2016 South Side Service Changes

[garmon757]

6 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Only referred to the 4 hex digit code, not the sign to which it points.

Since this allows 16 entries per route, if that isn't sufficient, they could use A091 and A092 for X9 for instance, instead of putting them in the 009 group.

I suppose the reason CTA has not cleaned it up is that the Clever Device selects the destination by entering the code, instead of the driver having to scan through a list on the card, but here the Clever Device wasn't selecting the correct destination code.

I can't confirm that because I don't know. However, the code I've mentioned is bundled with both 95E's eastbound and westbound destinations. My concern about your examples is, is it possible to change the codes or not. The Clever Device issue is somewhat difficult but my guess is that it can't override the code. 

[Kevin]

21 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

This is a wreck on the tracker apps. Transit tracks wasn't even displaying a #31 and #95 was not a route only #95W and #95E. All least they were diplaying correct destinations but I bet the times got all fouled up at the ryan because the bus is doing something the app doesnt understand. Whenever buses turn off the route the trackers lose the bus. I dont know why a bus cant be tracked off route? This is something that Pace is better at.You can sometimes see a #270 for instance at the garage.

Transit App is showing the 31 and 95 as expected, so it depends on the app.

Buses are tracked internally when they go off-route, but Bus Tracker and the public API will not show buses in that state.

[Busjack]

11 minutes ago, garmon757 said:

I can't confirm that because I don't know. However, the code I've mentioned is bundled with both 95E's eastbound and westbound destinations. My concern about your examples is, is it possible to change the codes or not. The Clever Device issue is somewhat difficult but my guess is that it can't override the code. 

That's a new twist. Thus the 3A0 must have something to do with how 95E is identified in the Clever Device, separately from the normal login sequence. Luminator would need two codes: one for 95E 93/95 to 92-Buffalo, and another for 95E 93/95 to Red Line. At least in the old days, there was an A/B button on the Luminator ODK to toggle between the two.

I suppose a driver from 103 (such as Andre) can further illuminate.

BTW, were other Clever Devices functions messed up like Mr. CTA at the open door, or the announcement of cross streets, either by Mr. CTA or the sign on the inside front of the bus?

[Busjack]

13 minutes ago, Kevin said:

Buses are tracked internally when they go off-route, but Bus Tracker and the public API will not show buses in that state.

Never has. For instance, when buses were detoured off Lake Shore Drive at 31st, because of a NATO conference (or something like that) at McCormick Place, the buses disappeared until Michigan-Balbo.

[garmon757]

6 minutes ago, Busjack said:

That's a new twist. Thus the 3A0 must have something to do with how 95E is identified in the Clever Device, separately from the normal login sequence. Luminator would need two codes: one for 95E 93/95 to 92-Buffalo, and another for 95E 93/95 to Red Line. At least in the old days, there was an A/B button on the Luminator ODK to toggle between the two.

I suppose a driver from 103 (such as Andre) can further illuminate.

BTW, were other Clever Devices functions messed up like Mr. CTA at the open door, or the announcement of cross streets, either by Mr. CTA or the sign on the inside front of the bus?

I have a great feeling that Andre can explain it better. About the technical difficulties on the Clever Devices, I'm unaware of it but I haven't experience any other problems with Mr. CTA on #95. It say the route when the doors open despite showing #90N before they changed it to #95E on the signs and no problems calling the cross streets. 

[andrethebusman]

Issue apparently relates to recycling destination codes. New 95 destinations apparently use the same codes old 90N did, but the destination code file wasn't updated. So if it calls for code 551, and 551 still shows 90N to Touhy instead of 95 to Buffalo.92, that's what you get.

[See Tea Eh]

15 hours ago, Busjack said:

*B.S. about how the 127 Circulator couldn't flip signs, and about Pace 410/411 terminal having to be moved to the food court entrance because the signs didn't flip at Penny's.

 

Not sure what you mean about "BS" that the 127 couldn't change signs.  The Clever Devices software and hardware has gone through some upgrades in the past few years, so mid-route sign changing capability could have been a recent add-on (the 127 went away long before any of those upgrades).  But I'm sure it's all just B.S. and you're right with your vast operational knowledge of how these systems work.  It was probably on page 60 of George Krambles's book.

[Busjack]

15 minutes ago, See Tea Eh said:

 

Not sure what you mean about "BS" that the 127 couldn't change signs.  The Clever Devices software and hardware has gone through some upgrades in the past few years, so mid-route sign changing capability could have been a recent add-on (the 127 went away long before any of those upgrades).  But I'm sure it's all just B.S. and you're right with your vast operational knowledge of how these systems work.  It was probably on page 60 of George Krambles's book.

The final cracks were not necessary. Why don't you then explain why the sign couldn't flip at Roosevelt and Ogden and at Michigan and Randolph or Washington, then, or in the Pace mess when 411 was converted to 410.411, as well as what the 95/N5 split should be?

At least Andre explained the 511 code.

[BusHunter]

49 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Never has. For instance, when buses were detoured off Lake Shore Drive at 31st, because of a NATO conference (or something like that) at McCormick Place, the buses disappeared until Michigan-Balbo.

Yeah but that then messes up the times cause even though it is tracked internally the tracker kicks it out until it appears again so for instance at michigan balbo it never displays a bus closer than 10-15 Minutes. I see that waiting for 28s in the loop the tracker loses it on the expy and suddenly it jumps up like 20 minutes but most of the time the buses will disappear first 

[Busjack]

Just now, BusHunter said:

Yeah but that then messes up the times cause even though it is tracked internally the tracker kicks it out until it appears again so for instance at michigan balbo it never displays a bus closer than 10-15 Minutes. I see that waiting for 28s in the loop the tracker loses it on the expy and suddenly it jumps up like 20 minutes but most of the time the buses will disappear first 

I guess you'll have to ask See, since he is the operational expert on that. But yes, that's what happened.

[andrethebusman]

First, tracker only shows buses that are "on route" - they disappear from the public display when they detour, or even sometimes when the CD has the route slightly off from where it should be. Most of this has been corrected, but not all.

Second, if bus is manually logged on, it does not show up anywhere, public or internal, as being on a route, but it will show up as being somewhere, but not showing a run.. If the CD is miscoded, then anything is possible.

 

[BusHunter]

53 minutes ago, andrethebusman said:

First, tracker only shows buses that are "on route" - they disappear from the public display when they detour, or even sometimes when the CD has the route slightly off from where it should be. Most of this has been corrected, but not all.

Second, if bus is manually logged on, it does not show up anywhere, public or internal, as being on a route, but it will show up as being somewhere, but not showing a run.. If the CD is miscoded, then anything is possible.

 

There was this bus last week (think it was #6838) that I took a shot of on the #90 that displayed a #53 to 31st sign. Funny thing about it was it had a run number and everything and when the operator opened the doors Mr CTA did say "Route 53 Pulaski to 31st street" It so disturbed one passenger they would not board the bus. The operator was having a hard time convincing some people this was not a #53!! She looked aggravated.

 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, andrethebusman said:

First, tracker only shows buses that are "on route" - they disappear from the public display when they detour, or even sometimes when the CD has the route slightly off from where it should be. Most of this has been corrected, but not all.

Second, if bus is manually logged on, it does not show up anywhere, public or internal, as being on a route, but it will show up as being somewhere, but not showing a run.. If the CD is miscoded, then anything is possible.

 

But then what is the explanation for BusTracker and other trackers (such as @maths22's tracker, below) showing buses on 95? That the route is only partially messed up?

[andrethebusman]

Here is the issue: the announcements are correct, the signs are not. The only way to get the signs correct is to manually log on, and the bus goes "ghost", but with correct signs and announcements, but no schedule or route adherence. Now I would say that somebody has been working to get the codes fixed, and I would not be surprised if they have been already. Once the master file is updated, all buses in the garage will get updated within a few minutes. Note, however, there should be 9 buses on the route late afternoon, so obviously we are short a few.

[jajuan]

Has the expanded hours of the #26 proven to have shown a growth in passengers or is there an anticipation that the route extension will mean more passengers to the extent to need artics? I ask because I noticed that this week with the route extension now in place, 103rd is also using artics along side the 40 footers during off peak hours when during the summer the off peak trips were done mainly with 40 foot NFs. 

[Busjack]

4 minutes ago, jajuan said:

I ask because I noticed that this week with the route extension now in place, 103rd is also using artics along side the 40 footers during off peak hours when during the summer the off peak trips were done mainly with 40 foot NFs. 

Since Andre said that these formerly were deadheads, that would have to mean that there was a vast number of dissatisfied customers seeing NOT IN SERVICE at about 9 stops, and, west of Torrence-103 were not taking J14 to get downtown.

[Busjack]

16 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

Note, however, there should be 9 buses on the route late afternoon, so obviously we are short a few.

I guess with, at this moment, only 2 EB buses, and  a gap where a WB bus should be around King Dr., there are still corrections to be made.

[jajuan]

30 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Since Andre said that these formerly were deadheads, that would have to mean that there was a vast number of dissatisfied customers seeing NOT IN SERVICE at about 9 stops, and, west of Torrence-103 were not taking J14 to get downtown.

Maybe. It would indeed mean there were a lot of customers seeing NOT IN SERVICE. It would have to have been a quite a large number at that given those deadheads were mainly 40 foot buses. But the focus of my question was not on the extension alone, but on the extension plus the local portion already in place up to 67th/Jeffery as a whole which is why I also asked about possible growth in riders during the expanded hours put in place. Plus remember on the 106th portion between Torrence and Mackinaw, there actually wouldn't have been customers at stops in the off peak hours expecting service since at the time those were stops only for the #100, and customers already understood that that route is rush only. Your point basically would be more valid along 103rd. 

[Busjack]

20 minutes ago, jajuan said:

possible growth in riders during the expanded hours put in place

If the growth is during the expanded hours, it would not have had an effect on the size of the bus. Maybe you are saying that if someone got on the bus at 12:07, they still had to get home at 5 p.m.

Of course, what you really have to do is wait 3-4 months for the ridership report. They haven't said yet, and certainly not yet posted a report (last one is April) whether 11 is working. That one only says:

New Bus Routes and Routings
The following routes began operating December 21st on the new Loop Link Bus Rapid Transit corridor in Chicago’s central business district: #J14 Jeffery Jump, #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th, #124 Navy Pier, & #157 Streeterville/Taylor.

New Express Routes began operating December 21st
include the #X49 Western Express, & X9 Ashland Express.

Obviously nothing about changes effective June, 2016, including the 26 expanded hours.

[artthouwill]

5 hours ago, Busjack said:

Since Andre said that these formerly were deadheads, that would have to mean that there was a vast number of dissatisfied customers seeing NOT IN SERVICE at about 9 stops, and, west of Torrence-103 were not taking J14 to get downtown.

Actually not true.   Consider this.  J14 and 26 buses that deadheaded to and from 103rd garage use the Dan Ryan and Bishop Ford.  Stops along 103rd between Stony Island and Torrence are well served by the J14.   There's virtually nothing along 106th between Torrence and Mackinaw.   In reality,  extending the 26 costs nothing since the buses travel through theres anyway and now provides opportunities to do driver switching for the 26 at the garage and for the 30 at 106th rather than 79th and Stony Island.   I'm not saying that they have relocated the switches,  but the opportunity to do so is there.

[Brandon93]

I finally rode 31st today and it has potential in becoming a permanent route. I rode from The Red Line to 31st and Rhodes. I hope I'm wrong about the 95 because there is a reason why they split up the original 95th route because if they get caught by a train at the church or Vincennes the operator(s) are screwed.

[jajuan]

8 hours ago, Busjack said:

If the growth is during the expanded hours, it would not have had an effect on the size of the bus. Maybe you are saying that if someone got on the bus at 12:07, they still had to get home at 5 p.m.

Of course, what you really have to do is wait 3-4 months for the ridership report. They haven't said yet, and certainly not yet posted a report (last one is April) whether 11 is working. That one only says:

New Bus Routes and Routings
The following routes began operating December 21st on the new Loop Link Bus Rapid Transit corridor in Chicago’s central business district: #J14 Jeffery Jump, #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th, #124 Navy Pier, & #157 Streeterville/Taylor.

New Express Routes began operating December 21st
include the #X49 Western Express, & X9 Ashland Express.

Obviously nothing about changes effective June, 2016, including the 26 expanded hours.

It doesn't take a ridership report for anyone who's ridden the 26 between June and now to answer whether they've observed any growth on the route during expanded hours  back up if the extra use of artics during those hours is needed with the route extension having been instituted. It's been observed that simply reporting numbers on paper don't give the full picture that personal observations can add  You're being a bit too analytical with the question. 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, jajuan said:

. It's been observed that simply reporting numbers on paper don't give the full picture that personal observations can add 

Well, have any individual riders answered your question?

[Busjack]

5 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Actually not true.   Consider this.  J14 and 26 buses that deadheaded to and from 103rd garage use the Dan Ryan and Bishop Ford.  Stops along 103rd between Stony Island and Torrence are well served by the J14.   There's virtually nothing along 106th between Torrence and Mackinaw.   In reality,  extending the 26 costs nothing since the buses travel through theres anyway and now provides opportunities to do driver switching for the 26 at the garage and for the 30 at 106th rather than 79th and Stony Island.   I'm not saying that they have relocated the switches,  but the opportunity to do so is there.

That's what I was implying, but jajuan apparently receded from that theory, so it is moot.

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, Brandon93 said:

because if they get caught by a train at the church or Vincennes the operator(s) are screwed.

At least the RI is not primarily a freight route, and the way stuff was interlined at the Red Line station, they would have been screwed anyway.