Though the CTA reached a deal last week to prevent fare increases for two years, service still got cut. In February, the CTA is set to eliminate nine express bus routes and reduce the operating hours of 41 bus routes.
"Going Public" looked at the 41 bus routes that will see their weekday start and/or end times change. The cuts also will affect weekend service. CTA president Rich Rodriguez told reporters that riders who use these buses at late-night or early-morning hours won't have to travel far for alternate service.
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Breaking down the CTA bus cuts
After-hours bus cuts
Night-shift workers and clubgoers who take the bus may be out of luck. Forty bus routes are set to end operations earlier than they do now.
Most of the 20 bus routes that stop running at or after 1 a.m. on weekdays will end at 12:30 a.m in February. Most of the 20 bus routes that stop running between 10:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. on weekdays will end at 10:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, 19 routes will see their start times change. Most of these buses start their run between 2:45 a.m. and 4 a.m. on weekdays, and many will see their start times pushed back to 4 a.m. or 4:30 a.m.
The routes most affected by the time change are the No. 56-Milwaukee and the No. 103-West-103rd.
» The No. 56 bus, which operates between the Loop area and the Jefferson Park Blue Line stop, will see about four hours cut from its weekday schedule per day.
» The No. 103-West-103rd, which operates between the 95th Street Red Line stop and Mt. Greenwood, will see its weekday hours reduced by three hours and 45 minutes per day.
Turning red or blue
Nearly 30 percent of the bus routes that will see their hours change stop at the 95th Street Red Line station or the Jefferson Park Blue Line station. Of the 13 CTA buses that serve the 95th Street station, five will see their hours change.
Meanwhile, seven of the 11 CTA buses that service the Jefferson Park Blue Line station will see their hours change. One bus, the No. X54-Cicero-Express, is set to be eliminated.
A Shore thing
Nearly every community area is affected by the cuts, but South Shore is one of the hardest-hit areas, a RedEye analysis found. Twelve CTA buses stop in South Shore, according to a September CTA map of routes. Seven of these buses will see their times change in February. At a community meeting held by the CTA this month at the South Shore Cultural Center, some students expressed safety concerns about service cuts.
Online
This press release from the CTA has more details on next year's budget, including exact service reductions for the 41 affected routes in the PDFs at the bottom of the page.
Night-shift workers and clubgoers who take the bus may be out of luck. Forty bus routes are set to end operations earlier than they do now.
Most of the 20 bus routes that stop running at or after 1 a.m. on weekdays will end at 12:30 a.m in February. Most of the 20 bus routes that stop running between 10:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. on weekdays will end at 10:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, 19 routes will see their start times change. Most of these buses start their run between 2:45 a.m. and 4 a.m. on weekdays, and many will see their start times pushed back to 4 a.m. or 4:30 a.m.
The routes most affected by the time change are the No. 56-Milwaukee and the No. 103-West-103rd.
» The No. 56 bus, which operates between the Loop area and the Jefferson Park Blue Line stop, will see about four hours cut from its weekday schedule per day.
» The No. 103-West-103rd, which operates between the 95th Street Red Line stop and Mt. Greenwood, will see its weekday hours reduced by three hours and 45 minutes per day.
Turning red or blue
Nearly 30 percent of the bus routes that will see their hours change stop at the 95th Street Red Line station or the Jefferson Park Blue Line station. Of the 13 CTA buses that serve the 95th Street station, five will see their hours change.
Meanwhile, seven of the 11 CTA buses that service the Jefferson Park Blue Line station will see their hours change. One bus, the No. X54-Cicero-Express, is set to be eliminated.
A Shore thing
Nearly every community area is affected by the cuts, but South Shore is one of the hardest-hit areas, a RedEye analysis found. Twelve CTA buses stop in South Shore, according to a September CTA map of routes. Seven of these buses will see their times change in February. At a community meeting held by the CTA this month at the South Shore Cultural Center, some students expressed safety concerns about service cuts.
Online
This press release from the CTA has more details on next year's budget, including exact service reductions for the 41 affected routes in the PDFs at the bottom of the page.
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2 Comments
Ryan Kiefer said:
Thanks for this article in the RedEye today! Breaks it all down easily and readably.
deandrey duffie said:
I personally feel that should leave the bus routes alone along with the fares and try to come up with another soulution. I strongly feel that not only will it be of inconveince but they still will lose a lot of of money with the commuting of club gowers and late night workers.
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