CTA ridership lost to ride share

[jajuan]

41 minutes ago, andrethebusman said:

CTA still gets ORD business because the Kennedy is often VERY slow.

True. The same can be said for the Stevenson at times when it comes to Midway. The Orange Line doesn't exactly hurt on that front either if the earlier morning service between Midway and downtown is any indication. Service in that 3:30 AM to 4 AM timeframe on weekdays and Saturdays got transferred from the N62 to the Orange Line just recently.

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Let me clarify pooling as it relates to CDT and  CAR under Pace ADA

ADA was always supposed to be a shared ride, and also a feeder to a fixed route within 3/4 miles. It certainly seems like Pace got away from that in the suburbs, although apparently not with regard to the shared ride and the city contractors.

[Busjack]

Maybe also indicative of what's happening to CTA is this Tribune article that half the taxi medallions are out of business. However, since it appears to affect those who lease cabs rather than driving them, couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people.

[artthouwill]

4 hours ago, Busjack said:

Maybe also indicative of what's happening to CTA is this Tribune article that half the taxi medallions are out of business. However, since it appears to affect those who lease cabs rather than driving them, couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people.

Maybe once Rahm is  out of the way, the taxis' wish for a New York like cap on new Uber and Lyft drivers will come to fruition.    Whether that brings riders back to cabs, or CTA  remains to be seen.

[Busjack]

4 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Maybe once Rahm is  out of the way, the taxis' wish for a New York like cap on new Uber and Lyft drivers will come to fruition.    Whether that brings riders back to cabs, or CTA  remains to be seen.

Let me put it this way. I'm not investing in Medallion Finance Co., or whatever it is called.

[Nova's at 103rd]

I think reintroducing the express routes is a good start(X3,X4,X54,X55,X80) but where do you go from there.Having bus lanes could do something but putting a bus lane on for instance 79th Street or Chicago will just make traffic worse (as those are the 2 busiest routes in CTA). How about following the student fare transfers but for regular rides. Start with $2.50,next ride is $1.50, and last ride could be free and this could happen instead of in 2 hours, 3 hours so it's more reliable.

Also make service work like this for example:Cottage Grove from 115th leaves at 3:30pm, Cottage Grove from 95th leaves at 3:45pm (I ride Cottage Grove from 111th everyday and it only takes 6-10mins to get from 115th to 95th) instead of the bus leaving 115th at 3:30pm and one leaving 95th at 3:35pm where now two bus are right together and the second bus keeps stopping to let the other bus get far.                                                                                                        

                              

[jesi2282]

9 hours ago, Nova's at 103rd said:

I think reintroducing the express routes is a good start(X3,X4,X54,X55,X80) but where do you go from there.Having bus lanes could do something but putting a bus lane on for instance 79th Street or Chicago will just make traffic worse (as those are the 2 busiest routes in CTA). How about following the student fare transfers but for regular rides. Start with $2.50,next ride is $1.50, and last ride could be free and this could happen instead of in 2 hours, 3 hours so it's more reliable.

Also make service work like this for example:Cottage Grove from 115th leaves at 3:30pm, Cottage Grove from 95th leaves at 3:45pm (I ride Cottage Grove from 111th everyday and it only takes 6-10mins to get from 115th to 95th) instead of the bus leaving 115th at 3:30pm and one leaving 95th at 3:35pm where now two bus are right together and the second bus keeps stopping to let the other bus get far.                                                                                                        

                              

I agree with you, in that CTA should reintroduce many of the X routes, at least during rush periods. They could do it the same way they did in 2006 by converting a curtain number of locals into express. The loss of the X54 was disappointing, losing the one seat ride from Jeff Park to Midway was a step backwards. Also, if you want faster buses, bus stop spacing should be examined on curtain corridors, especially Inner LSD (here's an example, pan over to the right and you'll see how close the stops are).

When it comes to bus lanes, can't they install the lanes and have rush hour parking bans? (similar to Jeffery Blvd). At least this way you don't have to reduce vehicle lanes. Also can someone give me an answer as to why the Loop Link bus lanes are painted red, while the bus lanes along Adams and Dearborn are near invisible, would it be so hard for CDOT throw down some red paint? 

As far as rideshare goes, the growth rate of the number of drivers at this point is out of control, and a cap on the number of Uber/Lyft vehicles is badly needed (I was disappointed none of the mayoral candidates mentioned a rideshare cap when pressed about how to reverse ridership loss and address growing congestion in the loop. During one of the mayoral forums, Mendoza basically endorsed the continued unchecked growth of Uber/Lyft).

[andrethebusman]

Last night I was hanging out at McCarran Airport at the dropoff area and noticed that for every taxi dropping off there were easily 10 Ubers and Lyfts. Seeing a taxi away from the Strip is getting rare and all casinos now have designated shared-ride pickup areas by the front door. Looks like the taxi business is dying and the big operator, BellTrans, is transforming into a charter bus outfit with minibuses. Doesn't seem to have affected RTC Transit much, yet. Probably because they can't compete on price.

[MetroShadow]

Well, here’s the answer. We’ve called it (or at I have since being in the profession): https://jalopnik.com/uber-finally-admits-its-directly-competing-with-publi-1834009027

[strictures]

10 hours ago, MetroShadow said:

Well, here’s the answer. We’ve called it (or at I have since being in the profession): https://jalopnik.com/uber-finally-admits-its-directly-competing-with-publi-1834009027

I don't think anyone at the CTA has the foggiest idea that people are abandoning it not just because the ride sharing trips are faster, but because the CTA has become so horrendously uncomfortable!   The sideways seats are disasters. They're too narrow & leave large gaps at the end of each section, because they should've bought wider seats, but didn't because some fool wanted to keep the inventory simpler.  One day I took the L home from the Loop to Loyola & had to get up & stand halfway there, because some rude, huge guy squeezed his body into the half seat between me & another person.  It was painful!   If the artics on the Lake Shore Drive routes have springs & shock absorbers, it's news to me!   The northern part of the 147 on Sheridan Road can knock out tooth fillings!  I grew up riding buses that ran out of the old Diversey/Keeler garage & they had the softest ride of any buses, ever. 

Plus I love your signature line from "Yes, Prime Minister.

[pudgym29]

The mask has come off! Look at what Uber states in its initial public offering document.

• [url=https://jalopnik.com/uber-finally-admits-its-directly-competing-with-publi-1834009027]Jalopnik[/url]

  https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/tech/uber-public-transportation/index.html]C N N {!}[/url][url=https://48hills.org/2019/05/ubers-plans-include-attacking-public-transit/]48 Hills [San Francisco][/url] [url=https://prospect.org/article/ridesharing-versus-public-transit]Prospect .org[/url]

• [url=
• [/url]

Uber (& by extension, Lyft) are attacking public transportation. If I can temporarily set to abeyance the element about persons earning lower income being crumpled by increasing 'rideshare' operations; what would happen if public transportation ceased operation on the routes where rideshare operators literally and physically slowed down the operation of transit vehicles on that avenue and at that time? I believe more single (or dual) occupancy vehicles is not a valid transit alternative. In Chicago's case, the Authority should bellow, "Riding a #22 Clark bus costs $2.25 regardless of when and where you board it. Can Uber or Lyft give a more definitive price on what it will cost at a specific time of day {or night}?"

Edited June 30, 2019 by pudgym29
change to easier to read text color.

[strictures]

14 hours ago, pudgym29 said:

The mask has come off! Look at what Uber states in its initial public offering document.

• [url=https://jalopnik.com/uber-finally-admits-its-directly-competing-with-publi-1834009027]Jalopnik[/url]
• [url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/tech/uber-public-transportation/index.html]C N N {!}[/url]
• [url=https://48hills.org/2019/05/ubers-plans-include-attacking-public-transit/]48 Hills [San Francisco][/url]
• [url=https://prospect.org/article/ridesharing-versus-public-transit]Prospect .org[/url]

Uber (& by extension, Lyft) are attacking public transportation. If I can temporarily set to abeyance the element about persons earning lower income being crumpled by increasing 'rideshare' operations; what would happen if public transportation ceased operation on the routes where rideshare operators literally and physically slowed down the operation of transit vehicles on that avenue and at that time? I believe more single (or dual) occupancy vehicles is not a valid transit alternative. In Chicago's case, the Authority should bellow, "Riding a #22 Clark bus costs $2.25 regardless of when and where you board it. Can Uber or Lyft give a more definitive price on what it will cost at a specific time of day {or night}?"

Please don't post in any color than black.  This was hard to read.

[ctowntravel]

I really enjoy the CTA anytime I am visiting Chicago but I have to be blunt and honest as well about some of the downsides.

Wifey and myself traveled there recently last year and the year before using the belmont and logan square stops. in 2017 my wife was pregnant with our son and we took the blue line from ohare to our destination. It was a short walk but of course being pregnant, walking around was difficult for her and a significant portion of service elevators were not working. In many cases we found ourselves needing to use lyft as there weren't really many options. We attempted to use the CTA buses but it became very confusing as we ended up boarding a bus that was rerouted and took us a completely different option so we were becoming frustrated seeing the gps on my phone going away from our destination. Additionally walking around Albany Park (if I recall) there were signs that the bus route there also had been rerouted. 

 

The issues our second visit my son had been born at that point and we were walking around with a stroller. Those specific circumstances we had to rely on CTA for the buses and trains because no uber or lyft could pick us up due to needing a car seat for my son and not all uber or lyft offer the option nor have an age appropriate seat facing the rear so we had to learn the bus system. We were able to navigate for the most part including the buses but my mother was with us that time so she ended up renting a car since we were headed up to Wisconsin. The most difficult portions were using the station at Logan Square which I believe was under construction at the time. Additionally elevators and many escalators were out of service and needed to walk up or down stairs with a stroller which was very tiring.

 

There were definitely positives about CTA, I find it very efficient, on time and fast. Additionally transfers are easy, getting to main areas are nice but I see the limitations to a degree as well.

I would like to see CTA become a primary option if I ever moved to Chicago but it is mainly the accessibility. I think the ridership decline with uber and lyft comes out of a necessity in some cases while others want the convenience.

 

If I were a young single guy I could see easily how CTA would be beneficial but as a married man with a family, it makes things much more complex especially with many of the issues at least on the blue line with those who are disabled.