Random CTA

[YoungBusLover]

I wish everyone would go to this link and just look at the location of buses rather than looking for arrival times. I had so many customers on Halsted asking me when is the next bus coming since there was only 3 out there last night.

http://www.ctabustracker.com/bustime/map/displaymap.jsp

[rl12383]

45 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

I wish everyone would go to this link and just look at the location of buses rather than looking for arrival times. I had so many customers on Halsted asking me when is the next bus coming since there was only 3 out there last night.

http://www.ctabustracker.com/bustime/map/displaymap.jsp

Wow! Looks like CTA is still severely short staffed. Saw the monthly board meeting and they had a short presentation from human resources on cta hiring. They made it sound like things were improving some. 

 

 

 

[Busjack]

50 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

I wish everyone would go to this link and just look at the location of buses rather than looking for arrival times. I had so many customers on Halsted asking me when is the next bus coming since there was only 3 out there last night.

....

As someone else pointed out, even using that would not indicate ghost buses, but you knew that there were only 3 buses out.

Is there any street supervision, or do supervisors rely solely on the virtual representation?

3 minutes ago, rl12383 said:

Wow! Looks like CTA is still severely short staffed. Saw the monthly board meeting and they had a short presentation from human resources on cta hiring. They made it sound like things were improving some.

Short staff is a problem everywhere, but I'm sure in CTA's case it is complicated by CDL  and training requirements, and CDL holders can get better jobs in the trucking industry (don't have to deal with passengers and the associated COVID and assault issues).

Is the issue with the ~50 new buses sitting in storage that there aren't the mechanics to prep them?

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

I wish everyone would go to this link and just look at the location of buses rather than looking for arrival times. I had so many customers on Halsted asking me when is the next bus coming since there was only 3 out there last night.

http://www.ctabustracker.com/bustime/map/displaymap.jsp

I usually use the Ventea App.  Based on where I am at a given moment, it gives the estimated times if arrival for the bus and train routes nearest to my location, whether its CTA, Pace, or Metea.  Generally it works well but occasionally I've had buses that were supposed to show up not show up at all.  That issue has been problematic for Pace routes.   VTA has been consistent and I haven't tested Metra yet.  But I figure using the Ventra app is faster than CTAs tracker.  

[Tcmetro]

On one of the recent CTA meeting videos (I think it was the last accessibility committee meeting), they said that they are working on improving the bus tracker and making it more mobile friendly.

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

I usually use the Ventea App.  Based on where I am at a given moment, it gives the estimated times if arrival for the bus and train routes nearest to my location, whether its CTA, Pace, or Metea.  Generally it works well but occasionally I've had buses that were supposed to show up not show up at all.  That issue has been problematic for Pace routes.   VTA has been consistent and I haven't tested Metra yet.  But I figure using the Ventra app is faster than CTAs tracker.  

The problem in this region is that CTA, Pace, and Metra use incompatible platforms. CTA's has an open interface, but Pace's does not. The rta site once purported to have a unified tracker, but now sends users to the service board sites. Similarly RTA had a farcical trip planner, but it is also gone, now properly relying on Google Maps.

Metra was converting its systems to Clever Devices, so hopefully it is or will be compatible with CTA, but there still is Pace with Trapeze.

 

[YoungBusLover]

6 hours ago, rl12383 said:

Wow! Looks like CTA is still severely short staffed. Saw the monthly board meeting and they had a short presentation from human resources on cta hiring. They made it sound like things were improving some. 

 

 

 

Yeah they're trying to get as many bodies as try can to fill the void that currently exists but it's not happening as quick as they claim it is.

 

6 hours ago, Busjack said:

As someone else pointed out, even using that would not indicate ghost buses, but you knew that there were only 3 buses out.

Is there any street supervision, or do supervisors rely solely on the virtual representation?

Short staff is a problem everywhere, but I'm sure in CTA's case it is complicated by CDL  and training requirements, and CDL holders can get better jobs in the trucking industry (don't have to deal with passengers and the associated COVID and assault issues).

Is the issue with the ~50 new buses sitting in storage that there aren't the mechanics to prep them?

The map tracker works well and ghost buses are usually popping  up 10% of the time. Buses normally disappear at terminals and reliefs points when an operator has been given instructions for fall back or to go rouge to either a short turn a long a route or even accommodate passengers to the end of the line. Sometimes ghost buses will pop up as an extra run that wasn't created by a computer to generate a run number in the system as well. As far as mechanics goes SS is alive and well full of them I guess the bigger concern is what about the rest of the system?

[YoungBusLover]

6 hours ago, artthouwill said:

I usually use the Ventea App.  Based on where I am at a given moment, it gives the estimated times if arrival for the bus and train routes nearest to my location, whether its CTA, Pace, or Metea.  Generally it works well but occasionally I've had buses that were supposed to show up not show up at all.  That issue has been problematic for Pace routes.   VTA has been consistent and I haven't tested Metra yet.  But I figure using the Ventra app is faster than CTAs tracker.  

The best app that I wish Google store would bring back is the Ride Chicago app. You could track CTA,Pace and Metra and be given exact locations of where to go and what to catch in a timely manner. 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

As far as mechanics goes SS is alive and well full of them I guess the bigger concern is what about the rest of the system?

But in the context I raised the question, that seems bass ackward. The mechanics at the outlying garages (especially FG) have to keep buses that should have been retired a couple of months ago on the road, while their replacements stay in storage. In the case of the 8350s, it shouldn't be that hard to plug in the gps, Cubic reader, and farebox, if that's all that's needed.

[BusHunter]

52 minutes ago, Busjack said:

But in the context I raised the question, that seems bass ackward. The mechanics at the outlying garages (especially FG) have to keep buses that should have been retired a couple of months ago on the road, while their replacements stay in storage. In the case of the 8350s, it shouldn't be that hard to plug in the gps, Cubic reader, and farebox, if that's all that's needed.

It's the first time I've really seen more new buses on the 79th fence than buses that need to be fixed. Between the #600's and #8350's half to three quarters of the fence is used. Also you have beside SS is 4 deep with 8350s. They are really running out of places to put them. Pretty soon they are going to have to store some at the home garage. Maybe one of the systems has an error I don't know, but you would think that would halt delivery. There's nothing out at Prevost, I was by there today. 

Where I work we got 28 new buses but they are also being stored. They need to have the village sticker on them as well as have new radios installed. They'll probably be stored over a couple months. They had another terminal do the acceptance, they are all registered and safety stickered up, so they are ready in the eyes of the state. Funny thing is my bus quit so I'm driving the almost oldest bus in the yard. I had a bus with a smoking alternator, that if I'm not on my toes could have caught fire and jeopardized my passengers or me. Thankfully I caught it in one block, but it had the most intense burning smell I ever had smelt. So sometimes driving old equipment comes with risks from a career and liability standpoint. Best thing is now the bus sits most likely to be scrapped. It was an old bus too.

[rl12383]

From the board meeting last week. Sounds like the track and bed replacement of the blue line forest park branch from the tunnel to western is moving along. City is chipping in 21 million (approx.) from a TIF to pay for the work. Hopefully that project begins sometime soon, much needed. 

Also, hiring presentation from HR discussed why they have been having a hard time with hiring. Mostly avoided discussing how bad the problem is, but did say COVID had a major impact on the ability to get bus drivers CDL licenses... etc.. But the point is that hiring continues to lag previous years. 

Was hoping their would be some update on the 7000's this month, but nothing was said about the delivery of these rail cars. Wonder what is going on.

Edited May 16, 2022 by rl12383
Forgot one topic

[artthouwill]

10 minutes ago, rl12383 said:

From the board meeting last week. Sounds like the track and bed replacement of the blue line forest park branch from the tunnel to western is moving along. City is chipping in 21 million (approx.) from a TIF to pay for the work. Hopefully that project begins sometime soon, much needed. 

Also, hiring presentation from HR discussed why they have been having a hard time with hiring. Mostly avoided discussing how bad the problem is, but did say COVID had a major impact on the ability to get bus drivers CDL licenses... etc.. But the point is that hiring continues to lag previous years. 

Was hoping their would be some update on the 7000's this month, but nothing was said about the delivery of these rail cars. Wonder what is going on.

Based on my riding experience, the trackage between UIC Halsted and Western isn't bad.  The worst part is between Western and Pulaski  with the EB Oak Park to Austin and both directions between Central and Cicero being close runner up.  To me, the only part between UIC Halsted and Western that could use some attention is from Damen to Loomis.  

[YoungBusLover]

18 hours ago, Busjack said:

But in the context I raised the question, that seems bass ackward. The mechanics at the outlying garages (especially FG) have to keep buses that should have been retired a couple of months ago on the road, while their replacements stay in storage. In the case of the 8350s, it shouldn't be that hard to plug in the gps, Cubic reader, and farebox, if that's all that's needed.

Well based on what I was able to see from pictures of the interiors from last week the #8350s are just about ready for serivce at this point. If any moves don't happen for the summer I'll be surprised because right now we have at least 40 buses #600s and #8350s in total ready to enter service. More so the #8350s than #600s. 

[Busjack]

49 minutes ago, rl12383 said:

Also, hiring presentation from HR discussed why they have been having a hard time with hiring. Mostly avoided discussing how bad the problem is, but did say COVID had a major impact on the ability to get bus drivers CDL licenses... etc.. But the point is that hiring continues to lag previous years.

The presentation is here.

IMO, this is a candid and complete overview of what is happening, and concrete measures to deal with it.

It is unlike other organizations that say stuff like "people are applying just to get supplemental unemployment benefits," "not even [grocer] can get checkers," and otherwise throwing their arms into the air.

The problems CTA faces are more severe than one might think; for instance, while I mentioned CDLs, CTA also took into account the effect of SOS offices being closed.

[artthouwill]

2 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Well based on what I was able to see from pictures of the interiors from last week the #8350s are just about ready for serivce at this point. If any moves don't happen for the summer I'll be surprised because right now we have at least 40 buses #600s and #8350s in total ready to enter service. More so the #8350s than #600s. 

To @Busjackpoint, CRA is running or keeping 6400s on the roster while running our of space at SS to store 8350s and 600s. Yet CTA doesn't seem to have made any progress.  Are the new buses plated ?  Do they have fareboxes?  Have the signs been programmed?  How do they get to these buses and keep up with the maintenance work required for the existing buses sitting on SS Property?  The boneyard may get some live buses soon.

[Policeman]

23 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

To @Busjackpoint, CRA is running or keeping 6400s on the roster while running our of space at SS to store 8350s and 600s. Yet CTA doesn't seem to have made any progress.  Are the new buses plated ?  Do they have fareboxes?  Have the signs been programmed?  How do they get to these buses and keep up with the maintenance work required for the existing buses sitting on SS Property?  The boneyard may get some live buses soon.

Some buses have fareboxes and the clever devices have been implemented I believe 

[YoungBusLover]

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

To @Busjackpoint, CRA is running or keeping 6400s on the roster while running our of space at SS to store 8350s and 600s. Yet CTA doesn't seem to have made any progress.  Are the new buses plated ?  Do they have fareboxes?  Have the signs been programmed?  How do they get to these buses and keep up with the maintenance work required for the existing buses sitting on SS Property?  The boneyard may get some live buses soon.

Almost every bus has Fareboxes installed, clever devices are just about ready to go. The only thing missing is License plates. The destination signs are functional on the first dozen or so I've seen. Prevost vans upwards to 3-4 have been at SS quite frequently since we've surpassed 25+ buses now. There is only 7 or 8 #6800s left at this point with many more ready to be driven down/towed to SS. I'm banking on the the summer pick that they'll enter service it would generally make the most sense if CTA planned it out that way. The #600s are a different story though, I have no idea why we have some ZX5s sitting along the fence and taking up space in one of our bus bays. The boneyard is still full already with #6400s,#4000s and #4300s. Not to mention the remaining #6000s and #800s. Then you add the buses removed from the SS fence to the boneyard taking up space in the middle portion of the boneyard.

[jajuan]

On the 146 and 147 renaming front, bus stop signs have been replaced along the southbound side of Marine Drive reflecting the change for 146, and both sides of Sheridan as well as both sides of Foster between Sheridan and Marine have been changed showing that of 147. In each instance there is the quirk I noticed with new signs that show X9 and X49, red route numbers to reflect the routes are express but black characters for the route names and route service info like is the case for local routes. ?

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, jajuan said:

In each instance there is the quirk I noticed with new signs that show X9 and X49, red route numbers to reflect the routes are express but black characters for the route names and route service info like is the case for local routes. ?

I wonder if this is a throwback to when the X-- or J14 route numbers on the bus digital signs were in reverse font.

[jajuan]

On 5/20/2022 at 7:25 PM, Busjack said:

I wonder if this is a throwback to when the X-- or J14 route numbers on the bus digital signs were in reverse font.

I'm not sure. What I do know is they're following a similar format that they use on the more recent system maps: solid box surrounding a white route number for routes and route segments at a given stop that operate morning hours through some portion of the evening, five to seven days per week, and a simple outline of a box surrounding the route number for routes and route segments that operate rush periods only or some variation of what CTA calls part time service. Linking that to what I reported on Friday, the only way you have to distinguish an express route from a local one is whether the route number and/or the box surrounding the number is red or black (in the case of the J14 it would be blue).

And in an update for everyone else, the downtown stops along State and Michigan have been updated with the new 146 and 147 route names. So the only spots you'd see the prior names for either royre are on the NB Foster and Marine stop and the SB side of Marine, if those SB stops in Marine haven't yet been updated since Friday.

 

[artthouwill]

3 hours ago, jajuan said:

I'm not sure. What I do know is they're following a similar format that they use on the more recent system maps: solid box surrounding a white route number for routes and route segments at a given stop that operate morning hours through some portion of the evening, five to seven days per week, and a simple outline of a box surrounding the route number for routes and route segments that operate rush periods only or some variation of what CTA calls part time service. Linking that to what I reported on Friday, the only way you have to distinguish an express route from a local one is whether the route number and/or the box surrounding the number is red or black (in the case of the J14 it would be blue).

And in an update for everyone else, the downtown stops along State and Michigan have been updated with the new 146 and 147 route names. So the only spots you'd see the prior names for either royre are on the NB Foster and Marine stop and the SB side of Marine, if those SB stops in Marine haven't yet been updated since Friday.

 

I still think it was a waste of time and resources to renamed routes and replace signage when the name Lake Shore didn't appear in any of the route names previously.  We all know Inner Drive referred to local Lake Shore Drive and the Outer Drive referred to the express Lake Shore Drive.   I won't rehash the renaming of streets here though I think Wells and Ida B. Wells is a strange sounding intersection. 

[Busjack]

47 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I still think it was a waste of time and resources to renamed routes and replace signage when the name Lake Shore didn't appear in any of the route names previously.  We all know Inner Drive referred to local Lake Shore Drive and the Outer Drive referred to the express Lake Shore Drive.   I won't rehash the renaming of streets here though I think Wells and Ida B. Wells is a strange sounding intersection. 

There was the justification stated by staff before the Board that neither route name included the main street on which it ran. However (1) both were LSD before the change, and (2) there are other route names, such as Jackson Park Express and Streeterville, that don't include a street name.

My view is that each name includes a redundancy, but in the opposite sense: 146 should be Lake Shore Drive Express, and 147 should be DuSable LSD Express.

[artthouwill]

35 minutes ago, Busjack said:

There was the justification stated by staff before the Board that neither route name included the main street on which it ran. However (1) both were LSD before the change, and (2) there are other route names, such as Jackson Park Express and Streeterville, that don't include a street name.

My view is that each name includes a redundancy, but in the opposite sense: 146 should be Lake Shore Drive Express, and 147 should be DuSable LSD Express.

I  believe the 146 and 147 were fine before the changes.  We might call it colloquialisms but everyday users know the routes.  Downtown tourists don't use that portion of the routes so it wasn't necessary to change the name.  The only justifiable name change would've been the 14 had it still had its original name 14 S Lake Shore Express,  but since it was changed to 14 Jeffery Express,  now J14 Jeffery Jump,  no change was necessary. 

[jajuan]

The interesting part that caught my eye is that they gave the 10 a red route number to indicate express after about two and a half decades of technically being presented on bus stop signs and the system maps as a local.

[NewFlyerMCI]

I just find it interesting that they messed up the standardization of all the michigan expresses now. I agree with art in that it was never a big deal, since these were routes for locals, bar maybe the 146, but that was covered by it's destination sign. 

Amazing how they can do this, but still have -A instead of -S and -B instead of -N. And they didn't even manage to get that right, since they flipped it for Cicero for some odd reason.