We're now in Day Three of the CTA services cuts. And we've endured at least one full work day of greater intervals between buses and trains.

So how did it go yesterday and today? This is an open thread to hear from y'all.

Personally, I didn't really notice any difference. But my commute is just one Red Line train fairly early in the rush hour. How about you folks who have to transfer and use buses?

For instance, my wife previously used the X80 Irving Park, which was one of the nine express bus routes eliminated. She said her commute was "teeth-grittingly irritating." She had to wait longer for the 80, and then endure stops at nearly every block. Her total commute -- from Cicero to the Red Line at Sheridan -- was about 20 minutes longer than usual. it usually takes her about 55 minutes on the bus and then the Red Line, but Monday it was an hour and 15 minutes.

Others?

Today is first work day when we'll really feel the brunt of the CTA service cuts that went into effect on Sunday. The CTA is duly warning that waits for buses and trains will be much longer, especially during non-rush hours.

And judging from what CTA union leaders are saying, the prospects of the unions agreeing to wage and other concessions to reverse the service cuts are quite dim.

"I can tell you that overwhelmingly in the past the membership has said, 'Don't give up nothing,'" Robert Kelly, president of the CTA's rail union, told the Tribune Saturday. "I can tell you we don't give up nothing without getting something. That's negotiating."

About 10 percent of bus and rail operators were laid off Sunday -- 1,100 out of 11,000 workers. Service has been reduced on 119 out of 150 bus routes, and on seven of eight rail lines. The shortest and least-traveled Yellow Line is the only rail line spared cuts. In addition, service spans were reduced on 41 bus routes, meaning they will have later start times or earlier end times, or both. Finally, nine express bus routes were eliminated.

Kelly did leave the door open for possible movement by CTA unions: "When I go back to my membership, the reality will have sunk in," Kelly told the Sun-Times. "It may change their minds; it may not." The next meeting with union members is Tuesday.

D-Day is here. But I've avoided calling today Doomsday because that seems a bit over the top, despite the fact that bus service is being cut today by almost 20 percent, and rail service by close to 10 percent. Check the Tattler guide for all the gory details.

For those of you coming home late from Super Bowl parties tonight via the CTA, be sure and check Bus Tracker or the guide to the 41 bus routes whose start and end times are changing. Many buses that used to stop running at 12:20 am now will stop at 10:30 pm.

About all the CTA brass and unions could agree on today is that Sunday there will be service cuts that will put 1,100 drivers out of work, the Tribune reports:

"There wasn't really any new (proposals discussed in the meeting)," Peterson said. "But I think the reality of a thousand people not being at work might have helped drive home the message that this is real," he said.

And...

Robert Kelly, president of the CTA rail workers union, said he hoped the job cuts and service cuts can be reversed "in seven to 10 days."

It's unclear whether that will happen, however, given that union members already have rejected the demands for cost-cutting concessions.

Exactly. We'll see what next week brings, aside from less service.

Mayor Daley is hosting a 4 pm meeting today between the CTA unions and CTA brass in a last-ditch effort to avoid bus and rail service cuts set to take effect this Sunday.

And the unions earlier today reiterated its proposal to save about $90 million by require an estimated 11,000 union members to take 10 furlough days each this year, and deferring wage hikes in 2011 through 2013. The former would save about $20 million, and the latter about $70 million.

But as I've said before, I'm not sure how deferring raises next year is going to help the CTA this year.

If Daley can pull a rabbit out of his hat on this one, he'll deserve some accolades. And maybe even buy a few votes. Time will tell.

The CTA's top officials on Thursday minced no words in blaming he union for the service cuts set to go into effect this Sunday.

"Our largest labor unions have been unwilling to help us reduce costs, even if it means more than 1,000 of their members lose their jobs." -- President Richard Rodriguez

"Sadly, the leaders of the labor unions have not shared our urgency in working to save jobs for their members and preserve service for our riders. These service reductions will make it more difficult for people to get where they need to go." -- Board Chairman Terry Peterson 

They also made it clear that passengers should expect more crowded conditions and longer wait times, warning that riders who travel on the agency's highest volume routes may have to wait for multiple buses or trains before boarding. And, of course, they are advising we allow additional travel time to get to where we need to go, particularly during non-rush periods.

No weekend service changes. The only bright note is that -- aside from the aforementioned service cuts set for Sunday -- there are no other scheduled service changes on rail lines or bus routes this weekend. I guess they figure the service cuts are plenty enough to piss us off.

My daughter got up from her Red Line seat and walked down the aisle to the door.

As she walked past a well-dressed elderly gentleman, he stamped his feet, hooted, and exclaimed in a sing-song voice:

"Girl, your father must be the most nervous man in Chicago!"

Um, yeah, now I really am.

CTA board member Jackie Grimshaw says next time she will take the CTA during a snowstorm.

The Sun-Times reports she showed up at Gov. Quinn's post-election party on Tuesday in a neck brace, explaining that a cab hit her car during a snowstorm.on Jan. 7:

Grimshaw said she had her car out that snowy day to run errands. But the next time it snows, she said she "absolutely" plans to stick with the CTA.

Good plan.

Just over a week ago, Mayor Daley was saying there's nothing we can do to stop the service cuts set to take effect this Sunday. From the Sun-Times story:

Daley acknowledged that CTA unions made concessions in a 2007 deal that allowed a 16 percent pay hike over five years to be gobbled up by contributions to health care and a pension fund on the brink of collapse. But he said there is no alternative now but to ask those same unions to dig even deeper.

"Everybody's in a bind," the mayor said. "What can you do?....You can't have more with less."

But today he's singing a different tune, and asking the union to make concessions so we can avoid the cuts, according to the Trib's Clout Street blog:

"So that we've done everything we can to avoid service cuts -- and to reach an agereement -- I've asked our CTA leaders to again sit down with representatives of the CTA's unions," Daley said in a news release issue by his press office.

The mayor is trying to get out front of what's expected to be widespread public displeasure when routes are scaled back this weekend and riders feel the impact.

OK, but I just wish he had pushed on this a little sooner, rather than just three days before cuts are scheduled to take effect.