Random CTA

[NewFlyerMCI]

19 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

I never thought we were this short for buses during the PM period but man oh man. There's only 166 buses out right now in service and the #4000s are the main suspects in all of this. Only 36 are in service versus the the 66 #1000s and 62 #7900s that are out. There's at least seven or eight operators waiting at the signout booth waiting for available buses and a few like myself have been here for at least over an hour now. It's kind of like a mini day off for those on swings and trippers. This is becoming more frequent now at least at 77th, has any other operators from garages had this issue recently?

So, wait, are you all short on artics or short on buses in general?

[YoungBusLover]

5 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

So, wait, are you all short on artics or short on buses in general?

I want to say a little bit of both. We normally have way more #4000s in service than just 36. 

[YoungBusLover]

2 minutes ago, Shannoncvpi said:

7987 broke down at 57th on the 3 my boy jaburi just posted on snap its coolent running out of it his bus was leaking from 39th to 57

Dang that's tough but not a surprise with these #7900s, they're literally junk.

[BusHunter]

37 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

I want to say a little bit of both. We normally have way more #4000s in service than just 36. 

Guess that explains why I saw a 40 foot bus on 79th yesterday. I was noticing too service seemed kind of light. People were waiting for the bus, looked like they were wanting to get on my bus!! 

[NewFlyerMCI]

38 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Dang that's tough but not a surprise with these #7900s, they're literally junk.

It seems like CTA got a batch of sub-par Nova's. The ones in Philly & NYC run great (when not running over a pothole) and the ones in Baltimore are nice (albeit new). I was in Houston about 2 weeks ago and they have diesel Novas, 40ft and 60ft and CNG Novas and they're the best i've ever been on (especially those CNG ones)

[YoungBusLover]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Guess that explains why I saw a 40 foot bus on 79th yesterday. I was noticing too service seemed kind of light. People were waiting for the bus, looked like they were wanting to get on my bus!! 

A lot of the remaining #4000s without issues have migrated towards cottage grove while 79th and 87th have had more 40 footers pop up in recent weeks. I didn't get a bus until 5:30 today and it was a pull in. There was at least 25 buses out of our garage that were sitting in the shops or just adjacent to them today, no specific bunch of buses just #1000s,#4000's and #7900s all together in groups. I remember having #1260 on Monday and the bus had so much smoke coming out of the tail pipe it was ridiculous, the smell of burning oil was irritating to deal with. Whenever a bus starts smoking like an SD40 locomotive you're in for a long day.

[YoungBusLover]

12 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

It seems like CTA got a batch of sub-par Nova's. The ones in Philly & NYC run great (when not running over a pothole) and the ones in Baltimore are nice (albeit new). I was in Houston about 2 weeks ago and they have diesel Novas, 40ft and 60ft and CNG Novas and they're the best i've ever been on (especially those CNG ones)

The terrain and climate plays a big factor along with  an operators skillset to not damage the equipment. Then there's maintenance but that's a entirely different conversation. 

[Shannoncvpi]

3 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Dang that's tough but not a surprise with these #7900s, they're literally junk.

Yea thats why y'all can come get y'all 7903-07 from us we dont even want no buses in return y'all just come & get them ?? might just take 1 each night & bring it to yall

[Shannoncvpi]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

A lot of the remaining #4000s without issues have migrated towards cottage grove while 79th and 87th have had more 40 footers pop up in recent weeks. I didn't get a bus until 5:30 today and it was a pull in. There was at least 25 buses out of our garage that were sitting in the shops or just adjacent to them today, no specific bunch of buses just #1000s,#4000's and #7900s all together in groups. I remember having #1260 on Monday and the bus had so much smoke coming out of the tail pipe it was ridiculous, the smell of burning oil was irritating to deal with. Whenever a bus starts smoking like an SD40 locomotive you're in for a long day.

You dam right about that

[Shannoncvpi]

4 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

I never thought we were this short for buses during the PM period but man oh man. There's only 166 buses out right now in service and the #4000s are the main suspects in all of this. Only 36 are in service versus the the 66 #1000s and 62 #7900s that are out. There's at least seven or eight operators waiting at the signout booth waiting for available buses and a few like myself have been here for at least over an hour now. It's kind of like a mini day off for those on swings and trippers. This is becoming more frequent now at least at 77th, has any other operators from garages had this issue recently?

Yea a while back we was short buses I was like how tf we short we got buses on the wall come to find our that they were broke buses

[Shannoncvpi]

Took a pic of my car with 6163 today 2 iconic rides 

[BusHunter]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

A lot of the remaining #4000s without issues have migrated towards cottage grove while 79th and 87th have had more 40 footers pop up in recent weeks. I didn't get a bus until 5:30 today and it was a pull in. There was at least 25 buses out of our garage that were sitting in the shops or just adjacent to them today, no specific bunch of buses just #1000s,#4000's and #7900s all together in groups. I remember having #1260 on Monday and the bus had so much smoke coming out of the tail pipe it was ridiculous, the smell of burning oil was irritating to deal with. Whenever a bus starts smoking like an SD40 locomotive you're in for a long day.

Sounds like the #4000s are having a domino effect on the rest of the 77th fleet. It doesn't take much at 77th due to their heavy routes. 

If it becomes too much of a problem cta may have to swap some around with other garages buses, just to keep themselves afloat. 

Where I work, I've been driving a backup bus because my bus was down for several issues. It's been months, they tried to give it back to me but I reported some issues I thought they fixed, but I guess they didnt. So I'm back in the backup bus. What's crazy about it is the backup bus is newer, buses by me are assigned by route, maybe certain contractors have more clout. I drive alot of miles always coming in for extra work, so I'll put their repairs to the test. 

[BusHunter]

9 minutes ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Took a pic of my car with 6163 today 2 iconic rides 

I might have to buy one of those for uber!! Most of the carjackings are rideshare. 

[Shannoncvpi]

2 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

I might have to buy one of those for uber!! Most of the carjackings are rideshare. 

Yea they have look on fb market offer up & Craigslist 

[YoungBusLover]

9 hours ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Yea thats why y'all can come get y'all 7903-07 from us we dont even want no buses in return y'all just come & get them ?? might just take 1 each night & bring it to yall

Trust me that mini block needed a break from the Southside ???.

[YoungBusLover]

9 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Sounds like the #4000s are having a domino effect on the rest of the 77th fleet. It doesn't take much at 77th due to their heavy routes. 

If it becomes too much of a problem cta may have to swap some around with other garages buses, just to keep themselves afloat. 

Where I work, I've been driving a backup bus because my bus was down for several issues. It's been months, they tried to give it back to me but I reported some issues I thought they fixed, but I guess they didnt. So I'm back in the backup bus. What's crazy about it is the backup bus is newer, buses by me are assigned by route, maybe certain contractors have more clout. I drive alot of miles always coming in for extra work, so I'll put their repairs to the test. 

Yeah it's a fluid situation to monitor that's for sure, What could 77th trade for if it does get that bad and with who? What type of models do you operate? I've never heard of a backup bus method before, that's quite interesting to say the least.

[YoungBusLover]

9 hours ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Took a pic of my car with 6163 today 2 iconic rides 

I have to make my way over to Chicago ave this year to get some more pictures of #6163.

[Shannoncvpi]

56 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Trust me that mini block needed a break from the Southside ???.

??? well they then had a break so y'all can have em back

[Shannoncvpi]

48 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

I have to make my way over to Chicago ave this year to get some more pictures of #6163.

Bet let me know when you do bro 

[NewFlyerMCI]

12 hours ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Took a pic of my car with 6163 today 2 iconic rides 

I just know you slow traffic down with that car ?

[BusHunter]

11 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Yeah it's a fluid situation to monitor that's for sure, What could 77th trade for if it does get that bad and with who? What type of models do you operate? I've never heard of a backup bus method before, that's quite interesting to say the least.

Usually 77th trades with FG, but if artics are the problem it might be time to share the #4300's. I dont know if the problem a lack of mechanics or these buses have just petered out. You know when they were consolidating models they put all the same models at the same garages so now when buses are failing when being worked hard they wonder why? Whats worse is you cant really take from a pool of better buses cause theres not as many. I still think this pie in the sky electric bus pilot has hurt them. While they have been testing 5 buses, Pace has just about replaced its whole fleet. That could have been time spent on new buses. Pace while not going electric has went alternative and you have to applaud them for that. Electric is still too high a rung to climb to. What is more likely, CTA's plan to go all electric by 2040 or Pace to go all alternative by then? The more they obsess over electric the more theyll hurt themselves. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

Usually 77th trades with FG, but if artics are the problem it might be time to share the #4300's. I dont know if the problem a lack of mechanics or these buses have just petered out. You know when they were consolidating models they put all the same models at the same garages so now when buses are failing when being worked hard they wonder why? Whats worse is you cant really take from a pool of better buses cause theres not as many. I still think this pie in the sky electric bus pilot has hurt them. While they have been testing 5 buses, Pace has just about replaced its whole fleet. That could have been time spent on new buses. Pace while not going electric has went alternative and you have to applaud them for that. Electric is still too high a rung to climb to. What is more likely, CTA's plan to go all electric by 2040 or Pace to go all alternative by then? The more they obsess over electric the more theyll hurt themselves. 

In fairness, I'm fairly certain the shoeboxes alone is larger than Pace's entire fleet, it didn't take as much for them to replace the entire fleet. And as I stated in another thread, it was probably better to start piloting this now, cause in 20 years, they might be forced to go electric anyhow. And I don't see Chicago putting up trolley wires. I also do think CTA should look into CNG use, maybe even converting FG or 74th into a CNG garage, but that's another discussion

[Shannoncvpi]

10 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

I just know you slow traffic down with that car ?

Hell yea & be clearing the fast lane too when they be driving slow af in it 

[BusHunter]

15 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

In fairness, I'm fairly certain the shoeboxes alone is larger than Pace's entire fleet, it didn't take as much for them to replace the entire fleet. And as I stated in another thread, it was probably better to start piloting this now, cause in 20 years, they might be forced to go electric anyhow. And I don't see Chicago putting up trolley wires. I also do think CTA should look into CNG use, maybe even converting FG or 74th into a CNG garage, but that's another discussion

Yeah but to bounce the ball back to the other end of the court, Pace has not only bought new buses (close to 300,) with a healthy dose of up to 125 plus cngs coming within 2 years, it has invested in new technology, instead of abandoning it which seems to be what cta has done with hybrids. It's going to transfer 2 garages to a completely different fuel source all with a smaller budget than cta. Can cta say that? 

CTA seems to be spending alot of time on electric technology, when the technology itself is rapidly evolving. Towers to charge a bus will soon be old, the future is most likely charging pads. 

I stand by my remarks about Pace, I really do believe they will be on an alternative fuel source by 2040. I wish they would try out hydrogen fuel cell eldorados. The 30 foot ones. This way they could have a newer tech for the smaller buses too. 

CTA is just too much a deer in the headlights when it comes to propane or cng type buses since they had that bad garage fire in the 60s. They just need to make sure the tanks are outside. I've fueled a propane bus myself. It seems safe to me. We have a sister garage that has half or its garage propane buses. Sometimes when we are doing a charter across town you end up at the other facility. They had loaned us a few propanes for a certain charter. Sometimes customers request certain buses. Because we are a diesel garage we had to fuel at their garage. Seems to me in my experience, the fuel runs out faster but I dont know the price of propane. 

[Shannoncvpi]

Glad to see aint nobody parked here blocking buses today to go in the liquor store