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Possible Weird Bus Sightings


jesi2282

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Now that is weird. Not because the bus was from the wrong garage but because of the fact that it would be on such a busy route during the height of a peak travel period. You usually wouldn't see an Optima on Clark unless it was really late in the overnight hours when there are a lot less people riding the bus.

I guess I was misunderstood. #544 - #536 have been at North Park since it's delivery. I said "misplaced" because it was completely nuts to see a bus that small on a heavy ridership route. Now if someone sees #538 that's news. I haven't seen this bus since it's so called delivery.

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I guess I was misunderstood. #544 - #536 have been at North Park since it's delivery. I said "misplaced" because it was completely nuts to see a bus that small on a heavy ridership route. Now if someone sees #538 that's news. I haven't seen this bus since it's so called delivery.

That's what I was saying. :P I was just stating that I understood why you were it was a strange sight.

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I guess I was misunderstood. #544 - #536 have been at North Park since it's delivery. I said "misplaced" because it was completely nuts to see a bus that small on a heavy ridership route. Now if someone sees #538 that's news. I haven't seen this bus since it's so called delivery.

This weird bus sighting displays the level of incompetence at CTA. Why would they put such a small capacity bus on an extremely busy route??. Guess what?? The driver is then put in a "Catch 22" situation. Hes got a packed bus, he has a large group of passengers at the next stop, he cant pick up another passenger so he has no choice but to pass up the riders waiting. He would be reprimanded for this. Dosent make sense!!

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Thus far I have seen Optima busses being put on the following routes in the last year:

#22 Clark (Howard-Foster trips, though others are seeing they've seen beyond)

#56 Milwaukee (yes, the regular 56)

#84 Peterson

#85 Central

#86 Narragansett/Ridgeland

#91 Austin

#151 Sheridan (during the beginning of three-track)

NOW, of those the 22 (Howard-Foster trips), 84 and 86 (during off peak) i can understand. But the rest of them?

This is an issue that has to be addressed to maintenance and bus sign out

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Thus far I have seen Optima busses being put on the following routes in the last year:

#22 Clark (Howard-Foster trips, though others are seeing they've seen beyond)

#56 Milwaukee (yes, the regular 56)

#84 Peterson

#85 Central

#86 Narragansett/Ridgeland

#91 Austin

#151 Sheridan (during the beginning of three-track)

NOW, of those the 22 (Howard-Foster trips), 84 and 86 (during off peak) i can understand. But the rest of them?

This is an issue that has to be addressed to maintenance and bus sign out

I've seen Optimas on the 143, 85A, 92, 93, 96, 97, and one on the 36 about 5/6 months ago. Also, of course the 173.

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I've seen Optimas on the 143, 85A, 92, 93, 96, 97, and one on the 36 about 5/6 months ago. Also, of course the 173.

85A, 93 and 96 are not a big deal pending the time of day (especially 93 during school hours). 97 may not be a good idea, and the 36 seems to happen late at nite as two runs are N201s that start out on the 36. Orginally those runs didn't check in until after 0000 then went straight to Evanston, but apparently that has changed. However, I noticed when working either on the weekend, the last saturday trip was a 22 and on Sunday a 36 was thrown into it.

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85A, 93 and 96 are not a big deal pending the time of day (especially 93 during school hours). 97 may not be a good idea, and the 36 seems to happen late at nite as two runs are N201s that start out on the 36. Orginally those runs didn't check in until after 0000 then went straight to Evanston, but apparently that has changed. However, I noticed when working either on the weekend, the last saturday trip was a 22 and on Sunday a 36 was thrown into it.

You said that two Broadway runs turn into N201s. Does any other route turn into the N201?

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The #11 that departs from North/Clark at 3:40 today is being run by 542.

That's not weird. That would be normal. Sunday trips on route #11 are often covered by Optimas. That means North Park is actually doing it right.

You said that two Broadway runs turn into N201s. Does any other route turn into the N201?

One Broadway and one Sheridan at present. The Broadway is designated for Optimas (whether or not it actually gets an Optima...well, sometimes it does). The Sheridan is supposed to get a regular 40-footer.

They might be all 40-footers in March.

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That's not weird. That would be normal. Sunday trips on route #11 are often covered by Optimas. That means North Park is actually doing it right.

It is werid because #11 is a busy route. What are you talking about?

They might be all 40-footers in March.

Why aren't they 40 footers right now?

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It is werid because #11 is a busy route. What are you talking about?

Actually, after researching more, Optimas on the Sunday 11 aren't rare at all.

Why aren't they 40 footers right now?

I would guess they're not 40-footers right now because 40-footers still aren't needed enough to change the way the buses are dispatched.

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This weird bus sighting displays the level of incompetence at CTA. Why would they put such a small capacity bus on an extremely busy route??. Guess what?? The driver is then put in a "Catch 22" situation. Hes got a packed bus, he has a large group of passengers at the next stop, he cant pick up another passenger so he has no choice but to pass up the riders waiting. He would be reprimanded for this. Dosent make sense!!

Perhaps weirder than the #22 Optima sighting, a couple of weeks ago I saw Optima #531 on the #152 Addison route outside Lane Tech at 3 o'clock when the kids were going home from school. I was riding a #6000 (which was getting packed with kids at the service stop at Artesian/Addison) when #531 passes us up to pick up a load of kids at Western :huh: The bus (#531) couldn't handle all the kids so my #6000 which was full tried to squeeze a few more on it that #531 left behind. A few kids couldn't board my bus either so they were left behind to board a 3rd bus. (which was not present at the time). My gut tells me that this bus driver on #531 was trailing my bus slowly (because he knew he was screwed) and tried to pass it at the last minute to try and keep up with his schedule. I betcha he had a nice day :angry:

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The #11 that departs from North/Clark at 3:40 today is being run by 542.

I think #542 is one of North Park's "lemon" buses. Sightings of this bus are rare because every time a driver takes the bus out it has a mechanical failure. I heard over CTA radio that the bus was defective on two straight days One for a low fuel light (could've been defective) on the #93 and on the next day for a dead motor on the same route. The day of the low fuel light I was at North Park and noticed the bus on the side of the garage like it was waiting for a mechanic. If it was just low fuel, why wouldn't someone just fill the tank and send it out?

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Alright, I have this feeling that my last reply/post will get too many replies in another thread, so I'm bringing it here. :lol:

I saw a 5800 New Flyer going northbound on Archer at Cermak and Princeton. It was in the evening hours (~6 PM - 7:30 PM) back in last June/July. I don't have a picture (even I wish I did) since I was just walking around, just enjoying the day before it ended! :P

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Alright, I have this feeling that my last reply/post will get too many replies in another thread, so I'm bringing it here. :lol:

This may be really off topic, but I saw a 5800 New Flyer, really sure, going northbound on Archer sometime last June/July.
Probably depends where. It could have been going to or from Bus & Truck at 31st & Pulaski for work. I previously mentioned that I saw one in Glen Ellyn, presumably going to a DDA place out that way.

I moved my prior post.

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Probably depends where. It could have been going to or from Bus & Truck at 31st & Pulaski for work. I previously mentioned that I saw one in Glen Ellyn, presumably going to a DDA place out that way.

I moved my prior post.

I once seen #5825 at 5th avenue and North Ave. in Melrose Park, IL. This was when all the #5800's were going through their mid life rehab. Probably was coming from Bus and Truck in Carol Stream. I think the rehabs were done out there. (not sure)

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Guest ctafan630

Thus far I have seen Optima busses being put on the following routes in the last year:

#22 Clark (Howard-Foster trips, though others are seeing they've seen beyond)

#56 Milwaukee (yes, the regular 56)

#84 Peterson

#85 Central

#86 Narragansett/Ridgeland

#91 Austin

#151 Sheridan (during the beginning of three-track)

NOW, of those the 22 (Howard-Foster trips), 84 and 86 (during off peak) i can understand. But the rest of them?

This is an issue that has to be addressed to maintenance and bus sign out

I have also seen the Optima buses on 81W West Lawrence and 88 Higgins

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  • 2 weeks later...

This might be in the wrong spot but last night [1/27/08] I saw what appeared to be a 40 foot NABI high floor northbound on Lake Shore Dr around Monroe. The bus was white and didn't have any lettering on it that I could see. I was driving so I couldn't get a second look. Anyone have any ideas whose bus it was?

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This might be in the wrong spot but last night [1/27/08] I saw what appeared to be a 40 foot NABI high floor northbound on Lake Shore Dr around Monroe. The bus was white and didn't have any lettering on it that I could see. I was driving so I couldn't get a second look. Anyone have any ideas whose bus it was?

Possibly a retired 2200 Pace bus? Or a new delivery from NABI from Alabama.

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