Parades and Inadequate Transit Service

[BusHunter]

Wow did you guys see the crowds on the buses coming from the Gay Pride Parade? Why was CTA running Sunday service with no extras or even any artics? Buses were packed east of the Blue line, many riders were left stranded and this was on the #77, a route known for alot of buses. I did see one artic on #74, one!!!???? One #77 was even short turned east at the Blue line, I believe #6823 and that bus was packed cause I was the last one on it. I can't believe it they short turned a packed bus!! Bus after bus was packed to the door and I saw this on the #152 as well as the #77, the #152 actually had #6591 die for a period, 30 minute service with those crowds?? The #152 had bus bunches all completely packed. I can imagine the #80 wasn't much better. I guess I'll have to mark this day on my calender, this and St. Pat's day weekend are no travel days as far as I'm concerned unless you like waiting, being packed like sardines and waiting on service that you don't know you can use when it does show up.

[Guest]

I wanted to attend the parade this year but I knew getting there by CTA would have been the worst choice so instead I decided to skip it. Next year I will travel on my bike! With the worsening traffic problems in this city I know I cant count on CTA buses to get me there. And the rapid transit is not an option for me from where I live. 

Edited June 29, 2015 by Guest

[strictures]

Not just CTA, but Metra was also packed to the gills on Sunday.

I got the Metra email alert that train 810 was expressing from Highland Park to Clybourn, with a following train starting at Highland Park.

They've got to move this parade downtown, where there's better transit option.

[Busjack]

Not just CTA, but Metra was also packed to the gills on Sunday.

I got the Metra email alert that train 810 was expressing from Highland Park to Clybourn, with a following train starting at Highland Park.

They've got to move this parade downtown, where there's better transit option.

That would deprive Lakeview of a business opportunity. Also apparently those riders found some way to get from the Ravenswood UPN station to Halsted (or from downtown back up, either of which requires CTA).

However, I am waiting for the hot heterosexual women's parade.

[BusHunter]

That would deprive Lakeview of a business opportunity. Also apparently those riders found some way to get from the Ravenswood UPN station to Halsted (or from downtown back up, either of which requires CTA).

However, I am waiting for the hot heterosexual women's parade.

It's too bad you missed the World Naked bike ride through Wicker Park Or maybe it was the almost naked bike ride.

(I'd put a link but you might be too excited)

[Busjack]

It's too bad you missed the World Naked bike ride through Wicker Park Or maybe it was the almost naked bike ride.

(I'd put a link but you might be too excited)

I know enough about the Internet to select, and then right click on "Search Google for..."

However, on their site, most, but not all, are wearing underwear, and the the gender proportions are not quite for which I was looking.

[BusHunter]

Most of what's photographed is men, which doesn't excite anyone unless they went to the Pride parade. But even then it's mostly rear ends you see. They probably couldn't photograph the ladies, because they would show up more exposed. It seems like alot of young kids were on the bus yesterday coming from the Pride parade. maybe they thought it was Mardi Gras in Chicago day. it's probably the closest we come to it.

[MetroShadow]

The topic was changed to reflect a more accurate title of yesterday's (or any parade for that matter) parade and a lack of bus service. 

The two concepts aren't mutually exclusive, but there's definitional difference. Carry on!

[BusHunter]

I guess the topic was too strong, but when you have people walking down Belmont cause they can't get a bus for a mile and a half and you have me stopping off to get some fast food, walking 4 blocks catching a bus and at the west end that bus catching a bus that was a half hour in front, I'd call that a failure.

[Busjack]

I guess the topic was too strong, but when you have people walking down Belmont cause they can't get a bus for a mile and a half and you have me stopping off to get some fast food, walking 4 blocks catching a bus and at the west end that bus catching a bus that was a half hour in front, I'd call that a failure.

I had mentioned the title to the Administrators because it didn't seem distinctive enough, in that IMO, anything CTA does can be classified as an operations failure. It being "too strong" wasn't my concern.

[BusHunter]

Lol!! I worded it that way because you have to use strong language or people don't listen to you. I couldn't call it bus operators screw up, cause it wasn't their fault. It was an operations failure. I think it was a good topic title. I'm not mad or anything that you had it changed. I'm just half amazed that CTA failed so bad here. Obviously they under estimated the crowds and putting extra service on the Blue line does not get you to Wrigleyville or Boystown. Fg helps out with water show extras, now the tables were turned they needed help and no one was there to help them. Even Chicago garage, they had the artics, why not use them on the #74. One bus isn't going to help. I was caught up in a 5 bus pack eb on the #74. 4 were 40 footers and 1 artic. #77 had half hour gaps on the east end even when I was heading toward the west end. There were about 5 buses within 20 minutes in my pack and nothing for a half hour behind it. I guess that's why they short turned that one #77, but all they did was put it in another 5 pack going east. The #77 was in dire need of a reload, but alot of the east west routes needed that. A slick move for riders would've been to jump on n-s service which was good head to the blue line or something south or north and head west but that doesn't help those who don't live by n-s service or the blue line.

[jajuan]

Not just CTA, but Metra was also packed to the gills on Sunday.

I got the Metra email alert that train 810 was expressing from Highland Park to Clybourn, with a following train starting at Highland Park.

They've got to move this parade downtown, where there's better transit option.

Busjack is right that it would likely affect businesses in Lakeview moving the parade downtown as most of those attending who are legal drinking age, head for the bars and clubs along Halsted immediately after the parade is over. The Northalsted Business Alliance as well as PRIDEChicago, who presents the parade each year, both go into a tizzy each time any talk of putting the parade downtown comes up. Each time Tunney has tried proposing that very move, he gets blasted for it as being an "elitist traitor to the community" because the residents and business see the parade as a cultural distinction of the neighborhood since it originated as a Boystown event. This is part of why the city reversed the direction of the parade route and extended it to begin in Uptown, so that they could accommodate more people viewing it and keep it passing through Boystown after past talk of moving it downtown. So I wouldn't look for a downtown move any time too soon. Plus the transit woes with this and other parades also stems not just from worsening traffic conditions but also the parades themselves drawing increasing attendance numbers with each passing year. CTA says they did add service on the trains, but it's only so much you can realistically add on the bus side. Plus I'm sure that's more difficult get bus operators to take extra work on a weekend day if they were off work originally.

Edited June 29, 2015 by jajuan

[strictures]

However, I am waiting for the hot heterosexual women's parade.

Oak St. Beach & North Ave. Beach are usually good for that. I've found the Lincoln/Grace trader Joe's also nice on weekends.

[orionbuslover]

Honestly, complaining about service or the lack thereof after the Pride Parade is worse than crying over spilled milk. CTA added service on the rail and bus side. Buses share the street with the rest of the chaos and because they have to stay on a set route, they'll suffer. What do you expect when 1 million people or a half or quarter million people all want to use transit at the same time coming from a single event? There will be gridlock, there will be crowded buses. I look at Pride as an all day event. Why go for just the parade and rush home during the peak of everyone leaving? If the bars aren't your thing, chill out at the lake for an hour or two then make the trek back west.

[andrethebusman]

The basic problem is that to get there you had to figure out how to get to the Red Line. If you are coming east on Blue from NW, if you have any sense you go downtown and take the Red (or Brown) back north. But we are dealing with suburbanites, aren't we? They don't seem to understand that the north side is already way over street capacity, and adding a major event basically screws everything beyond redemption. You want to see a relatively minor event, an afternoon Cubs game, makes a hopeless mess of Irving Park, Addison, other streets? Last pick I drove an Irving Park run leaving Broadway just before 4pm. On Cubs game days, I could count on being 30-40 minutes late. Solid, barely moving traffic, Sheridan to the Kennedy. And that is what, 20,000 max, not a half million?

Why was a packed bus turned? Because you can't force a driver to work past his relief time. Most likely the one who was getting turned was going on fallback WB and later doing a second half. Let's say he gets to Central finally an hour late. Chances are he will insist on his contract-guaranteed 30 minutes. So the one he is supposed to relieve is sitting across the street. Sorry, folks, this bus is out of service. It would be nice if everyone agreed to forget the schedule and forget the contract and just keep rolling, but it ain't gonna work that way. So unless you want NO service later, sometimes you do things that might seem illogical but are necessary to keep the joke going.

[Busjack]

...What do you expect when 1 million people or a half or quarter million people all want to use transit at the same time coming from a single event? There will be gridlock, there will be crowded buses....

In view of the retitled topic, there were the same problems a couple of weeks ago with the Blackhawks parade, including that no bus could go between Roosevelt and Randolph.And, in this case, the Press Release indicated that a whole bunch of bus routes would be turned short and that 22, 36, and 151 would be detoured. It also suggested loading up Ventra cards in advance, and viewing either in Uptown or south of Diversey, reenforcing what jajuan said about the route being extended.

[BusHunter]

Honestly, complaining about service or the lack thereof after the Pride Parade is worse than crying over spilled milk. CTA added service on the rail and bus side. Buses share the street with the rest of the chaos and because they have to stay on a set route, they'll suffer. What do you expect when 1 million people or a half or quarter million people all want to use transit at the same time coming from a single event? There will be gridlock, there will be crowded buses. I look at Pride as an all day event. Why go for just the parade and rush home during the peak of everyone leaving? If the bars aren't your thing, chill out at the lake for an hour or two then make the trek back west.

Well there is a easier solution, just don't use CTA, I didn't see any traffic gridlock. If CTA added service to the buses or trains, I'd like to see where. That was standard sunday service I saw. It would have been better to have it on saturday as there are a few more buses running., but that parade has no business not being downtown, as soon as it starts drawing a million people, it should placed downtown. Buses were screwed up for hours at least from 3-7 pm that day and I can imagine the morning was screwed up too. A good day for a taxi or Uber. From the sounds of it, you were no where near the event. How can I expect someone to understand what I'm seeing if they are not in the field? I personally didn't come within more than 2 miles from the event, yet I was effected. The problem here is simple, really poor planning.

[jajuan]

In view of the retitled topic, there were the same problems a couple of weeks ago with the Blackhawks parade, including that no bus could go between Roosevelt and Randolph.And, in this case, the Press Release indicated that a whole bunch of bus routes would be turned short and that 22, 36, and 151 would be detoured. It also suggested loading up Ventra cards in advance, and viewing either in Uptown or south of Diversey, reenforcing what jajuan said about the route being extended.

And hence why trying to push this parade downtown when we already have enough parades and events that disrupt transit options to and within downtown during different points throughout the course of the year ultimately does not work. Even if you place it on Columbus as a means to minimize reroutes or short turns, you still have a situation similar to the Blackhawks parade as far as there being crush loads of people all trying to use transit at the same time, except you have potentially five times the number of the Blackhawks crowd for the Pride parade wanting to get in and out of downtown on Sunday schedule levels of transit options compared to the Blackhawks crowd having weekday rush levels of transit, at least during the morning anyway. And let's say you still have a large number of that crowd wanting to hit the bars and clubs in Boystown. Out of the available options, the Red Line, Brown Line, 146 and 151 get overwhelmed: the Red Line and 146 because they are the two quickest ways into Boystown, the Brown Line and 151 because they are easy, quick options among the rest of available options into Boystown as those remaining options beyond that are drastically slowed by having to travel through the densest portions of the Gold Coast, Old Town and Lincoln Park.  

[orionbuslover]

How can I expect someone to understand what I'm seeing if they are not in the field? I personally didn't come within more than 2 miles from the event, yet I was effected. The problem here is simple, really poor planning. 

I wasn't there this year, you guessed right. I've been to Pride in years past and skipped it others years while still spending time up north. You being two miles away from the parade route and still dealing with the residual effect is testament to why I choose to live south of Roosevelt Road. Friends have tried to get me to move back to the "city", but I refuse to deal with all the congestion on a non event day, let alone a day when people are flocking to the area from all around the country. On the poor planning note, what would you like to see done differently? Adding more buses would garner almost no benefits because like you observed, they'll just travel in packs.

[BusHunter]

I wasn't there this year, you guessed right. I've been to Pride in years past and skipped it others years while still spending time up north. You being two miles away from the parade route and still dealing with the residual effect is testament to why I choose to live south of Roosevelt Road. Friends have tried to get me to move back to the "city", but I refuse to deal with all the congestion on a non event day, let alone a day when people are flocking to the area from all around the country. On the poor planning note, what would you like to see done differently? Adding more buses would garner almost no benefits because like you observed, they'll just travel in packs.

Artics or extra buses. The buses are running in packs because they are overwhelmed. What ever happened to staging buses like at Wrigley and pulling them out, when their full. #77 could've staged at Belmont/Halsted. This way a regular scheduled service does not have to serve those heavy stops and can serve the rest of the route. It's not called the #77 Halsted but that was indeed what was running. CTA made a choice with their decision it was to serve the pride parade and no one else.

Edited July 1, 2015 by BusHunter

[MetroShadow]

Artics or extra buses. The buses are running in packs because they are overwhelmed. What ever happened to staging buses like at Wrigley and pulling them out, when their full. #77 could've staged at Belmont/Halsted. This way a regular scheduled service does not have to serve those heavy stops and can serve the rest of the route. It's not called the #77 Halsted but that was indeed what was running. CTA made a choice with their decision it was to serve the pride parade and no one else.

Just remember that a bus can only go so far as the idiot in front of him is traveling. That means, if he's going slow, you ain't going anywhere; if you're in an area with high dense, high trafficked areas, then perhaps serve the perimeters with more bus service as opposed to the belly of the beast.

Sticking more buses to cover the difference is almost akin to throwing firecrackers in an existing fire (except the former will be more exciting to watch).

[BusHunter]

Just remember that a bus can only go so far as the idiot in front of him is traveling. That means, if he's going slow, you ain't going anywhere; if you're in an area with high dense, high trafficked areas, then perhaps serve the perimeters with more bus service as opposed to the belly of the beast.

Sticking more buses to cover the difference is almost akin to throwing firecrackers in an existing fire (except the former will be more exciting to watch).

One problem with that. Traffic conditions were good. What works for Wrigley should work for the masses. If they are drawing 1 million people and Wrigley seating capacity is 45,000. Then why are they not running extras? Even if you say, "well divide it by 7" as 7 east west routes are covering the high traffic area, (81 t0 74) that's still over 100,000 per route, double Wrigley capacity. That why I say it needs to go downtown. Multiple routes can serve it. It's not walled in to a few possible exits.

[orionbuslover]

Artics or extra buses. The buses are running in packs because they are overwhelmed. What ever happened to staging buses like at Wrigley and pulling them out, when their full. #77 could've staged at Belmont/Halsted. This way a regular scheduled service does not have to serve those heavy stops and can serve the rest of the route. It's not called the #77 Halsted but that was indeed what was running. CTA made a choice with their decision it was to serve the pride parade and no one else.

Well according to the press release, the #77 was short turned at Racine. Staging buses at Belmont/Halsted is not an option if you look at the parade route. Extra service costs extra manpower and more importantly money. Money that CTA doesn't have. You can thank a long list of officials for that.

[Guest]

I wasn't there this year, you guessed right. I've been to Pride in years past and skipped it others years while still spending time up north. You being two miles away from the parade route and still dealing with the residual effect is testament to why I choose to live south of Roosevelt Road. Friends have tried to get me to move back to the "city", but I refuse to deal with all the congestion on a non event day, let alone a day when people are flocking to the area from all around the country. On the poor planning note, what would you like to see done differently? Adding more buses would garner almost no benefits because like you observed, they'll just travel in packs.

Im going to enjoy the pride parade next year starting with riding my bike to there!  

Edited July 1, 2015 by Guest

[jajuan]

Artics or extra buses. The buses are running in packs because they are overwhelmed. What ever happened to staging buses like at Wrigley and pulling them out, when their full. #77 could've staged at Belmont/Halsted. This way a regular scheduled service does not have to serve those heavy stops and can serve the rest of the route. It's not called the #77 Halsted but that was indeed what was running. CTA made a choice with their decision it was to serve the pride parade and no one else.

Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit there? For one thing the extra service was on the trains, not the buses. And the buses were routed AROUND the parade. The Pride attendance was at least 1 million if previous recent years' patterns held, whereas Wrigley events has attendance much lower even on good days. So what more do you think they realistically could have done? When you got a good chunk out of that million all trying to use transit at the same time, things were going to get overwhelmed either way it went.