What to Do With Surplus Artics

[Sam92]

On 7/10/2024 at 8:03 PM, Busjack said:

 

If I were restructuring this, once RPM stage 1 is done, cut back on parallel bus routes. For instance, 147 could be made a local between Howard and Berwyn., eliminating several of your complaints. The project should determine that with a 30% vacancy rate on Michigan Ave., how much service is needed there.

One can also question how much rush hour service is needed on Clarendon; maybe extend some Halsted buses.

 

 

On 7/25/2024 at 7:13 PM, Busjack said:

• 145 and 148 used to terminate at Wilson/Ravenswood or Lawrence/Damen until the Crowd Reduction Plan, when all of the legacy Boulevard System routes were taken off Wilson. 156 had been cut back from Wilson/Ravenswood  to Belmont earlier.
• "[I] in case anybody from the north suburbs work downtown," they can stay on Metra.

My prior point was that if development has moved from LaSalle to Fulton Market, some LaSalle bus route should accordingly be moved. My other suggestion that maybe the 127 Circulator should come back  would better address my second bullet point.

Between RPM possibly diverting ridership from LSD service along with the decline in LaSalle service demand, are we approaching the point where even 208 artics would be excessive if they can't find a way to make them work on other routes? 

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, Sam92 said:

 

Between RPM possibly diverting ridership from LSD service along with the decline in LaSalle service demand, are we approaching the point where even 208 artics would be excessive if they can't find a way to make them work on other routes? 

I could be wrong but I don't see RPM diverting ridership from LSD routes.  There's enough density along the north lakefront to justify the LSD routes, particularly south of Devon.  There is also the crime issue around the Red Line ( and it's not just the south side).  The LSD routes offer a safer alternative.  

If CTA reduces the artic fleet, will they be able to manage any uptick in ridership?  Currently CTA has service back up to prepandemic levels but ridership is more spread out instead of rush hour centric.  Would CTA be able to adjust with bus service as easily as it could with rail service? While 308 artics may be too many, 225 to 240 may seem to be the sweet spot.

[Sam92]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

So it's time to give them the ole TMC treatment from 2008? 😅 In all seriousness though NP is up to 27 #8350s with two more popping up for the evening rush being #8777 and #8793, whatever CTA decides to do will be determined before the spring pick next year.

What doesn't make sense is why is cta continuously mentioning keeping artic numbers around 310 if they cant find anything to do with the 100 surplus we have outside of emergency purposes (Track work, pandemic social distancing etc).