lanes to 3 at 53rd then loses another lane at 57th.   Most bus drivers can pull this off.  

That's pretty much my impression of what probably happened. Whenever I'm riding the southbound 10, J14, or 26 through there, that's pretty much how a number of car drivers behave when encountering a bus in that far right lane. A lot of operators use that maneuver you described or are driving in that middle left or middle right lane until getting to or beyond those two merge points. 

[jajuan]

On 10/16/2026 at 11:57 AM, Bus1807 said:

Alright phew.

Is there any reason why you're so overly concerned about the bus? Buses can be replaced. People can't. 

[Bus1807]

45 minutes ago, jajuan said:

Is there any reason why you're so overly concerned about the bus? Buses can be replaced. People can't. 

I wasn’t concerned about the bus. I asked if everyone was okay, @EasyMoneysaid yes, the bus is also barely damaged, so I was saying “Alright phew.” to both the people and the bus.

[Bus1807]

I am aware that #1447 was in a crash 5 years ago. Is it still on CTA property? Also what’s the condition of it now since it has been sitting for a while?

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

2 hours ago, Bus1807 said:

I am aware that #1447 was in a crash 5 years ago. Is it still on CTA property? Also what’s the condition of it now since it has been sitting for a while?

1447 is in the boneyard i believe parted out lemme go ahead and put @YoungBusLoverin here 

[Bus1807]

2 hours ago, Mr.NewFlyer1279 said:

1447 is in the boneyard i believe parted out lemme go ahead and put @YoungBusLoverin here 

I didn’t know it was being used for parts, I guess that’s what’s supposed to happen if the bus is unfixable. 

[Bus1807]

#1212 involved in a accident on 10/23/26 on the 59.