trainman8119 Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 What a wonderful day. First Mark Buehrle pitches a no hitter for the White Sox. Now Frank Kruesi quits. Now if Metra would dump Phil Pagano it would be a trifecta. I would love to know the behind the scenes on this. The good Mayor is making it look like this is nothing more than listening to the Springfield Pols who have been calling for Kruesi's head and the impression that there would be no additional money for the agency as long as Kruesi was in control. I don't think this was a case of Kruesi waking up this morning and quitting, it was definitely Daley pushing him out the door. I would have loved to see someone with a little more knowledge than driving a school bus in charge, but from the people Daley could have picked, I think Ron Huberman can be a good leader. Only time will tell. Just glad he didn't pick Cortez Trotter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 What a wonderful day. First Mark Buehrle pitches a no hitter for the White Sox... OT: What would make this day equally better... the Cubs WINNING a game or two in a row!!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 LOL. Its really a great day for the City; not because of the great Mark Buherle, but for Chicago as a whole (waiting until the cubs finally get on a winning streak). I believe that this is finally a change that allows for the CTA to actually get things done (slowly, but surely), and the "crap projects" would actually be thrown out in favor of helping the community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Huberman is more competent than Kruesi, but I question putting someone in charge that lacks transit experience. If the CTA Board were really in charge, it would conduct a nationwide search for a noted transit official from somewhere like Boston or San Francisco, were the transit system works. I consider the following from the Tribune article to be "Who Ya Crappin" (as used on the Boers and Bernstein show on WSCR), in addition to the obvious one that Kruesi isn't being forced out: Daley said it was unfair to blame Kruesi for financial trouble at the CTA, especially the pension fund crunch, which he said was brought on by a law passed in the state legislature requiring the agency to put up 90 percent all money in the fund. "If you're trying to make a scapegoat out of one individual, it's unfortunate," Daley told reporters. "Where do you get 90 percent funding of a pension fund if you have no new revenue?" The real question is where the CTA pension fund was going to get the money to pay benefits, if it wasn't being funded? Why did Kruesi and the CTA Board let it go from 80% to 20% funded in only a few years? I suppose one can dissect the Auditor General's report and determine the reasons, but it sure isn't that the state legislature passed a law mandating that CTA meet its pension obligations. The CTA Board should show some intestinal fortitude and not make the President's position a city political patronage post (especially if it expects the rest of the RTA region to bail it out). Also, one of the first things the new CTA President should do is dismantle the Public Affairs (actually propoganda) Department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Most of the commenters in the RedEye Blog on this issue seem pretty perceptive (which is a surprising and welcome change). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westing Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Huberman is more competent than Kruesi, but I question putting someone in charge that lacks transit experience. If the CTA Board were really in charge, it would conduct a nationwide search for a noted transit official from somewhere like Boston or San Francisco, were the transit system works. Boston? A transit system that works? Over the years they have had more problems than Chicago (although with our unfunded system, we are starting to catch up). The procurement of type 8 Breda cars has been nothing but trouble, creating nearly a decade-long debacle and its all the "T"s fault (see state auditor report). Only now is the "T" getting to the point where they can operate them on nearly every branch of the Green line, only after they had to rebuild the tracks. Its difficult to believe the agency was so stupid when acquiring those cars. The Charlie Card, a smart card like Chicago Card, has encountered numerous teething problems upon its creation. Whereas, the Chicago Card was tested for several years and did not face the problems Charlie Card has faced. After a class-action lawsuit the agency still has not appeased disabled riders. More importantly, the MBTA has been criticized for its faulty escalators, dilapidated stations, and old railcar fleet. I don't think the "T" is that admirable of an agency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 OK, I'll drop Boston, and maybe throw Toronto in (although I wasn't impressed by Alf Savage). Hell, L.A. let the Olympic Committee ride their light rail, while all Chicago let them ride were the scarce hybrid buses (like they are representative of the rest of the system), instead of, like I suggested, letting them ride the Green Line to 51st and see the real South Side. My point was to do a nationwide search for the best candidate, not rubber stamp the Mayor's "recommendation." But, at least with an electronics background, maybe Huberman can get Bustracker to do something useful on a systemwide basis. P.S. I dare anyone to find a large city where the disabled community isn't complaining. Conversely, I wonder how a low floor streetcar of a design similar to Breda's could ever work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buslover88 Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Frank is gone!? YES!!!! HALLEJUAH!!! I think the CTA's going to get much better with him gone now!! Thank God for him leaving!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcherRider Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Now Mr.Kruesi is gone now we could get better bus and "L Service in the city and better buses that works and does not brak down that fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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