Bustracker's buses

[Busjack]

If you click on a bus that's on the map, go to Route Progress. Copy the address of the window that pops up and make a new tab (IE, Firefox, Opera, Safari). Copy the address to that new tab and change s=false to s=true.

It must have taken you a lot of work to find that.

It also confirms that Chicago garage logs in as 5, but at the moment there are 5755 and 5448 run numbers.

[Buslover88]

If you click on a bus that's on the map, go to Route Progress. Copy the address of the window that pops up and make a new tab (IE, Firefox, Opera, Safari). Copy the address to that new tab and change s=false to s=true.

Do you have to copy the address that's on the Route Progress? Because I did that and when I put it in the new window, it said "cannot find server".

[Busjack]

Do you have to copy the address that's on the Route Progress? Because I did that and when I put it in the new window, it said "cannot find server".

Yes. In Firefox 3, it showed up at the top of the window. However, in other browsers, it might be necessary to right click and select page properties to find it.

[FlyerD40LFR9710]

Do you have to copy the address that's on the Route Progress? Because I did that and when I put it in the new window, it said "cannot find server".

You have to copy the address from the Route Progress window and copy it.

I also found out that the Alerts would show the same information if you do the change.

[Busjack]

Quick screen shots

Before:

After:

Compare the addresses.

[Buslover88]

Yes. In Firefox 3, it showed up at the top of the window. However, in other browsers, it might be necessary to right click and select page properties to find it.

You're right. I right clicked properties, copied the link and tried it in a new window and I got it. Now I can always see which operator number my least favorite Nova (#6824) has.

[Busjack]

You're right. I right clicked properties, copied the link and tried it in a new window and I got it. Now I can always see which operator number my least favorite Nova (#6824) has.

Now if you only knew the name of the operator with that badge number...

[cta5658]

Which Garage'll Be Next

[Busjack]

Which Garage'll Be Next

Wait about 21 days for the official word. But probably Chicago, although there are holes to be filled in other garages, too.

[jajuan]

There are still glitches occurring when trying to view 129. The Tracker shows zero buses in service when it should still be in service for at least another hour. As a matter of fact, the site is now seizing up on me and taking forever to download.

[Buslover88]

Now if you only knew the name of the operator with that badge number...

Ha ha ! That's funny.

Wait about 21 days for the official word. But probably Chicago, although there are holes to be filled in other garages, too.

I think Chicago will also get it next, but knowing CTA, it could be NP.

the site is now seizing up on me and taking forever to download.

I haven't had any glitches (as in any buses disappearing), but yes, the site's really starting to load very slowly.

[Busjack]

I haven't had any glitches (as in any buses disappearing), but yes, the site's really starting to load very slowly.

I noted yesterday that there didn't seem to be too many buses on 55. There must be disappearing buses again today, as nothing is reflected eastbound, except at the terminals. One assumes that it is the Bus Tracker system, but if this is the real state of service, it is really bad.

[BusHunter]

I noted yesterday that there didn't seem to be too many buses on 55. There must be disappearing buses again today, as nothing is reflected eastbound, except at the terminals. One assumes that it is the Bus Tracker system, but if this is the real state of service, it is really bad.

To me, nothing has changed on that front. The same buses missing before are missing now. 74th has a lot of #6000's too that don't show up on Bustracker. Add to that the higher numbered #1700's there too and that could be almost 1/4 of 74th fleet that's not showing up. To put in my two cents on the new google platform. I don't really like it. I'd rather have Java back. It seemed to load all at once and it's done. Google loads and when you leave a certain sector of the city and go back it needs to reload. When you ask for a new route it needs to reload. Too much loading if you ask me. I liked it before when you could see all the routes at once. I figure there's concern Java will crash if it has too many routes on it. So I suppose it makes sense to isolate the routes. BTW, Sunday, I got hit up for a survey on guess what? Bustracker. They mainly wanted to know how i'm accessing it. I did tell them about missing buses on the tracker. It's sort of a pain to wait 20 - 30 minutes ( according to the tracker sometimes) for a bus. You get this sense sometimes you could be missing a ghost bus. It might just be better to go to the corner and take your chances. :huh:

[Buslover88]

BTW, Sunday, I got hit up for a survey on guess what? Bustracker. They mainly wanted to know how i'm accessing it. I did tell them about missing buses on the tracker. It's sort of a pain to wait 20 - 30 minutes (according to the tracker sometimes) for a bus. You get this sense sometimes you could be missing a ghost bus. It might just be better to go to the corner and take your chances.

The CTA website clearly stated that not all buses in service will show up on the tracker sometimes.

To put in my two cents on the new google platform. I don't really like it. I'd rather have Java back. It seemed to load all at once and it's done. Google loads and when you leave a certain sector of the city and go back it needs to reload. When you ask for a new route it needs to reload. Too much loading if you ask me. I liked it before when you could see all the routes at once. I figure there's concern Java will crash if it has too many routes on it. So I suppose it makes sense to isolate the routes.

Java was slow on my computer too, so nothing's changed as in loading for me. I don't know why CTA just doesn't use their maps for tracker, it would probably be better.

I noted yesterday that there didn't seem to be too many buses on 55. There must be disappearing buses again today, as nothing is reflected eastbound, except at the terminals. One assumes that it is the Bus Tracker system, but if this is the real state of service, it is really bad.

I was talking about my experience. Anyway, I was about to say that there never was many buses on #55, but before I make accusations about the route, can someone tell me how many buses should be on the route? :)

[Busjack]

Anyway, I was about to say that there never was many buses on #55, but before I make accusations about the route, can someone tell me how many buses should be on the route?

Round trip is 1:45. (Approximately 80 minutes from St. Louis.) Midday service is supposedly 10 to 20 minutes from Midway, 10 from St. Louis. Therefore, one would estimate about 8-12 buses.

The X55 is 8.

I tend to credit BusHunter's explanation. However, someone noted in the Trib. something consistent with my experience--if you are around 55th and Hyde Park, you can sometimes see 3 buses going toward the Museum and nothing coming the other way.

At the moment there are only 4 buses on the screen, and the two westbound ones are bunched near the Dan Ryan.

[qwantae]

Why isn't Route# 82-Homan/Kimball on the bustracker kedzie's list?

[jesi2282]

After looking at Bustracker, I spotted 1314 northbound on the #146, did 77th transfer a few New Flyers to North Park?

Why isn't Route# 82-Homan/Kimball on the bustracker kedzie's list?

I don't know why CTA skips a few routes from a garage insted of doing every route, Hopefully it should be added next month.

[Busjack]

After looking at Bustracker, I spotted 1314 northbound on the #146, did 77th transfer a few New Flyers to North Park?

In real life, I saw a 127x on a North Park route today (144).

[jajuan]

After looking at Bustracker, I spotted 1314 northbound on the #146, did 77th transfer a few New Flyers to North Park?

I don't know why CTA skips a few routes from a garage insted of doing every route, Hopefully it should be added next month.

It's part of a temporary loan from Chicago, 77th, and Kedzie so that NP would have enough buses to run the Blue Line shuttles to O'Hare with FG until the really extensive work between Rosemont and O'Hare is done on the 28th. Though at least one bus (#1730) has been returned to Kedzie this week because it was on the 12 Roosevelt yesterday.

[jajuan]

Looking at the Tracker, I just noticed that the 44 now makes stops along Archer. Does anyone know when CTA added these stops? It's been a long time since I've had need to use the 44. That last time I rode it, which was shortly after 74th had transferred it's remaining Americanas to FG, there were no stops on Archer from the Halsted/Orange Line to Archer/Canal and the stops at Archer/Canal were on Canal.

[nextstopchicago]

The CTA website clearly stated that not all buses in service will show up on the tracker sometimes.

I could understand a bus or two every now and then not showing up. But these guys seem to be suggesting that there are routes that regularly have several buses that don't show up.

Certainly, if the problem is at that level, the service is not reliable enough to be useful.

My girlfriend used tracker the other day, timing a 3-block walk to do a quick errand at the corner where she wanted to catch the bus. When she got to the corner, there was a bus in sight, and she skipped out on doing the errand because she was worried that she'd miss her bus. I'm reasonably sure that the bus didn't suddenly jump forward 15 minutes, so I think the bus she got on wasn't actually the bus she had seen on tracker, but instead another bus that was in front of that one, but invisible.

Tracker has to be accurate. If it's giving false information even 1 time in 10, then it can't really be used for the sorts of things it should be useful for.

Though there's no question that a bus missing from the tracker is infinitely better than a bus showing up on the tracker that isn't actually going to come to your corner. So far, I've heard no stories like that.

[Kevin]

Though there's no question that a bus missing from the tracker is infinitely better than a bus showing up on the tracker that isn't actually going to come to your corner. So far, I've heard no stories like that.

I've actually had this happen once.

I was waiting for a northbound Archer bus at Archer and Mayfield. This was a Sunday when service isn't very frequent and is made worse by persistent bus bunching caused by the railroad tracks east of Cicero. I saw two buses head southbound to the terminal. Later, Bus Tracker reported that one of the buses was supposedly heading back northbound. The ETA seemed to be updating fine, but the bus never showed up. It disappeared from the list of arrivals, after last reporting "DUE." The second bus eventually showed up about five minutes later.

What's worse is that I looked like a fool to the other person waiting after telling him the bus would be there any second now. ;)

[trainman8119]

All of the reasons above support my belief that this really isn't such a great "service enhancement". For those who believe in it...wonderful. I see on a daily basis how unreliable GPS is on the Metra system...and this is after 2 years...and it is not getting any better. I don't see the CTA having much better luck. Me, I'll continue to allow time and go to a corner....it's worked for 40+ years, I don't see much reason to change now.

[BusHunter]

It's part of a temporary loan from Chicago, 77th, and Kedzie so that NP would have enough buses to run the Blue Line shuttles to O'Hare with FG until the really extensive work between Rosemont and O'Hare is done on the 28th. Though at least one bus (#1730) has been returned to Kedzie this week because it was on the 12 Roosevelt yesterday.

#1726 - #1730 has been back at Kedzie since about July 14th. That day #1730 was on the #157. #1314 - #1328 and #1400 - #1404 remain at NP for the O'hare shuttle. So NP should have around 129 NF #1000 series buses at least for now.

[jajuan]

All of the reasons above support my belief that this really isn't such a great "service enhancement". For those who believe in it...wonderful. I see on a daily basis how unreliable GPS is on the Metra system...and this is after 2 years...and it is not getting any better. I don't see the CTA having much better luck. Me, I'll continue to allow time and go to a corner....it's worked for 40+ years, I don't see much reason to change now.

Which I think is a good point. For those for whom BusTracker has been useful, such as myself since the 12 Roosevelt has been added, it's at least serving the purpose it was designed for in these people's case. For those who don't see a use for it, that's fine too because not every new innovation is for everyone or will impress everyone. That being said, the system should be as accurate as possible for those who see the potential in the system. From the what I understand of previous reports most of the issues have been with the routes from 74th. There'll probably always be an instance here and there with a bus not showing up on the system, but they sitll have to work harder to get the bugs out of the system. That's just the nature of technology. Getting the bugs out doesn't always happen overnight, but there should be a red flag in terms of a lot of the most recent glitches happening with one garage.

A side note, I happened to notice yesterday that the unit the drivers log into up above the windshield has an indicator on the display showing the driver how far behind schedule his bus is during occurrences of the bus being late. It displays 'Late: x' with x being the number of minutes behind schedule. In this driver's case, he was 8 minutes off schedule.