Bustracker's buses

[nflyer22]

74th's New Flyers have finally started appearing on Bus Tracker.

That's awesome, just saw for myself; the thing I'm wondering is how come they just started to come up today all at the same time (like how come 1731 and other early ones didn't show up before, if they were to have received the Tracker equipment, since I highly doubt they were all installed just overnight. :lol:

[Busjack]

I saw some 1700s, too, but if this doesn't prove that bus bunching is bad, nothing will.

[Busjack]

That's awesome, just saw for myself; the thing I'm wondering is how come they just started to come up today all at the same time (like how come 1731 and other early ones didn't show up before, if they were to have received the Tracker equipment, since I highly doubt they were all installed just overnight.

I also doubt that they are all on line. I really doubt that there are only 2 eastbound buses on 63.

In fact, buses keep appearing and disappearing.

[sht6131]

Two questions here:

1) Is #82 Kimball-Homan going to be added? Seems they forgot that route

2) When will the other routes, such as #108, #64, #69 and the U of C routes be added?

Anybody know why #82 is not posted?

[nflyer22]

I also doubt that they are all on line. I really doubt that there are only 2 eastbound buses on 63.

In fact, buses keep appearing and disappearing.

Well, the 1st one the buses are only going up to Stony Island, while the bottom one the buses are going to the 63rd Beach, so they wouldn't be on the same line, so all buses are still there.

[Busjack]

Well, the 1st one the buses are only going up to Stony Island, while the bottom one the buses are going to the 63rd Beach, so they wouldn't be on the same line, so all buses are still there.

I also looked at the underlying map. On, 59, for instance, 1748 disappeared for a while, but then came back.

But this did make me look again at the charts, which raises the question....

Why would chart 1 go to Stony 63/64, but chart 2 10 minutes later go to Hayes Drive? Even if the buses are different, the charts shouldn't change. Are you saying that one has to look at charts for all short turns to see what the route is doing? A 63-Kedzie bus wouldn't be on the same chart as a 63-Midway bus? That might be the case, but that would make no sense.

Nonetheless, something funny is happening if I can receive the following simultaneous display, which may tend to confirm the above thesis:

This would indicate that one would have to check all permutations of Kedzie, Midway, Stony, and Hayes in both directions.

Maybe the charts are therefore useless, and the Google interface is needed.

[Busjack]

Testing the theory in the preceding post, apparently bus bunching on 55 is even worse than indicated in my prior post on that subject (although it is several hours later):

In that case, things are not sane.

[Buslover88]

Well, the 1st one the buses are only going up to Stony Island, while the bottom one the buses are going to the 63rd Beach, so they wouldn't be on the same line, so all buses are still there.

I will mostly agree with you on this one. However, the only part where I disagree with you (respectful, of course ) is when you say all the buses are on the route.

For example, I rode #56 Milwaukee on Wednesday (July 9th). Before I left, I had checked the tracker to see where the nearest bus was. It showed 6805 as the next bus coming in 19 minutes (I left at 12:10 and the time the bus was to arrive was 12:31), but when a bus did come, it was ten minutes late, and it was 6751, a bus I did not see on #56 Milwaukee on the tracker.

[Buslover88]

There seems to be more bus shuffles going on with the Novas. I just saw 6586 on NB #86 Narraganset and 6591 on EB #77 Belmont. What's going on?

Update: 6685 was heading EB on #78 Montrose around Oakley, but it just vanished off the tracker.

[wordguy]

There seems to be more bus shuffles going on with the Novas. I just saw 6586 on NB #86 Narraganset and 6591 on EB #77 Belmont. What's going on?

Update: 6685 was heading EB on #78 Montrose around Oakley, but it just vanished off the tracker.

While I don't know for certain, the Novas normally assigned to Archer are probably on loan to Forest Glen for the duration of the Blue Line project. A poster with the Yahoo Chicago Transit group recently observed some Forest Glen equipment filling shuttle runs. I guess they're being split between FG and NP.

[Buslover88]

While I don't know for certain, the Novas normally assigned to Archer are probably on loan to Forest Glen for the duration of the Blue Line project. A poster with the Yahoo Chicago Transit group recently observed some Forest Glen equipment filling shuttle runs. I guess they're being split between FG and NP.

I'm guessing that too, however, it was said a while back here (by rmadisonwi) that FG would become an all Nova garage.

[rmadisonwi]

I'm guessing that too, however, it was said a while back here (by rmadisonwi) that FG would become an all Nova garage.

I never said that.

[BusExpert32]

I never said that.

However, you did say that only two garages would end up having Novas. Maybe Archer and 77th?

[Kevin]

However, you did say that only two garages would end up having Novas. Maybe Archer and 77th?

While there may have been speculation about this, it was never guaranteed.

[Buslover88]

I never said that.

Looking back at posts made from earlier in the year, you're right. I'm sorry. I had meant to say you said that only two garages might have Novas, and in my opinion, I thought they were Archer and FG.

While there may have been speculation about this, it was never guaranteed.

Once again, my apologizies for getting mixed up . I was really tired when I made that post saying FG would become an all Nova garage.

[nflyer22]

Looking back at posts made from earlier in the year, you're right. I'm sorry. I had meant to say you said that only two garages might have Novas, and in my opinion, I thought they were Archer and FG.

Once again, my apologizies for getting mixed up . I was really tired when I made that post saying FG would become an all Nova garage.

It's cool, I thought Forest Glen would be an all Nova garage with Archer, based on the 77th to Forest Glen thread, but yeah, seeing how nothing much has happened at Forest Glen, it may not happen.

[BusExpert32]

There seems to be more bus shuffles going on with the Novas. I just saw 6586 on NB #86 Narraganset and 6591 on EB #77 Belmont. What's going on?

Update: 6685 was heading EB on #78 Montrose around Oakley, but it just vanished off the tracker.

Archer Novas 6591, 6703, and 6710 were at Jefferson Park today.

[Guest]

There seems to be more bus shuffles going on with the Novas. I just saw 6586 on NB #86 Narraganset and 6591 on EB #77 Belmont. What's going on?

Update: 6685 was heading EB on #78 Montrose around Oakley, but it just vanished off the tracker.

Like Ive stated before with CTA, you get what you pay for!.

[RJL6000]

Update: 6685 was heading EB on #78 Montrose around Oakley, but it just vanished off the tracker.

6685 is on #90 Harlem today.

Another update:

6628 is on #56 Milwaukee, and 6710's are now operating on various FG routes.

This might be an indication that FG would become an all-Nova (except for a few Optimas) garage. It also fuels speculation that the last 100 NF's (1930-2029) might all go to 77th or be divided between 77th and some other garage.

[BusExpert32]

This might be an indication that FG would become an all-Nova (except for a few Optimas) garage.

Actually, Forest Glen is also working the Blue Line shuttle service, so it would make sense that it also recieved loaners (as North Park did) from another garage, Archer, to run both regular service and the shuttle. Just my speculation- seeing as there is no point to permanently move Archer's Novas to Forest Glen if Archer is already consolidated with them.

[jajuan]

Actually, Forest Glen is also working the Blue Line shuttle service, so it would make sense that it also recieved loaners (as North Park did) from another garage, Archer, to run both regular service and the shuttle. Just my speculation- seeing as there is no point to permanently move Archer's Novas to Forest Glen if Archer is already consolidated with them.

I agree with you. It doesn't make sense to do so.

[wordguy]

Agreed as well ( Post #285).

I believe this situation also buttresses the case against series consolidation. North Park, with its New Flyers, was able to beef up its roster with loaners from three garages. On the other hand, Forest Glen, being a nearly all-Nova barn, had only one possible source: Archer. (Probably safe to assume that 77th, with 15 NFs already on loan, couldn't spare any of its Novas).

Which leads me to wonder why the entire shuttle operation wasn't assigned to Forest Glen to begin with. Could that lack of flexibility been a factor? Without cramping anyone's style, FG could probably still store at least 300 buses. (During the '60s and early '70s, there were 350, but that number included 120 trolley buses which would be parked end-to-end in several double files in the Elston yard).

[jajuan]

Spotting NFs this morning on the 52A(1744), 53A(1742), 63(1731, 1735, 1748), 67(1738, 1739) and 75(1741). None showing up on any of the othe routes. BTW: 59 is only three buses total, 2 EB and 1 WB. That can't be right. Something has to be on the road with Clever Devices issues again.

[Buslover88]

BTW: 59 is only three buses total, 2 EB and 1 WB. That can't be right. Something has to be on the road with Clever Devices issues again.

I think so too. There should be at least five buses on #59. But when the next tracker routes are added on the 21st, I have hope that the tracker will be fixed.

[BusHunter]

Spotting NFs this morning on the 52A(1744), 53A(1742), 63(1731, 1735, 1748), 67(1738, 1739) and 75(1741). None showing up on any of the othe routes. BTW: 59 is only three buses total, 2 EB and 1 WB. That can't be right. Something has to be on the road with Clever Devices issues again.

Well for starters any #1700 between #1749 and #1760 are not on Bustracker. There are a few buses like #6280 that are ghost buses also. Hopefully this can all be ironed out for July 21st. BTW, Has anyone noticed today on the tracker, the #6400's at FG have moved south to Archer. #6476 on #60, #6480 on #62, #6468 on #21, #6470 on #54B, #6467 on #62H, and #6479 on #x49 were some that I found on the tracker.