X4 Cottage Grove Express

[artthouwill]

46 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

I've been advocating for the #4 to terminate out of the 95th Red Line for the longest time now because it fixes a lot of safety concerns we've all had over the years about that relief point on 79th along with CSU sort of being in no man's land for safety. 95th makes the most sense because there's shelter from the elements and if push comes to shoves CPD is always at 95th so that's a plus. Rather than having to take the Red Line to 69th to then transfer over to the infrequent #30,#67,# 71 routes just to make the relief on time at 71st and Cottage is nothing more than a headache. With the revised plans pulling out and deadheading to 95th to start a run is better than having to take the Red Line to 69th or even worse having to take 79th Street over to Cottage and then taking the 4 to 71st, now we'll probably still have to to the Red Line to 95th to make a relief at times but it's better than having to go do the current routing we have now. The relief point for the 3 will continue to be at 79th which in all honesty should get moved to 95th but again not to much noise has been made about it like the #4. 

At least there's a McDonald's and a Burger King ar 79th and King Drive.   There's no place to eat or sit at 79th and Cottage Grove. 

I suppose there's no relief on the 115th trips.  Either they have to lunch themselves or pull a 95th trip after their 115th.  For instance a driver pulls out from the garage and does a trip downtown on the 4.  If he started at 115th,  his return trip would be to 94th to get a lunch relief.  After lunch (if he is assigned the 4 for his 2nd half) would do a trip downtown and a return trip to  115th. Seems like 115th trips would have to be pull ins or outs.

[YoungBusLover]

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

At least there's a McDonald's and a Burger King ar 79th and King Drive.   There's no place to eat or sit at 79th and Cottage Grove. 

I suppose there's no relief on the 115th trips.  Either they have to lunch themselves or pull a 95th trip after their 115th.  For instance a driver pulls out from the garage and does a trip downtown on the 4.  If he started at 115th,  his return trip would be to 94th to get a lunch relief.  After lunch (if he is assigned the 4 for his 2nd half) would do a trip downtown and a return trip to  115th. Seems like 115th trips would have to be pull ins or outs.

All runs on Cottage (Trips to 95th/115th) have reliefs some take place at Randolph/Columbus during the weekday morning rush to early afternoon while the rest take place at 71st and Cottage Grove which is weekly. In addition to your other point about where the runs would begin and end as far as reliefs are concerned only a few trips in the AM/PM rush start from 115th while the rest start at 95th. Most reliefs would start NB/SB at 71st  and either do one round trip to either 95th/115th while others do 1 1/2 - 2 round trips and then get relieved for there first half. It all depends on the run though because some pay more than others which requires more trips for either half especially if it's a Block run like 464 which pays just about over 10 hours I believe. Now what has made the most sense recently is a lot of us have seen what runs aren't out there posted at the garage and we just pull out to where ever we're suppose to be. For the past several weeks I pull out and start SB at 71st to 115th then I do a round trip to 95th back to 71st to conclude my first half. 2nd I start at 71st NB towards downtown and head back south to 95th and pull in all under 8 1/2 hours. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

So, just to be clear, by November 2022, the 3, 4 & X4 will all be at 95th? Or just the 3?

[YoungBusLover]

1 hour ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

So, just to be clear, by November 2022, the 3, 4 & X4 will all be at 95th? Or just the 3?

Yessir, Based on what has been getting relayed to the garage by the union/management it appears that the 3 and 4 will serve the 95th Red Line but for now the 4 and X4 will serve CSU until November or until further notice. The 3 should be terminating at the Red line by then as well. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Yessir, Based on what has been getting relayed to the garage by the union/management it appears that the 3 and 4 will serve the 95th Red Line but for now the 4 and X4 will serve CSU until November or until further notice. The 3 should be terminating at the Red line by then as well. 

I don't know how many agree with me, but I've been waiting on this for years. Hopefully the change is permanent.

[artthouwill]

14 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

All runs on Cottage (Trips to 95th/115th) have reliefs some take place at Randolph/Columbus during the weekday morning rush to early afternoon while the rest take place at 71st and Cottage Grove which is weekly. In addition to your other point about where the runs would begin and end as far as reliefs are concerned only a few trips in the AM/PM rush start from 115th while the rest start at 95th. Most reliefs would start NB/SB at 71st  and either do one round trip to either 95th/115th while others do 1 1/2 - 2 round trips and then get relieved for there first half. It all depends on the run though because some pay more than others which requires more trips for either half especially if it's a Block run like 464 which pays just about over 10 hours I believe. Now what has made the most sense recently is a lot of us have seen what runs aren't out there posted at the garage and we just pull out to where ever we're suppose to be. For the past several weeks I pull out and start SB at 71st to 115th then I do a round trip to 95th back to 71st to conclude my first half. 2nd I start at 71st NB towards downtown and head back south to 95th and pull in all under 8 1/2 hours. 

I get how 71st works because it's mudroure and it doesn't matter if the bus is NB or SB and it doesn't matter if the SB buses are going to 95th or 115th.  However,  if 95th Red Line becomes the relief point,  only certain trips go there and there isn't a SB option. You mentioned Randolph reliefs.  Are those self lunched?  The drivers break with their own bus while another bus that is either going to pull in or will park downtown pull runs?  That is my question.

[YoungBusLover]

3 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

I don't know how many agree with me, but I've been waiting on this for years. Hopefully the change is permanent.

Trust me I've been waiting a long time for this because it makes the most sense to do plus a lot of riders can stop asking me if they can get a ride to the red line now. ?

[artthouwill]

1 minute ago, YoungBusLover said:

Trust me I've been waiting a long time for this because it makes the most sense to do plus a lot of riders can stop asking me if they can get a ride to the red line now. ?

They would only ask that if they think you are pulling in.  Otherwise they know the 95 and the 115 go to the Red Line.   They ride often enough to see the 4s heading to the Dan Ryan.  

[YoungBusLover]

5 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I get how 71st works because it's mudroure and it doesn't matter if the bus is NB or SB and it doesn't matter if the SB buses are going to 95th or 115th.  However,  if 95th Red Line becomes the relief point,  only certain trips go there and there isn't a SB option. You mentioned Randolph reliefs.  Are those self lunched?  The drivers break with their own bus while another bus that is either going to pull in or will park downtown pull runs?  That is my question.

With the southern terminal (95th Red Line) being the relief point it'll probably work similar to how the #8 works seeing as Hickory Storage along with Division having a relief point during the weekday rush periods. The Randolph storage relief point pretty much has one bus sitting on the upper level of Columbus sitting adjacent to the Blue Cross shield building and it sits there from about 9 am to about 3 pm in most cases. Reliefs are made at that location until the very last run is relieved and that operator continues in service with that bus, normally there is a supervisor sitting right next to the bus to direct all the operators on where to go.

[YoungBusLover]

1 minute ago, artthouwill said:

They would only ask that if they think you are pulling in.  Otherwise they know the 95 and the 115 go to the Red Line.   They ride often enough to see the 4s heading to the Dan Ryan.  

Oh trust me they ask regardless because of infrequent both of those routes run during the day at times even when I'm not pulling in. ?

[NovaHater]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Trust me I've been waiting a long time for this because it makes the most sense to do plus a lot of riders can stop asking me if they can get a ride to the red line now. ?

“This”!!!!!!!! ?

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Oh trust me they ask regardless because of infrequent both of those routes run during the day at times even when I'm not pulling in. ?

ima frequent 3 rider and trust me there’s a lot of runs in the PM that end at 79th from 95th bcuz no drivers showing up i always ask to take my lazy ass to the red line instead of waiting for the next 3 NB

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

With the southern terminal (95th Red Line) being the relief point it'll probably work similar to how the #8 works seeing as Hickory Storage along with Division having a relief point during the weekday rush periods. The Randolph storage relief point pretty much has one bus sitting on the upper level of Columbus sitting adjacent to the Blue Cross shield building and it sits there from about 9 am to about 3 pm in most cases. Reliefs are made at that location until the very last run is relieved and that operator continues in service with that bus, normally there is a supervisor sitting right next to the bus to direct all the operators on where to go.

don’t all the SR runs sit on lower randolph? between lower columbus and and LSD?

[renardo870]

On 7/30/2022 at 9:24 AM, YoungBusLover said:

They'll probably have the 4 and X4 terminate along 96th and State street adjacent to the station for the relief point but I got another update on that and it appears the 4 and X4 relief point will be at the 95th Red line no later than November so basically the winter pick we should see something revised by then.

If 95th Red will be the new relief point for the 4and X4, will 103rd (3) assist with the routes? And where will the relief points be for the 115th Street trips? 

Edited August 1, 2022 by renardo870
Added a word

[YoungBusLover]

35 minutes ago, renardo870 said:

If 95th Red will be the new relief point for the 4and X4, will 103rd (3) assist with the routes? And where will the relief points be for the 115th Street trips? 

The 95th street terminal will still be the relief point for all 103rd Street garage routes. The bays at which they layover at may be reassigned to an alternate location but at this point I'm not sure where. I haven't gotten any word yet on if 77th will share the 4 with 103rd but I doubt it will happen, they have enough problems with they're own routes. 

[YoungBusLover]

4 hours ago, Mr.NewFlyer1051 said:

don’t all the SR runs sit on lower randolph? between lower columbus and and LSD?

Yeah they do.

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

The 95th street terminal will still be the relief point for all 103rd Street garage routes. The bays at which they layover at may be reassigned to an alternate location but at this point I'm not sure where. I haven't gotten any word yet on if 77th will share the 4 with 103rd but I doubt it will happen, they have enough problems with they're own routes. 

Shame no one from CTA reads this forum, art & I already gave them the optimal layout for all the routes ?

[renardo870]

Now if they can get the N4 Cottage Grove to 95th reinstated instead of ending at 63rd. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

5 minutes ago, renardo870 said:

Now if they can get the N4 Cottage Grove to 95th reinstated instead of ending at 63rd. 

Absolutely baffling that there is no N-S OWL service btwn the lake and the ryan. If the N9 can manage, so can the N4. Hell, have an officer assigned the bus driver if the N4 south of 63rd would be that much more unsafe than how I’m sure the N79 is perceived 

[renardo870]

9 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Absolutely baffling that there is no N-S OWL service btwn the lake and the ryan. If the N9 can manage, so can the N4. Hell, have an officer assigned the bus driver if the N4 south of 63rd would be that much more unsafe than how I’m sure the N79 is perceived 

Exactly!!! No N87 from 87th Ryan to 91st/Commercial or owl service on 28 Stony Island. Maybe they should look to resume service back to 47th Red Line. No E/W owl service between Madison and Garfield.

[andrethebusman]

X4 will run to CSU. Technically ends at Cottage/95th but continues in service to CSU terminal. Interestingly has own set of buses, not interlined with 4 local.

 

[renardo870]

4 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

X4 will run to CSU. Technically ends at Cottage/95th but continues in service to CSU terminal. Interestingly has own set of buses, not interlined with 4 local.

 

Will it be operated by 77th or 103rd?

[YoungBusLover]

2 hours ago, renardo870 said:

Will it be operated by 77th or 103rd?

77th.....

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

14 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

X4 will run to CSU. Technically ends at Cottage/95th but continues in service to CSU terminal. Interestingly has own set of buses, not interlined with 4 local.

 

i wanna see how the own set of buses will turn out and not interlining 

[NewFlyerMCI]

19 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

X4 will run to CSU. Technically ends at Cottage/95th but continues in service to CSU terminal. Interestingly has own set of buses, not interlined with 4 local.

 

So does this mean it’ll be “to 95th” or the usual “to 95th/St Lawrence”,”to Chicago State University”?