May 2007 Archives

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 3:25 p.m., Thursday, May 31

I've heard some very positive feedback about yesterday's random observations, so let's pick up where we left off, shall we?

••  Hello, sunshine: I think being a bus driver requires you to be a people person. I just don't believe there's room for grumpy people behind the wheel who are seemingly bothered by every single question people ask.

Case in point. Today on the 157, a woman asked the driver where he crossed State Street, apparently unfamiliar with the rerouting due to construction.

WACKER AND STATE he barked. And she continued to ask him questions and all he could say was WACKER AND STATE, OK? And he wasn't nice about it.

You know what? You don't have to call me by name and ask how my day is, but don't yell at passengers when they ask normal questions, OK? That's what you do. Bus drivers and rail operators and CTA workers work in customer service, so serve me and do it pleasantly.

•• Tickled pink: Why does every single Pink Line train have at least one older rail car attached to it ... the kind with the folding phone booth doors? I have never seen a Pink Line that looks like a Brown Line or a Red Line.

•• Restoring my faith in humanity: A very nice woman picked up my umbrella when I dropped it on the floor. Thank you very much for that.

•• 20 ... 19 ... 18: Oh, I almost forgot. You know the intersections that have countdown clocks on the crossing signs? Yeah, that's a clock, people. I'm amazed at how many people don't know that!

WHAT IT IS:

-- How many seconds before the light changes and cars can hit you.

-- Accurate. 18 means 18 seconds until you'd better be across.

WHAT IT ISN'T

-- Indicating what floor the elevators are on in the nearest skyscraper

-- Negotiable.

-- Meant to be challenged. Don't stand on the sidewalk when it says 16 and then start crossing the giant intersection at Madison and Wacker when it gets to 5. You aren't going to make it.

Now it's your turn. You all know how much I love witty cyber-banter flowing back and forth. Got a random observation about the CTA? Had a random thought while sitting on the bus or train? Let me know. Let the world know.

Doors closing. Until next time.

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 2:50 p.m., Wednesday, May 30

I'm going to start something new here at "Your Attention Please": Random thoughts by yours truly.

Make sure you let me know what you think, and by all means feel free to comment with your own random thoughts.

Here's a few to start:

•• Why is it on Wacker Drive that the signs sometimes say 240N and sometimes they say 340N? Wacker is absolutely 340N at Michigan and Wabash and along the Chicago River, but at some point all the signs change to 240N. Now, I realize the street goes east-west and then changes course to north-south, but the signs change every other street in some places, so something's up. That's more of a question for the city than for the CTA, of course, but it counts because I was looking out the window from the 157 when I noticed.

•• Speaking of the 157 ... some buses are being rerouted for a while due to construction at Block 37 between Dearborn and State along Washington. So the reroute for the 157 is Washington to Wacker to Michigan. Well, some days, depending on who's driving the 157, the bus veers left at Wacker and Wabash and turns left on Michigan right at the Chicago River bridge. Other times, it veers right onto Wacker Place and makes the left on Michigan near the Hard Rock Hotel. Why?

•• Why do those little signs inside the bus to indicate upcoming stops work on some buses and not on others? Are they completely driver controlled or GPS controlled? Personally, I like it when I hear ... BOOP ... Tribune Tower. And I just declared that the sound that precedes the announcement is indeed BOOP.

•• And finally ... A guy at a restaurant along Wacker -- near Clark and Wacker -- picked up basically his whole salad in one fork full and proceeded to speak to his dining companion while chewing. Sir ... at most restaurants, there is no time limit on the salad. They won't take it away until you are done. Now, if you were doing this because you were in a hurry, I would suggest takeout. You completely freaked me out from the bus; I can only imagine what your companion was thinking.

Remember, post your random thoughts here.

Doors closing. Until next time.

Posted by RedEye - 9:09 a.m., May 29

RedEye's Going Public columnist Kyra Kyles consulted with etiquette experts about manners among CTA riders in her latest column.

Read her column then feel free to share your thoughts here or e-mail Kyra at goingpublic@tribune.com

Posted by Tracy Swartz- 4:20 p.m., May 25

I’ll never understand the capriciousness of the Blue Line.

The other day, the ride mirrored a July night in Florida. I felt like I was trapped in a gooey Twinkie. The humidity in the car enhanced the fragrance of the woman eating a mayonnaise hot dog and the guy with Cheeto fingers.

The next day I came prepared. I was wearing a sleeveless top, no sweater. This time I felt like I did when I moved to Chicago in March with the coat I bought in Florida.

Though I loathe weather forecasts, the CTA should inform me ahead of time: When I get on a train, should I expect a warm embrace or the cold shoulder?

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 2:43 p.m., May 24

New CTA president Ron Huberman has wasted little time trying to scare the bejeezus out of the people he was hired to serve.

The CTA would eliminate 63 bus routes and two rail lines, and raise fares to as much as $3.25 a ride on trains if no new state funding is provided, CTA President Ron Huberman said today.

The rest of the story, about how the CTA apparently needs $110 million from the state to avoid employing its doomsday plan, is here.

So let's look at what this really means.

If you take the train to and from work 50 weeks a year (allowing two weeks for vacation) and use a Chicago Card Plus you're paying $875 a year.

Under the doomsday plan, assuming you're commuting during rush hour, your CTA costs would rise to $1625 a year.

That's not chicken feed. That kind of bump would put a severe strain on a tremendous number of commuters, many of whom are still getting used to the CTA fare hike from just a few years ago.

This may never come to pass. But if it does there will be hell to pay. Or there would be hell to pay if Chicago had a mayor who was accountable in any way whatsoever.

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 22

I'm mad!

Today, on the second official day of my new commute, I went to the stop a block and a half from my apartment at Canal and Monroe to wait for the 157 Streeterville bus. I stood there for 10 minutes and saw one in the distance, so I got my Chicago Card Plus out and flagged down the driver (since many buses stop there).

And although the bus was in the left lane, I didn't really think that it would pass me up. It just didn't seem like something that would ever happen to me.

And then it did.

I'm going over it in my mind and I don't understand. I saw it stop further down at the next stop, but apparently it was too far to the left to get to me.

Too bad.

No excuse

That's your job, Mr. bus driver. You stop at the stops and pick up passengers. What part of that is unclear to you?

So I walked 2 blocks and picked up another bus to take me to Michigan Avenue.

I'm sure I'm not the only person this has happened to, but it really irked me.

Anyone have similar stories? Let's vent!

Doors closing. Until next time.

Posted by RedEye - 1:12 p.m., May 21

RedEye's bloggers have their say, now it's your turn to praise or pummel the CTA.

Just fill out the comment field and we'll post your thoughts right here.

Cheers,
RedEye

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 11:32 a.m., Monday, May 21

The first part of the title of this entry is what I saw yesterday morning while waiting for a bus to Michigan Avenue.

For those of you who don't have time to play "Wheel of Fortune," that's 124 Navy Pier.

What's up with all the CTA buses having messed up electronic signage? Some even have handwritten papers taped to the window!

Some are just wrong. Like the packed full bus heading to—apparently—KEDZIE GARAGE.

How's that work?

Passenger1: Damn. I was waiting for the 146 because it looks like I'm going to be late to work again, but, hold on, is that ...?

Passenger2: Oh, you bet your sweet ... that's the KEDZIE GARAGE.

Passenger1: I am so going.

Passenger2: I am so there.

Hey, CTA! (thanks, Kyra Kyles, for letting me steal that) Can you at least give us working signs?

Am I wrong, transit peeps?

Doors closing. Until next time.

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 11:06 a.m., Monday, May 21

Sunday marked my first commute from a new neighborhood. I am now a West Loopian ... or is that a West Looper?

Anyhow, goodbye Brown Line reconstruction project, hello buses. And, if the weather is nice, I can certainly walk, although it's a bit of a haul.

On the way in, I take what I've coined the Gold Line (when it stops - see HEY! post) -- the No. 157 Streeterville bus picks me up across the street from my front door and drops me off at the Tribune Tower stop. With traffic, it seems to take 15 minutes or thereabouts.

Going home is a different beast.

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 4:33 p.m., Thursday, May 17

James, who regularly responds to my posts, asked for a blog item about "the voice," that guy who tells us where we're going and why we're not moving on the CTA.

A lot of you in previous posts have said that you don't particularly care for the voice. Let me state for the record that I don't really mind it. I think that it's totally normal to hear something and grow tired of it, and that's fine. But I don't think that the voice of the CTA is particularly annoying; I think what James and others find annoying is what the voice is saying and the fact that we often hear of delays and equipment problems.

But to be fair, he does more than that:

Posted by Tracy Swartz- 7:04 p.m., May 14

I haven’t had many Blue Line woes lately mostly because I’ve been riding my "new" bike -- a Schwinn mutt affectionately dubbed "The Party Animal" -- to work.

Both rides have their ups and downs. So a bike vs. bus vs. train faceoff seems only natural.

Riding dirty

>> Bike: I might as well just buy pants with dirt smudges at the ankles. The spots pop out of nowhere like clouds on an outdoor café day.

>> Bus: The two buses I take, the #50 and #65, are generally clean. I wish all its riders followed suit.

>> Train: The conditions in the cars aren’t great, and the stations can be even worse. I can only imagine Stone Phillips on his hands and knees with a blacklight and swabs, shaking his head on a Dateline segment.

Advantage: Bus

Waiting game

>> Bike: Only at red lights and when I don’t have the moxie to cut in front of taxi drivers.

>> Bus: The worst. The only thing that tests my patience more is watching a guy fiddle with his Blackberry during a playdate.

>> Train: Not as bad as the bus, partly because the Damen Stop is kind of a meet market.

Advantage: Bike

Built for speed

>> Bike: A coworker spotted me on "The Party Animal" and commented that it seemed like I was taking a Sunday afternoon stroll. But, of course, it was a Wednesday. I’m slowly getting used to the glares from the cagers.

>> Bus: It seems pretty slow when you’re on it but it’s like Sandra Bullock is behind the wheel when you’re chasing after it.

>> Train: More jerky back-and-forth than a presidential debate.

Advantage: Train

Oh, I’m so confused … Which gives you the smoothest ride?

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 1:25 a.m., Friday, May 11

I know what you're thinking. Not another post about the smelly CTA.

Well, this one isn't what you think. But it made me think, which is why I'm sharing it with you.

I'm Loop-bound on the Brown Line Thursday afternoon, quietly reading the news on my mobile phone. Next thing I know ... tap-tap on the shoulder.

Excuse me.

By Jon Hilkevitch
Tribune transportation reporter

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 10:50 a.m., May 8

A young guy got on my Green Line train Monday night, maneuvered his way through a crowded train, spotted the seat he wanted and then requested the occupant get up so he could sit in it.

The occupant complied. Quickly.

No, it wasn't some punk with a threatening attitude. The young guy had a broken foot and wasn't afraid to use his injury to ask for what he wanted.

Did he need to sit? Well, he was operating on one leg so it was probably a little hard for him to balance himself.

But he also moved easily through the car and, if things were so bad, why no crutches?

The occupant could very well have said no, but he would have been an immediate outcast on the train. He really had no choice.

The point here is he decided he needed a seat so he asked for it. To all the people out there (elderly, pregnant women, disabled, etc.) waiting for chivalry, take notice. You're much better served by opening your mouth instead of waiting for your fellow commuters to open theirs.

Posted by Chris Malcolm - 10:12 a.m., May 4

Posted by Chris Malcolm - 3:56 p.m., May 3

The Tribune is reporting this on Thursday afternoon:

"The CTA, Metra and Pace are contemplating fare hikes, service cuts and further diversion of capital funds to pay for day-to-day operating needs unless the state legislature heeds calls for new transportation funding, officials warned today. "

The whole story is here.

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 3:26 p.m., Wednesday, May 2

You've heard them, and if you do as much writing about the CTA as RedEye does, you might know them by heart:

Your attention please: We are being delayed because crews are working on the track ahead.

Your attention please: We are standing momentarily, waiting for signal clearance.

Your attention please: We are being delayed because of a raised bridge ahead.

What was that last one?

A raised bridge? Yep. In a city with a river running through it, it makes sense. In my 2 years in Chicago, I can't say I ever heard it.

But, it's real.

Today's culprit was the bridge the Brown Line uses between Merchandise Mart and Washington and Wells, so we sat at the Mart for quite a while.

And I must say ... The train operator was great. She made her own announcements keeping us informed and apologized for the inconvenience. For all the complaints we've had about not knowing what's going on, this was a refreshing change.

Total delay: About 12 minutes. Communication from the CTA: Priceless.

So here's a fun idea ... Are there any recorded announcements you think the CTA should have? Share, dear readers, and I'll print the best ones.

Doors closing. Until next time.

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 6:56 p.m., Tuesday, May 1

Today, while walking from the Loop to the office, I saw 2 people wearing badges that read "CTA marketer/survey," complete with official CTA logo. So I can only guess that these people are asking riders like us about riding the CTA.

While I wasn't stopped, I got to thinking what I would say to them.

What I want: On time trains and buses that don't have urine flowing down the floor (I witnessed that on the Red Line this morning, and needless to say, I was NOT happy).

What I don't want: Late trains and buses that have urine flowing down the floor (did I mention that I witnessed that on the Red Line this morning)?

And now I pose the question to you ... what do you want?

Doors closing. Until next time.

Posted by Supriya Doshi - 11 p.m., April 30

What does the CTA need--other than cleaner trains and nicer riders? A Circle Line! Of all the ideas the CTA has been spitting out lately, this one seems to make the most sense.

What is the Circle Line, you ask? Well, it's a line that would link all of the CTA's existing lines, as well as the Metra lines. Just imagine--you'd be able to get from the Fullerton Brown Line stop to a Blue Line stop on the South West side without traveling into the Loop or taking a number of buses. Or avoid all that downtown rush hour traffic by bypassing it altogether!

I know. It takes decades for the CTA to make almost anything a reality. In fact, since their open house meetings in September, I haven't heard a word about this mythical Circle Line.

But maybe, just maybe, with Mayor Daley pushing for a sparkling Chicago in an Olympics bid, and a new president who has the mayor as his No. 1 fan, things will get moving on those 'L' tracks.