Grove Shuttle

[buslist]

Not exactly PACE, but there is information from a very reliable source that DG is contracting with First Student to assume operation of the Shuttle. Effective?

[Busjack]

Not exactly PACE, but there is information from a very reliable source that DG is contracting with First Student to assume operation of the Shuttle. Effective?

I figured (thanks to the Open Meetings Law), that there would be something in the minutes and agenda section of the DG website, and I was correct. However, your friend was slightly confused.

Anyway, the agenda item (Sept. 16, 2014) is:

A motion is requested terminating the contract with Pace for the Village’s operation of the Grove Commuter Shuttle. Pace will continue to operate the service using a third-party contractor and there will be no impact to the riders.

So, if it is being contracted to First Student, it is Pace doing it, although nothing on pacebus.com indicates any official action (and Downers Grove is still listed as the operator). The agenda item describes the reasons Downers Grove wants to drop responsibility for operating the bus service.

There was also the prior notice (noted here) that some trips were being temporarily suspended due to staffing shortages.

So, basically, it is now Pace's problem. The question will be whether this gets added to the 66xs contract, but that went to MV.

UPDATE: I noted (clicking through various documents) that Sept. 16 hasn't occurred yet, and the existing contract runs through Dec. 31, 2014, so any change hasn't happened yet, although the contract may be terminated by DG on 30 days notice for any reason, so the switchover may be before Jan 1.

[rotjohns]

This goes back to what I was saying a while back. If First Student is handling the DG routes in the foreseeable future, clearly operating it from the Westmont facility makes the most sense. Take the El Dorados that run the DG buses now and send them to Westmont and be done with it. That facility is literally 2-3 blocks from Downers Grove anyway.

[buslist]

The confusion was on my part not my friend's. He told me that operation of the shuttle was to be contracted to First Student. I had assumed (I know makes as ass out of you and me) it was DG that contracted this out not Pace. Hadn't realized Pace was involved at this level.

[Busjack]

The confusion was on my part not my friend's. He told me that operation of the shuttle was to be contracted to First Student. I had assumed (I know makes as ass out of you and me) it was DG that contracted this out not Pace. Hadn't realized Pace was involved at this level.

Most of it has gone down to that DG is finally realizing that it was getting a raw deal. From running an independent operation, to Pace using it to fake the recovery ratio, then all the rigamarole to get the 5 cutaways that they couldn't use, and then the agreement (to which I alluded) that while Pace would now consider it subject to the usual 36% recovery ratio, DG would have to make up the deficit, the Dept. of Public Works must have finally come to the conclusion that if Pace could run other commuter feeders in DuPage County, it can run theirs. I guess laying off 8 PTOs wasn't that big of a concern.

Pace has similar control over routes and schedules in Highland Park, but I guess HP gives its employees more consideration. Apparently Pace does not have the same control over the Niles Free Bus, as the restructuring there is a Niles project.

[west towns]

Niles restructuring is the result of a pace funded study in cooperation with the village and supports their ART . This has been discussed previously

[Busjack]

Niles restructuring is the result of a pace funded study in cooperation with the village and supports their ART . This has been discussed previously

The point was that Niles had to schedule the hearing and has the study on its website, not Pace's. It was also quite clear at the time that Niles held the hearing to cut a couple of days and impose a 25 cent fare (the latter not implemented); there were some comments in the Pace Board Minutes that Pace had to tell Niles how to do it to conform to federal regulations.

Also, whatever contract Niles has with Pace does not have the 2 points in the DG contract:

• "Pace has the authority and autonomy to change the bus routes, service levels and all aspects of the Grove Commuter Shuttle."
• Free rides may NOT be given (section 13.9).

As I noted above, it was not like at the Highland Park hearing (which I attended) at which Pace officials presided.

[Busjack]

Pace passenger notice confirming the change to First Student-Westmont. I guess the 30 day notice period ended by Oct. 20.

[Busjack]

Looks like Webwatch is working better in Downers' Grove and that the north route has a bus assigned to the Lisle contract, but that's not a surprise.

On the other hand, it doesn't look like MV has turned on the ITS on 661-665.

[Busjack]

Looking at the Passenger Notices, there was a strange number, which turns out to be the 465 Belmont Station-Esplanade Shuttle Bug.

I was wondering about using the trademark away from Lake-Cook, but apparently that is now a fare category.

Have to see if First Student gets another bus.

[rotjohns]

Looking at the Passenger Notices, there was a strange number, which turns out to be the 465 Belmont Station-Esplanade Shuttle Bug.

I was wondering about using the trademark away from Lake-Cook, but apparently that is now a fare category.

Have to see if First Student gets another bus.

Interesting, because that area had been seeing layoffs and companies come and go. Maybe the workers up there now need something more local than the 877-888 and they may not like the 715 transfer to the West Routes at Yorktown at it only runs along Butterfield Road. So this may end up being a good route. I wonder what who is footing the bill for this service.

I doubt First Student will get another bus. I noticed at least 3 buses still at First Student's parking lot during rush hour last week. I'm sure they're backups if needed, but with the combination of cuts in routes for the other DG routes due to lack of drivers, it resulted in less buses on the road so it should have the capacity to handle an existing bus. I guess we'll have to watch Webwatch next week to be sure.

I actually noticed 2650 on the 824 or 825 in recent weeks, which I thought was odd because that's a bus that normally would run one of the DG routes.

[Busjack]

Interesting, because that area had been seeing layoffs and companies come and go. Maybe the workers up there now need something more local than the 877-888 and they may not like the 715 transfer to the West Routes at Yorktown at it only runs along Butterfield Road. So this may end up being a good route. I wonder what who is footing the bill for this service.

I doubt First Student will get another bus. I noticed at least 3 buses still at First Student's parking lot during rush hour last week. I'm sure they're backups if needed, but with the combination of cuts in routes for the other DG routes due to lack of drivers, it resulted in less buses on the road so it should have the capacity to handle an existing bus. I guess we'll have to watch Webwatch next week to be sure.

I actually noticed 2650 on the 824 or 825 in recent weeks, which I thought was odd because that's a bus that normally would run one of the DG routes.

Since it is Shuttle Bug rather than Regular Fare, some employer there must be offering passes. Employers come and go around Lake-Cook, but the bus service doesn't seem affected until a large one, primarily Hewitt, pulls out.

The shortage of drivers was because Downers Grove didn't want to go to the expense of qualifying them to meet Pace or FTA standards. There isn't any indication that First Student has that problem, and one would think they would want the work after losing the 66X contract to MV.

Since First Student Westmont runs both Downers Grove and Lisle, it probably doesn't make much difference where it puts the buses. For instance, a theoretically Lisle bus was put on the DG North route, because the village owned heap was no longer available. But I suppose that. like with 668-9, Pace could just give them a paratransit.

Not on the WebWatch pulldown yet, but maybe we have to wait until Monday.

The other thing interesting I noted on the schedule is that most of the connecting trains are in the reverse rush direction, but maybe that is consistent with the pattern at Lake Cook and Braeside. If that's the market being served, 877/888 doesn't do much for it.

[MetroShadow]

The other thing interesting I noted on the schedule is that most of the connecting trains are in the reverse rush direction, but maybe that is consistent with the pattern at Lake Cook and Braeside. If that's the market being served, 877/888 doesn't do much for it.

However, 877/888 serves a completely different (if not a different niche) market (one so much unto itself). Unless you're aiming to make transfers at Oakbrook, those two have to be classified differently.

[Busjack]

However, 877/888 serves a completely different (if not a different niche) market (one so much unto itself). Unless you're aiming to make transfers at Oakbrook, those two have to be classified differently.

That was the point I was trying to make. The theory behind 877/888 was that people from the south suburbs needed to get to the Oakbrook area and beyond. Apparently, the market here is somebody living in the inner city commuting to Downers Grove.

[Busjack]

....

I doubt First Student will get another bus. I noticed at least 3 buses still at First Student's parking lot during rush hour last week. I'm sure they're backups if needed, but with the combination of cuts in routes for the other DG routes due to lack of drivers, it resulted in less buses on the road so it should have the capacity to handle an existing bus. I guess we'll have to watch Webwatch next week to be sure.

...

Turns out you are right. 2699, which seems a usual DG First Student bus is on the route at the moment:

But 2799 is on 461 and 2796 on 462, 2767 on 463, in addition to what was previously assigned to DG. 2767 from NW would be the additional bus.