Busjack Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 12 minutes ago, BusOps said: CTA already has this procedure in place for all routes. A bus may not leave certain times points early along a route and an operator has to wait. If he/she doesn't, they face an operational violation write up. Also this holds true for the terminals at each end of the route. The operator is not allowed to leave the terminal early or late. That answers the second question, but I was the only one to raise it, and Andre implied that was unlikely to happen. The real question seemed to be posed by Andre is if CTA would rework the schedule (as Pace does) to reflect that actual running time does not conform to the schedule, and put enough recovery time into the schedule.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 This won't solve the massive overcrowding of the #77 bus at the Kimball Blue Line(all seats taken, all standing room taken and people standing right up to the front door. On a Flxible, they were standing on the stairs). They need NP to do runs on this route during the busy times(A.M and P.M rush) with Artics. That might help with the overcrowding. I do my best to avoid Belmont at all costs now because of this.... you have to tell, sometimes yell at people to move aside so you can get off. I remember the overcrowded Flxible where a passenger was getting off at the back door and the passenger had to yell at the Bus Operator because he couldn't see him getting off due to the mass of people all sitting and standing into the stairwell. This is actually an unsafe practice because the driver can't see that right-side mirror and if a cyclist is riding on his right and he pulls over to let someone off..... not trying to be funny, this is a serious matter..... bicycles are out now in the city more now with warmer weather. This is an eventual incident waiting to happen.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrethebusman Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 If a bus gets to a timepoint 4 minutes early, somebody is really hightailing. Most routes you are really lucky you might hit a timepoint a minute up and have to sit that minute. More than that and you need to slow down a bit. Back in the "bad old days" when buses were really quite slow (think 5000 series Twins) there were nowhere near the traffic-caused delays there are now. because traffic moved faster than the buses did. Now the reverse is true - the bus is capable of moving substantially faster than the average speed of traffic, though of course that is quite impossible. Also, something else to take into account - since the sixties, the number of intersections with traffic signals has at least doubled, if not more. Take Pulaski, for instance. Since the late 60's traffic lights have been added at Hollywood, Victoria, Argyle, (Ainslie 4-way stop), Wilson, Berteau, (Dickens 4-way stop), (Cortland 4-way stop), (Wabansia 4-way stop), Ferdinand, (Wilcox 4-way stop), Polk, 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th, 28th, (30th 4 way stop). And you don't think this has dramatically slowed traffic flow on Pulaski? What it all comes down to is it would appear that the city has taken to heart the slogan on a bench on Milwaukee near Chicago (Yuppie Biker Heaven) - "driving is a sin". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 I gave you guys a plug on the CTA Tattler. Giving this a bit of thought, would it help any if there were a short line starting at the Blue Line station (sort of like the old 80A) or is traffic so screwed up west of Kimball that the buses would never get back from Cumberland to Kimball? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 Another poster on the CTA Tattler in the field confirming ghost buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudgym29 Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 (edited) On 6/12/2016 at 6:24 PM, Busjack said: I gave you guys a plug on the CTA Tattler. Giving this a bit of thought, would it help any if there were a short line starting at the Blue Line station (sort of like the old 80A) or is traffic so screwed up west of Kimball that the buses would never get back from Cumberland to Kimball? From multiple evenings riding westbound #77 Belmont buses, when on the Red Line "L" southbound, when I arrive at WB Belmont, before it had the BustRacker {amber} display, I learned the trick of walking back to Clark or the Halsted terminus to be able to actually board the bus. There are always a lot of people waiting at Belmont | Sheffield. As the bus goes west, it slowly expends the passengers to about Western Ave. But then, we do get another overflow of passengers @ Kimball [Blue Line "L"]. This crowd seems to last until Pulaski, although I and a clutch of others go through to Cicero. This is particularly noticable after 23:00 hours. I concur with @sw4400 that Belmont could use 60-foot buses, but not only during AM and PM rush hours weekdays. When bars and clubs near Halsted and Sheffield close at 26:00, there is a significant number of clubgoers waiting for the westbound #77 bus that leaves Halsted at 26:01. Everybody wants to board this bus, because they know the next one is a full 30 minutes later. The advantage of a short line(s) is that you could lessen delays and bunching by having Kimball being the terminus for both westbound buses from Lake Shore | Halsted, and eastbound buses from Cumberland | Octavia | Central. Scheduling has to pay attention though, that one of the short turn buses is not dispatched from Kimball minutes before or after a regular full length run. Edited June 14, 2016 by pudgym29 Added specifics concerning which owl runs are crowded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 8 hours ago, Busjack said: Another poster on the CTA Tattler in the field confirming ghost buses. interesting, they mention CTA having portable fare readers for the rear door entry at belmont red line wb, so they are trying to speed that up as well. I noticed today the blue line only had two cta employees working the prepaid area. Seems like the fare reader is always guarded by a supervisor. There didn't appear to be anyone from hq today, first time now I've seen that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 11 hours ago, pudgym29 said: From multiple evenings riding westbound #77 Belmont buses, when on the Red Line "L" southbound, when I arrive at WB Belmont, before it had the BustRacker {amber} display, I learned the trick of walking back to Clark or the Halsted terminus to be able to actually board the bus. There are always a lot of people waiting at Belmont | Sheffield. As the bus goes west, it slowly expends the passengers to about Western Ave. But then, we do get another overflow of passengers @ Kimball [Blue Line "L"]. This crowd seems to last until Pulaski, although I and a clutch of others go through to Cicero. This is particularly noticable after 23:00 hours. I concur with @sw4400 that Belmont could use 60-foot buses, but not only during AM and PM rush hours weekdays. When bars and clubs near Halsted and Sheffield close at 26:00, there is a significant number of clubgoers waiting for the westbound #77 bus that leaves Halsted at 26:01. Everybody wants to board this bus, because they know the next one is a full 30 minutes later. The advantage of a short line(s) is that you could lessen delays and bunching by having Kimball being the terminus for both westbound buses from Lake Shore | Halsted, and eastbound buses from Cumberland | Octavia | Central. Scheduling has to pay attention though, that one of the short turn buses is not dispatched from Kimball minutes before or after a regular full length run. Umm there is no 26:00 in the military time designations as a day is only 24 hours. The times you appear to be trying to convey would be 03:00 and 03:01. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 21 minutes ago, jajuan said: Umm there is no 26:00 in the military time designations as a day is only 24 hours. The times you appear to be trying to convey would be 03:00 and 03:01. Maybe he is on some kind of owl bus schedule, where the day ends at 4 a.m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted June 14, 2016 Report Share Posted June 14, 2016 16 minutes ago, Busjack said: Maybe he is on some kind of owl bus schedule, where the day ends at 4 a.m. Perhaps, but CTA would still designate it with its operators as 0300 for 3 a.m and 0400 for 4 a.m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 The last two days they've had a FG operator marshaling the #77's into the Blue line. I wonder if he's getting his operator pay for that? That's not bad, mid to upper $20's/hr to marshal buses. They had our favorite hq guy there today with his clipboard and he had an apprentice with him also with a clipboard. I'll have them know I was crammed in the back of the bus tucked under someone's armpit. Our favorite supervisor was there. Made sure I paid my fare not that I would cheat anyone as my fares prepaid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 23 minutes ago, BusHunter said: . I wonder if he's getting his operator pay for that? That's not bad, mid to upper $20's/hr to marshal buses. If he is other than a PTO hired under Claypool, it is $32.82/hour according to the salary spreadsheet (plus benefits). A lot of salary going into that project, and the hope is that it is not in vain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 2 minutes ago, Busjack said: If he is other than a PTO hired under Claypool, it is $32.82/hour according to the salary spreadsheet (plus benefits). A lot of salary going into that project, and the hope is that it is not in vain. Because I'm hanging out at the garage lately, I get to hear all the gossip. An operator was saying he was making $24 something an hour and he was a 4 year veteran. He said he went up four tiers of pay or he had 4 left. He was full time. So it sounds like maybe he's getting dollar raises a year and he climaxes at $28. Starting pay now is $21, so they probably have to retro everyone. They were also handing out overtime to the day shift in the form of trippers. Sounds like this is close to an everyday thing. What I'm wondering is where are the guys on the extra board? Isn't that there job? Unless they ran out of extras!! Heck I'll drive a bus for $36-40 an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 32 minutes ago, BusHunter said: What I'm wondering is where are the guys on the extra board? One of Claypool's crusades was to cut the extra board way back (and fire the absentees to make the extra board less necessary). 32 minutes ago, BusHunter said: An operator was saying he was making $24 something an hour and he was a 4 year veteran. If you know his name, you can look it up in the spreadsheet. That seems to be the case, since the operator on line 7 is getting $22.97; one on line 35 is getting $26.25. 32 minutes ago, BusHunter said: Starting pay now is $21, so they probably have to retro everyone. Also reflected in the spreadsheet as $21.33. It must have gone up from half pay in Claypool's time, which was $16.something. But the vast majority is getting $32.82. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 10 hours ago, Busjack said: If he is other than a PTO hired under Claypool, it is $32.82/hour according to the salary spreadsheet (plus benefits). A lot of salary going into that project, and the hope is that it is not in vain. Thanks to you I now know what my relatives and friends are making. You really have to wonder how CTA pays all these salaries. Alot of the higher ups at HQ are making six figures. I think that should be reserved for Pres, VP and the elite cabinet. I think a garage manager makes 120K. No wonder I saw a women employee in a new teal jaguar driving at FG. That must have been a manager. This one friend of mine has had a salary raise of $5 an hour in 2 years. He's over $40/hr and my relative is making more than $32.82 which seems like the bus operator cap. He's not a bus or rail operator though. I can testify that this job has changed his life. Where he was driving older cars now he drives new ones and actually has a vintage car collection. A CTA job can really change your life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 23 minutes ago, BusHunter said: You really have to wonder how CTA pays all these salaries $33.82 comes out to about $70,000 for a 40 hour week, which isn't bad but isn't great, but as you mentioned there is a lot of overtime, too. But it explains why Claypool was pushing PTOs and half pay. As Andre has pointed out, he could always drive a truck, so there is competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 47 minutes ago, Busjack said: $33.82 comes out to about $70,000 for a 40 hour week, which isn't bad but isn't great, but as you mentioned there is a lot of overtime, too. But it explains why Claypool was pushing PTOs and half pay. As Andre has pointed out, he could always drive a truck, so there is competition. Yeah and it always depends on what you net versus gross. 70K in a way is misleading because like for me I'd be making really 55K net maybe less if you have high union dues. Trucking though has it's benefits but the money is in having your own truck that companies lease from you. I know of someone driving otr and they were pulling in 4,500 a week they claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 5 minutes ago, BusHunter said: Yeah and it always depends on what you net versus gross. 70K in a way is misleading because like for me I'd be making really 55K net maybe less if you have high union dues. Trucking though has it's benefits but the money is in having your own truck that companies lease from you. I know of someone driving otr and they were pulling in 4,500 a week they claim. On the other hand, CTA employees get benefits. If your friend is only an independent contractor providing the truck instead of being an employee of a trucking company, he isn't, and he is paying for the truck and its maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 12 hours ago, Busjack said: On the other hand, CTA employees get benefits. If your friend is only an independent contractor providing the truck instead of being an employee of a trucking company, he isn't, and he is paying for the truck and its maintenance. That's what I said to him, but he claims when you make six figures that doesn't matter. Makes you wonder if trucking firms are making that much off a load, their overhead must be extremely beneficial. Someone could actually become a millionaire off a fleet of trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 7 hours ago, BusHunter said: That's what I said to him, but he claims when you make six figures that doesn't matter. Makes you wonder if trucking firms are making that much off a load, their overhead must be extremely beneficial. Someone could actually become a millionaire off a fleet of trucks. That of course depends on what you're hauling, how many haul contracts you get, how often, length of time on the road as I think the trucker company and the trucker (through his cut of the haul) gets paid less the longer it takes to make the delivery especially if they're late, and expenses. Of course you also need a good rep built up obviously to get a decent client base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Graham Garfield and Bruce Moffat are down here today guarding the west gate. BM is supposed to be head of the sign division at CTA. Graham and him were checking out sign heights etc. They seem to be checking out the western gate doesn't seem to close all the way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 You know I got to see what happens yesterday on the #77 when there are alot of people. They just line up like before clean over to the eb side. i wonder how that helps boarding when half the riders have yet to pay their fare. They had two lines too, one to the back door and one to the front and the buses couldn't have been more than 10 minutes apart. That routes a monster!! Our favorite Fg operator yesterday had a clipboard and was directing traffic on the kimball side. Would it be too ridiculous to push back the intersection to make cars stop before the terminal and give the #77 there some sort of short light? They seem to do it for Wal mart. They get lights at practically all their entrances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 30 minutes ago, BusHunter said: They seem to do it for Wal mart. They get lights at practically all their entrances. Usually private entities have to pay for private traffic lights, or their property is TIFed to pay for traffic improvements. Since CTA does not generate property or sales tax revenue, this is back to Rahm begging for some grant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrethebusman Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 On 6/14/2016 at 11:35 AM, jajuan said: Umm there is no 26:00 in the military time designations as a day is only 24 hours. The times you appear to be trying to convey would be 03:00 and 03:01. CTA has taken to using its own odd time designations for owl buses. After 2400 it keeps going up, 2500, 2600, 2700,2800 until last owls finish about 2900 (7am). I gather this is due to the needs of the payroll program that need to have numbers go up and could not understand 2000 to 0600 as 8 continuous hours. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrethebusman Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 On 6/18/2016 at 8:31 AM, jajuan said: That of course depends on what you're hauling, how many haul contracts you get, how often, length of time on the road as I think the trucker company and the trucker (through his cut of the haul) gets paid less the longer it takes to make the delivery especially if they're late, and expenses. Of course you also need a good rep built up obviously to get a decent client base. Truckers normally bet paid by the mile, not time. You get same amount for a trip New York to Chicago regardless of if its gorgeous weather and it takes a day and a half, or blizzards and it takes four. Most cases, waiting at shipper or consignee for your turn to load or unload is on you. If you do the loading/unloading yourself, you do usually get something for it. Down time because of hours of service laws is on you too. How much per mile varies by what the load is. Also, mileage us usually "direct", by shortest possible route, so if there is a detour necessary because of road work, accident on road, etc., it's the driver's loss. Truck fleet owners make a mint. Drivers work like dogs and many barely are surviving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.