CTA Tattler

Reducing fares probably will not increase ridership (and therefore would not increase revenue). I used to live in a city that tried reducing fares to increase ridership on its bus system. They lost a lot of money because all the new riders did not materialize. The only action that a transit service can take to increase ridership is to expand service.

1. Reduce the number of bus stops to improve travel times. Every two blocks sounds reasonable.

2. Pre-pay only and proof of payment system on some buses. Have machines at the bus stop issue a receipt. Have random inspections to check for receipts and stiff fines for not paying. I would start with the lakefront express routes as a test. This will reduce dwell times at stations and reduce travel times.

3. Better connections between rail lines. Specifically, there should be a super-station to connect the Illinois Medical District on the Blue Line with Polk Street on the Pink Line. Connect the Red and Green lines at 63rd or where they intersect at 59th. Better connections to Metra would be great too. Build a Metra infill station at Addison to connect to the Brown Line.

I used a pre-pay/recipt system on a light rail system in Cordoba, Spain. It was awesome, just buy your ticket and hop on. Inspectors came through at random, but, I would say, very high intervals and fined folks that didn't buy tickets. The only downside is, you risk really turning people off if they get fined $15 for a $1 ticket (about the converted costs of the line in Cordoba). To avoid that, there need to be big, clear signs indicating how the payment system works, preferably in several languages. We almost got burned in Cordoba, because the signs were small and my wife and I only speak a smattering of Spanish.

I don't know if the honor system is necessary if CTA and other transit agencies implement the plan that essentially any credit, debit, gift, prepaid card, or cell phone with the right chip can be used to board. Basically, you are suggesting a Metra type fare inspection system, which would be a step back, and would require hiring conductors (to be known as fare inspectors).

Speaking of Metra, installing fare machines that understand the above described media and issue tickets might be the way around its inability to use a universal fare medium, but my impression was that something more inclusive was intended, i.e. that the conductor would have a card reader.

If it speeds up service, I wouldn't call it a step back. It is kind of like Metra's system, but there are some differences. The ratio of fare inspectors to riders wouldn't be nearly as high as it is on Metra. That would make it cheaper. The point is really the threat of inspection, not the inspection. There wouldn't be any tickets sold on board in my plan because every station would have a ticket machine/card reader/receipt dispenser. The fines may cover the cost of the conductors. You could even out-source the inspection services and CTA could take a cut of the profits. Alternatively, you could just let it be honor system and accept that some people won't pay. If the fare inspectors do not make a profit, then giving out a few free rides may be cheaper than paying inspectors.

Restrooms at the L stations.

I like the new buses, and haven't had too many issues with the L in the last 3 years I've used it. I do wish they would fast track repairs to the Blue line - the slow zones make it so unreliable when heading to/ from O'Hare.

I like the idea, but with so many riders already using the stairs and corners for that purpose I want to know how they would keep them clean. I wouldn't mind paying for them - if there was some guarantee that they would be usable.

Retrofit the eL cars with seats that only face in. They are poorly designed and reduce capacity.

Variable Pricing: Fares should be higher during periods of high demand and lower during periods of low demand.

EVERYONE should pay. Senior citizens who already receive Social Security and Medicare shouldn't also get free transportation. City employees already receive spectacular benefits (health care/pension) and should be required to pay for public transportation like everyone else.

Yes Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's why they losing money. The state should provide reduced fare cards to disabled recipients.

Put coffee carts in some stations and make sure that there is at least 2 fare machines in each station. I can't tell you how many times I went to the South Blvd purple line station only to have the one machine broken. They have 3 coke machines though...

There are two ways one can go with this type of question: the realistic route (one RTA fare card, integration CTA and Metra, Gold Line, etc etc) or the fantastic route, the if-we-had-unlimited-source of money route. I'll go with the way more entertaining latter.

Here's a map of what I propose: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=117612264319688489248.0004707e75a0897748c21&ll=41.787697,-87.64575&spn=0.033214,0.066175&t=h&z=14&lci=transit

1) Western Ave L. Link up up all the CTA and Metra lines it crosses. Western has essentially 6 lanes (2 each way, 1 for parking on each side), put the L structure in the middle of the avenue, move parking underneath it and push the two lanes out. That way it retains being a 4 lane road and parking is retained. This alone would be incredible.

2) Mid-City Transitway. Google it.

3) Make the horizontal part of the south side green line into a separate line, a shuttle to get passengers from Ashland to the East 63rd Metra station (requiring an extension east, like it used to), with transfers to the Red and Green in between. The headways on the the Englewood and Jackson Park branch stations are quite poor, this would increase service and allow passengers to transfer to many different transportation options.

Adding the option of buying, 1, 3, 7 and monthly passes at every El station would be great, but why hasn't been done? There's always a huge line by the currency exchange near the Damen station, the only place near where you can buy them, and people complaining at the clerks over some nonsense.

Good idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The cta should try to do something it never has done before in my 22 years of riding experience: ACTUALLY RUNNING THE TRAINS ON TIME! S

Seriously, if the trains can run on time and frequently in both NYC and San Francisco, why not here? Those two cities are smaller and bigger than chicago, yet I never had a problem getting anywhere in those cities when I took public transit. The cta should try to do so here. I'm sure ridership would skyrocket then.

NEWS FLASH:

Trains run late in NYC and The Bay Area too.

In New York (you probably didn't know), trains are often halted at the stations and put out of service. That means everyone off the train. Many times, trains in the MTA Subway System are halted and diverted to other lines. A train going to Far Rockaway may be diverted to Lefferts. Think the #1 train is going to South Ferry? Wrong. Control Center decided to turn it back at 14th Street. No, the platform announcements in The Big Apple are no better than they are here.

As for San Francisco, MUNI has it's own set of problems, as does BART. BART puts trains out of servive mid-route all the time.

Part of the problem at CTA is, CTA is an elderly system. Outside of The Orange Line and The Kennedy/O'Hare and Dan Ryan portions, the structures were built at the turn of the century and things fall apart. It's a sad fact of life, but I think most true Chicagoans learn to deal with it.

Get rid of the fabric on the seats. Bring back the plastic. When it rains, you can't tell if the seat is wet unless you touch it (thereby holding up everyone behind you). Also, when someone disgusting pees (or worse) on the fabric (and you know they do) it just dries with the pee on there and then people sit in it. At least you'd be able to see the seat is dirty if it was plastic and it would be easier to clean. Ick.

Find a solution to end bus bunching once and for all. There are too many times I had to see two or three buses going the other way before my bus comes and when the bus comes there are two or three of them. I see this problem on the 56 Milwaulkee route. What other routes have this problem?

The first thing the CTA needs to do is take it away from Mayor Daley, the city gives the CTA nothing but the word CHICAGO - no money or anything else, but the Mayor always gets to change who heads up CTA and it is never anyone with transportation experience and they are never there long enough to get anything done.
CTA is a service industry yet every time they have a budget crunch the first thing they do is theaten service cuts and drivers jobs, this shows us that the money going into the farebox means nothing to them, they never make cuts at the top in Management were all the big money goes.

Actually, Rider8, Chicago does contribute to the CTA. Besides a $3 million annual cash contribution, the city also provides the public transit unit of the Chicago Police department and spends millions to rebuild outdated subway stations, such as the work now underway at the Red Line's Grand Avenue station. Not to mention dealing with traffic and bus stop issues on the public way.

Hey Joe001 are you a CTA board member or one of the mayors boys, you seem to have all the info on funding and other issues people bring up, I'm just curious.

No, rider8, I'm not a CTA board member and I don't work for Daley. I'm a longtime transit rider who pays a lot of attention to the CTA and believe it's one of the most important government services there is. And while I don't fancy myself a genius about public transportation, there's a ton of info about CTA financing, etc., on its web site.

Make Alderman Ride the CTA

Pass an ordinance, alderman and alderwoman need to ride the CTA at least once a year in Winter time, unannounced. Go through a turnstyle, pay like everyone else, wait for a train, the whole deal.

The resistance of our elected officials to this ordinance will be instructive and fun to watch. The ordinance would never pass.

You'd think an alderperson would be proud to visit the people and take the CTA every now and then. Does any alderman or alderwoman take the CTA to work, ever?

CTA caters to riders to much, they waste to much money on things they don't need like bus tracker, if you get to the corner to catch a bus and it's not there when you get there either leave your house earlier or later, I understand this is the computer age but not everything needs to be computerized.
They will also never stop bus bunching because every bus is driven by an individual not a computer and no two people drive the same, one person could be very quick to move the bus and the following person very slow, and with over 6000 drivers they will never be able to stop bunching.
They make special stops for school kids and college students, they drive through college parking lots to pick up students, these are young people they can walk to a corner they don't need special treatment, nor do a lot of them deserve it cuz they do not respect the bus or the other passengers (more of those ME FIRST people).
If you need special treatment call a Limo or a Taxi this is public transportation and it gets there when it gets there.
And YES NO MORE FREE RIDES - EVERYONE PAYS, they give to many people free rides and most of the free riders are the ignorant and disrespectful people on the bus.

To improve the L, I'd create a new line around the perimeter of the existing map. This would connect most (if not all) of the existing lines to each other at other location(s) besides the Loop. Right now the L lines are laid out like spokes on a wheel with the hub of the wheel being the Loop. However, most other major city systems--including London's Tube, Paris's Metro, and Moscow's Metro--are laid out more like a web. (This idea of building a perimeter line would serve and act similar to Moscow's Brown line, which is laid out to connect other lines to each other.) If you have to travel from the end of one line to the end of another line (e.g., from Howard on the Red line to O'Hare on the Blue line, or from O'Hare to Harlem/Lake on the Green line), then it's very inconvenient and time consuming to have to ride all the way in to the Loop in order to transfer. By building a perimeter line, I'm sure you'll find that the number of riders increases.

On another note, Moscow's Metro maintains a lot of riders because, at least in part, their stations are clean and beautiful. Many of them are even ornate and detailed. I'm not suggesting that CTA install icons or mosaics like some of Moscow's stations, but I am suggesting that cleaning up the stations in ways other than just scrubbing the floors late at night with high-powered hoses can go a long way. Beautify the stations. Although possibly expensive, if the atmosphere of the stations were increased, riding the L would be more inviting and possibly increase riders as well. For example, something as simple as cleaning up the drip/water stains from the roofs of the underground station tunnels would make the customers feel cleaner and safer. Right now it feels like the ceilings could give way at any moment, since many of the roofs look outdated and unsafe with the stains and broken plaster.

On another note, I think CTA does a great job with maintaining great air ventilation in their underground stations.

What I would do to improve the CTA is simple: Elevators. Particularly at the Central street stop on the Purple line where there is a hospital ( Northshore Evanston hospital)and people come and go all the time,some on crutches and canes. Also, the Foster street stop is in need of tearing down and rebuilding it is so run down and dilapidated. I remember coming through that stop a couple of years ago and it was on fire! The smoke filled the coach I was riding in. This station is a hazard. Still, back to the point. We need those elevators at the Central street stop on the Purple line
as quick as possible before there is a serious injury or death from falling on the steep steps there.

I think someone needs to create a CTA web site designated towards compiling all of these "CTA wishlists" and getting user inputted information on how to make them practical. CTA is clearly not capable on improving themselves. Anyone interested?

Have Mayor Daley ride one different bus or rapid transit route, every day including Sundays, by himself, incognito, from now until the next mayoral election and report to the citizens of Chicago the following day his findings and what improvements he would initiate for a better and safer ride and then report how all his ideas have been implemented. Certainly the Mayor could spend an hour a day for the betterment of Chicago transit couldn't he?

What a loaded question. Since the CTA (and the city and the state) is out of money and borrowing from the future, the question really would be: how would you improve the CTA and how would you pay for it? And if the Tribune actually decided to invest in actual detailed reporting on transport policy and planning in northeast Illinois, instead of cutesy Red Eye blog posts, then maybe thoughtful citizens could actually begin to get involved in a meaningful way, and maybe they'd realize how futile it is when there is such a serious financial mess brewing.

The CTA still has a long way to go on a lot of things, but the last post, Andy, is wrong: "..not capable on improving..." Anyone who has riden over the last decade knows fully well that CTA is MUCH better than it was just a couple years ago. Again--much more improvement is needed, but, please, people. And KJB, please PROVE to me that San Fran runs their system better. BART? yes: not bad. Muni? It's a dump and CTA is far better.

The scary thing is: the bottom is about to fall off and Red Eye adds NOTHING to help citizens change things. It's a diversion. It's sad.

Just got back from Munich,Germany What a city with a great transit system. You can go anywhere on it. The train cars are clean and pretty quiet with LED next stop signs. They have pay washrooms in every station. I believe that jobs can be created by having pay toilets in every or most stations. I thought at first it was crazy but if you pay for the washroom and have an attendant for the cleaning of the washrooms. I would of closed the Washington Blue line to renovated because Clark and Lake is so near and already nice. One more thing, They needed to put in anothe track on each side of the Blue line to the airport and make an express train from Ohare to Clark and Lake, maybe make stops on larger stops like Belmont, Logan Square, and Jefferson Park. Here are my ideas.

I have a GENIUS way the CTA can get that money! I was thinking...we sell all these stadiums/venus to corporations...why not do that for stations. So instead of "clark and lake" it will be "coca cola" or "verizon wireless" logan square can be "starbucks square" etc etc. Corporation can pay big bucks to "rent" the station, advertise in in, and hey maybe even give out free samples on site to promote products.

They could even add more vending machines

I'm sure the CTA would improve greatly if they had the FUNDS to do so.

Reducing the fare would be the big thing.

1. First bus/Last bus times should be displayed on bus stops.

2. Route 144 Marine/Michigan Exp. should be eliminated and provide more buses on the 146 instead.

3. Route 148 Clareden/Michigan Exp. should be eliminated and provide more buses on the 145 Wison/Michigan Exp. instead.

4. Route 135 Clareden/La Salle Exp. should enter and exit at Irving Park along with the 136 Sheridan/La Salle Exp. as well.

5. Route 49B North Western should be extended to Howard Redline terminal instead of Birchwood and Western to provide better connections.

6. 155 Devon should extend from Kedzie to Lincoln Town Square Mall instead of Kedzie.

7. The old 99,99M,162, and 164 routes should be restored but via Archer instead of Stevenson Exp.

8. Restore the 62 Archer Exp. into the X62.

9. There should be a mass terminal some where on Roosevelt for the connections to 7 Harrison, 12 Roosevelt, 57 Laramie, 85 Central, and 91 Austin all connecting at once.

10. Route 92 Foster needs to run later and earlier on weekends.

11. Route 96 Lunt, 155 Devon should be used as a combine counter clockwise route.

What do you have against the people who live between Irving and Belmont, that work on LaSalle, that you want to have their 135 get on the drive at Irving?

Also, if you eliminate the 144, that just means those packed 146s will be even worse.

144 elimination meant more 146's as I stated. Nothing against the good people on Inner Drive. Belmont is too short a distance and dealing with heavy traffic on Lake Shore Drive also. They will have to connect with a link downtown or link up at Irving Park. Sorry, its only my opinion.

I know its in the making to restore the 31 31st route. If restored it needs to be service on west 31st as well as east 31st. Besides, east is dull anyway now that Michael Reese hospital is closed. Unless it goes to Mc Cormick Place.

1. I like the idea of train tracker that someone mentioned before, like the service being offered for buses. It would be great if it could work on mobile devices too.
2. Replace heavy rail with light rail. Light rail is cheaper to build and maintain, more flexible in creating routes, and has a smaller footprint. Some CTA land could be sold to assist with funding.
3. Eliminate crossovers, like at Belmont and the Loop. Crossovers are the main cause of delays. Have the trains go on tracks over or under other tracks, rather than crossing over the same tracks.
4. Have a "rainbow line" connecting the outer stops. It can go from Howard to the end of the brown line, to O'Hare, to Midway to 95th. To get from Evanston to O'Hare, you have to take the purple line all the way downtown and then take the blue line all the way back out.

It would be a fine thing to have better signage to direct folks once they get to street level. Europeans systems are great at this--but if you come up from say Grand/State and want to head toward Michigan Avenue, you have no sense of which way to walk. It's really unfriendly to anyone unfamiliar with the specific subway/train line.

Allow CTA to use the "bus lanes" to McCormick place instead of adding traffic to already crowded streets.

will the pedestrian tunnel connecting the red-blue lines at Washington EVER be reopened?

In addition to your original 3 ideas:

1) expand the rail system and integrate CTA and Metra services and fares
2) complete station and track rehabilitation
3) institute bus rapid transit on key routes
4) a comprehensive branding program like London Underground

ok how about replacing all the windows on the blue line

ok how about 1,replace all the windows on cta trains with glass that can soundproof the cars,2,these funny new inventions called camreas,it seems cta have never heard of them,put them in all stations and trains,place uniformed and undercover police on all trains especially the blue line,i was acosted again tonight on a cta train by a serial scam artist,but cta dont care for our security of course,class action lawsuit anyone?...and join the 21st century cta,have fare machines that take credit cards at all stations before the 22 century,is that too much to ask?

Get rid of the unions. Then you'll see a big increase in efficiency. Unions reward only the incompetent and lazy.

Sadly, that's true. This union can help you get your job back if you get fired, but if you're a good employee who doesn't deserve to get fired, they aren't doing anything for your, but take a nice chunk of your check.

Implement network optimization software using bus tracker data to optimize bus connections. Such a system could be used to reconfigure bus and train schedules to increase network connections. Such a system could also use in-flight (real-time) optimization to instruct individual buses to wait a minute or two if such a delay would increase network efficiency.

I thought the el trains were restrooms.

For Funding and Ridership: the CTA should charge by distance. Discount the short trip to the local store for that person who doesn't otherwise drive a car. Price competitively for the several-mile express trip of the rider who saves a bundle on gas, parking and time. This will encourage a better match between the system's financial resources and the needs of its community.

For Service Quality: CTA management should use their own product for daily transportation. Feedback on the reliability and quality of the CTA service that results from management's decisions will best come through management's first-hand riding experience. This can also address the stigma associated with dependence on CTA transportation.

1) Expand. Our light rail coverage is pathetic compared to most other modern metropolitan areas. NYC, DC, damn near every major and even minor city in Europe has more rail coverage than we do. Here, if you're not going somewhere near the lake, you're probably stuck with taking a train and two buses, which takes two or three times longer than driving. Divert highway and street money to the CTA/RTA/Pace, institute a $1/gallon gas tax to shore up and improve public transportation.

2) Security. The Red line is a circus after work hours, the green and blue lines are like that all the time, and some bus lines get rowdy pretty regularly, too. There needs to be a dedicated CPD detail that will hop on the rails - if a cop walked through each rail car once every four stops, I'm sure the nonsense would drop off. The bus drivers need a direct line to 911 and shouldn't be hesitant to use it. The big red buttons on the CTA should go to the city 911 center, not the train operator. The red button should send an identifier to the 911 center that they can use to tell what train car is calling, and where it is.

3) Run 24/7. In Hyde Park, if I'm going home after 2AM, I have to take the L to 55th and the Dan Ryan, catch the #55 bus 3 miles east, then walk a mile and a half north. I take a taxi. The "artery" buses like the 6, the 14, the 147, etc. and ALL L train lines should run 24x7. The Metra lines should run at least every hour, the L at least every 30 minutes, even during off hours.

3) Run more often. In Europe, the rail lines usually had no more than three minutes between train arrivals. I'm not kidding or exaggerating in the least. They also had digital signs up that said when the next train would arrive, and showed an alert if there was some kind of delay. Some of the cities had display panels that also showed ads, like the pilot displays at Addison on the Red Line, but those displays also ALWAYS showed the time to the next train, with ads next to them, not in some kind of rotation, or, like our pilot, never.

1) In fact, Chicago doesn't have a single light rail line. However, I think the heavy rail and commuter rail makes up for it.

1) Now that the Brown line rehab is done, the CTA should hold onto the land it bought at top dollar and wait for the market to improve before selling it back again, then they'll not lose quite as much money in the process.
2) Add a third express track on the El lines to speed up the commute from the edges of the lines (express inbound in AM and outbound in PM).
3) Raise the fare if cash is used vs stored value/mag strip card users. For people that can't afford the stored value card, spend less on a mobile phone and work with their employer or the CTA to get stored value cards sent to their office/homes. Have the CTA administer Transitaid (like Medicaid). The point is having cash stored by the bus drivers, slows down boarding and is an accounting headache for bus operations and customers who use the technology for farecards have to cover the costs of those who do not use them - that isn't fair (no pun intended).
4) Extend the Brown line to the Blue line - it would save passengers the fun of schlepping bags from house to bus to train and it would make it even more convenient to get to O'Hare by train.
5) While I love the street car post, decisions were made back in the 50's to tear up the track or pave over them in favor of the modern diesel bus. Then in the 90's tracks were torn up on Western, Ashland, and Irving so we could have really nice planters in the median - seemed like a good idea at the time. Perhaps the City should consider running street cars down alleys parallel to these major streets - it's an underused right of way, electricity is there for power and they could install bypass tracks on the cross streets so we would only have lay down one line and have the streetcars take the bypass to pass each other. The benefit to those businesses and residences on the alley being used would be that their alley would be snow free during the winter. Okay ok, it needs work - garbage/recycle/yard waste collection days would be interesting and it's not exactly a scenic ride but I really don't want to see us tear up the planters (wasting more money) or cut down traffic on the blvds - options are limited.

1. Stop changing bus drivers in the middle of a run, especially during rush hour. You want to talk safety, I've been on the 147 when it stops at Foster/Sheridan, the driver gets off, leaves the motor running, door open and the replacement driver is late. Who is to say someone couldn't simply jump on the bus, get behind the wheel, and drive us all into the lake. If you go in for surgery, the doctor doesn't leave mid-surgery b/c his 8 hours are up . . . 2. Stop nailing the windows shut on the buses. We hav several new buses now and CTA has literally drilled screws into the upper windows so you cannot open them. This is especially bad b/c the driver's venilation is separate from the rest of the bus. If the driver isn't hot or disturbed by certain smells and the passengers are, too bad, you have to live with it b/c you cannot open the windows. Plus it is a safety issue.
3. On the Red Line El, why not have A runs and B runs, so the engineers will stop kicking riders off the bus at Wilson b/c they are behind schedule or whatever stupid excuse it is? In the old days, I'm told there were A & B runs. With computer technology now there is no reason they cannot track which stops are the busiest and adjust the runs accordingly. Further, there are some stops that are too close together - I'm talking Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, Bryn Mawr. Split up those runs, it's ridiculous to stop every two blocks.
4. Stop holding the transit commuters hostage with the threat of cutting service. Figure out a fee, stick to it and don't change it for years to come. We're paying our part and it's still cheaper than driving and parking downtown.

So when in your world should a bus driver ever be allowed to stop working?

Agrees with Tim here. You'll never eliminate street reliefs. BTW, I have driven The 147 for many years. Several hours of driving up and down LSD into the Gold Coast, Mag Mile, and The Loop...I mean, no one denys YOU from going to the washroom, do they?

So the alternative to street reliefs is to have the bus go all the way to the end of the line and then either pull in to the garage, or you spend time and money shuffling drivers at the terminals. Trust me, you don't want that. You'd NEVER see your bus.

The reason they change drivers at Foster is the bus garage your precious 147 originates from is at Foster and Kedzie. Most times, he/she/they can get there in time for the changeup. They don't drive there from home, they ride the buses (most times the 92 which can fall behind). Buses tend to run late at times. It's a fact of Chicago life. Deal.

Airline employees who show up late are fired. Why should CTA employees be treated any differently?

An airline wouldn't fire an employee that was late being a passneger on their own airline to make a connection, would they?

Let me be clear(er). All CTA operating employees (bus and rail) have to report for work at a terminal, or a garage. The work assignment is given, then the employee (in the case of buses) is expected to ride the next available schedule(s) to the relief point. Foster Avenue, essentailly being a two-lane thouroughfare (one lane each direction) has a long history of buses running late. Pulaski, Kedzie, Lincoln, Western, and Clark being major delay culprits (If you don't believe me, go ride sometime!). If the bus driver was late to work, they normally aren't given the assignment, but let's say they were on time for work. Now they have to ride east (with all the other passengers on the #92 and they get delayed, just as you do. Should CTA fire them for being late riding the service? I think not. Not all bus delays are the CTA's fault.

Look at the bigger picture. That's all I'm saying.

I think people around here (Chicago) are the most self centered people I have ever been around, all ME FIRST ME FIRST, in the way they drive walk and board a bus, they jump in front of you to get on first. People in their cars have to race up to the car in front of theirs bumper to not let the bus away from the curb and in to traffic, bus's carrie the most people of any vehicle on the road but have the least right of way, the way Chicagoan's act, even the Mayor gives bikes the right of way in traffic now that's ridiculous the thing that can get through any traffic situation the easiest has the right of way (way to get voters MAYOR). People in cars do all they can to cut off the bus so they do not have to drive behind it and then when they do get in front they get mad at the bus and for try'n to get in traffic and they stop in front of it wow that's smart not only will the bus crush a car what about the innocent people that get hurt just sitting on the bus, people also get on the bus and get ignorant with the driver like he's just a punching bag for public relief. I think bus drivers have hard job they watch traffic people on the street and inside the bus and need to answer questions for passengers, they also have to put up with all the smells of people smokers way to much perfume no showers B O, I think bus drivers deserve a lot of RESPECT but rarely get it, to many ME FIRST PEOPLE in Chicago I can't wait till my work is done here so I can get out.

There are so many areas that need attention, but I think the entire infastructure needs major updating. Secondly all CTA bus drives, station managers and any employee that deals with the publice needs retraining on public relations. They should be required to pass a test and random inspection on how the inter act with the customers. Many of the bus drivers I encounter have a poor attitute. I realize its a tough job, just because you have the skill set to drive a bus does not make one a good driver, you must have good people skills, its part of the job. Many of them drive like they are driving their own vehicles and total disregard for the passenger. Even though many of the buses are design to come right up to the curb so you do not have to step down into the street, or lower the step, they refuse to curb the bus properly. I always try to thanks drives who do their job. There are some very good driver, they need to be the rule not the exception.
There also should be customer guidelines for the public to follow. Guidelines should be posted at every station, on every bus and train.

You should read the comments of rider8, just before your post here.

By the way, the rule at CTA is that the operators aren't suppose to bring the bus closer to the curb than 18 inches.

Tim knows.

Bring the bus too close, you'll damage it. Chicago's curbs aren't created equal. Anyway, some CTA passengers expect you to make the stop right at their stoop, or they're not happy.

Those who routinely criticise CTA drivers should apply for the job and experience it for themselves.

I'm just sayin'...

1. Fix everything that's broken.
2. Get rid of the RTA, Metra, PACE and the CTA and just have one big transit system for the entire area.
3. Elect someone other than Daley.

Who are these people that keep voting for Daley?

All the people who have a city or county job or a relative who has one.

1. Keep train and bus passengers from standing right in the doorways when there are seats available or spaces further back. That crowding at the doorways makes getting on and off slower, which makes the ride take longer for everybody.

2. Do something about bus bunching and make somebody accountable for patterns of bunching. Some bunching is just going to be inevitable, but if it happens day in and day out on the same route, either the scheduler or the driver is at fault.

3. Make urinating at a train station a bigger offense with serious penalties. Bar repeat offenders from the station or using public transportation entirely for those who continue beyond then. Have police or CTA security monitor for this. The stations with the most urine are also the most dangerous ones, so win on both counts.

Fix the slow zones on the train routes and put "Rapid" ack in Rapid Transist as it was some 10 -15 years ago.

Eliminate the free-fare Senior program.

one thing on the green line. for business i ride from harlem to 63rd. the stopping point of the train has been moved farther away from the elevator. now passengers have to walk/run the length of 3-4 train cars to get to the last car. the operator may or may not wait. people have trip & fell trying to get to the rear of thetrain. why not stop the train where it is safely in the station but not as far from the stairs or elevator. example northbound @ indiana the train stops at the far west end of the station. the elevator is on the east end of the station. also at central with 4 cars the train stops at the west end of the station the elevator is on the east end elderly & passengers w/strollers have to walk the whole platform to get to the elevator. it doesn't cost a thing to make that change other than the employee changing signs

I really liked the idea of the adopt a CTA station program.

Only allow baby strollers and shopping carts during non-rush hours, like they do with bicycles on the subway. Baby strollers take up much too much room on buses, and if you have two on the bus at once, it's almost impossible to get past them.

It was retarded Blajogebitch to think that the CTA would actually do well but giving a certain group of riders free ride. Obviously, it didn't work because he's no longer in the office. Now the rest of us have to pay extra to carry the weight of these free group.

It is just inconvenient to take the CTA. It stops too often, it is not "rapid teansit", and it usually full of peopel I would not associate with ever. I know I sound elitist but ...keep the homeless off the L...

The pay system should be the sdame as the London tubes...you pay for how far you ride.....that might keep off the problems....

Obviously not to many people these days have lived in Chicago long enough, but I wonder how would people respond if they reinstitute the way the trains used to run. They have an A, B and C trains for each of the line. They A trains only stopped on certain stations and the B ones cover the those stations that are not covered by the A trains. Certain stations were designated as transfer stations like the way Belmont and Fullerton stations are now. The C train doesn't run as often, but they stop at every single station....slower, but at least the other two lines eliminate the over crowding from the C lines. But then again, I just think this is way too complicated for most riders.

A and B trains, ah those were the days! Yes that system proved a little perplexing for new riders but it did seem to make rush hour a little more tolerable as there were fewer stops per train.

HERE'S A THOUGHT:

The CTA upper management should be elected/re-elected by the riding public, not appointed by City Hall.

Those who are invisible and out of touch -- the ridership gets to boot them out. Those who grandstand, boot them out. Those who don't/can't/won't respond to public inquiry, boot them out. Those who go on TV and the media and make grandiose promises and don't follow through, boot them out. Those who have NO CLUE of the basic operations of the transit system, boot them out.

Candidates that ARE qualified to run the CTA, let them stand before the ridership and tell you why. If you like them, and if you think they are qualified for the job, elect them (and quityerbitchin!).

That's what I say. What say you?

I don't know if that should be the case for management, but maybe for the boards, since theoretically they have the responsibility of seeing that the public will is implemented.

As you may note above, I have no use for the boards as currently constituted.

However, given how the elections are rigged in this area already (gerrymandered districts, appointments by party committeemen of the heir to the throne, an overburdened ballot with a couple of hundred of judges, sanitary board directors, and other officers whose tasks most voters can't comprehend, and lack of opposition, unless things really go into the toilet), I don't have much faith in bringing democracy to the CTA or RTA.

I like the idea of electing the boardmembers using collective voting or whatever it's called - if there are 10 board members, the top ten vote-getters get the roles. No districts, just everyone in the city votes and the ten people with the most votes are the board. Easy, and hard to completely rig an election like that.

1. Reduce the 3 East Loop stations to 2 larger stations

2. Build Circle Line/Mid City Line which will accomplish 3 important things:
a. Add much needed stops on the west side
b. Provide for non-loop travel that will encourage customers to use the el outside of rush hour, reduce loop congestion and expedite travel times
c. Will create numerous metra/bus/el line transfers outside of downtown allowing for fewer bus routes

3. Integrate fare systems for entire RTA

4. Create an internet/ticker sign system that accurately tell when the next bus or train is arriving. The are many ticker signs on platforms that should be capable of this.

These actions would increase ridership by quite a bit, decrease road traffic and encourage future neigborhood growth. While I can get annoyed by cell phone users and strollers, people should be encouraged to use the CTA, not discouraged. This is America...

Voting requirements:
18 years old.
50 rides in a year cycle - people would obtain rider-voting cards if they do not have a Chicago Card.

1) We need to evaluate the real reasons people drive vs. taking public transit. I don't feel that a car is any more or less convenient than taking the bus. I feel that Metra, for one, is far more convenient in that I can easily work during my ride. With the unending (seemingly) road work that consumes Chicago roadways, driving is not convenient either. This is besides the traffic that is already there. What are the reasons, then? This has really befuddled me. I mean, as much as I love Howard Stern on Sirius, the last thing I want to do is jump in the car and drive 1.5+ hours to work everyday.
2) Plastering buses and trains with advertisements is a nice revenue stream, I am sure, but there must be something else. All of this money is probably just being put into the billboards that are trying get people to ride public transportation. Yeah, that makes sense.
3) I love the cell phone usage in the trains now, but why not make them wifi? iPhone users alone would rejoice, but the people on long train rides/waits could bring their computers with them. This could also help out with installing information screens with a central station that monitors the trains sending information to these screens.
4) I think a number of number of north-south lines need to be created. A previous commenter called for a Cicero Ave and Western Ave as possible solutions, but are these the correct streets to start? Ideally, something that would connect more users to the airport without having to go downtown. Anyone getting off a plane at Midway and wanting to get to the North side knows what I'm talking about. A person before created a nice map detailing Western and Cicero as proposed routes. Not sure if this is the right spot because Ashland seems more logical, but I am not familiar with the traffic patterns here.
5) I think the city needs to encourage companies to offer incentives to their employees for taking CTA.

We could do these things, or privatize the whole thing.

1.The riders of the CTA don't cover their mouths when they cough and sneeze. According to the Center for Disease Control, you don't use your hands, you use a hankerchief. Nobody carries hankerchiefs, at least nobody I see. I think educational material is needed to be placed on all buses in all languages. Our safety is important. I get sick riding most buses and don't breath the air anymore.
2. The second problem is the tunnels downtown. People have peed in them for decades and a thorough scrubbing is quite neccessary. Sandblasting is another good option and stations would have to be closed temporarily. No matter what the trains also make me sick, mostly the red line. Let's do what we have to to make America livable. We are allies each with another so people should not have to ride in sickness just because they can't buy a car.
3.The windows on the buses shouldn't be locked to increase the problem. At least the emergency hatch should be opened in this time of Swine Flu.
4.In closing I will say that in the Nucleur Age people seem a liitle off. What else could you expect. Let's look at this as a crisis becuase there is no other wise thing to do.
5.Be wise or at least have knowledge to do what I say.

Hispanics should ride free because this land was conquered. Our country is new and it's all about money. Let the CTA realize that us Hispanics were robbed of this continent and that we should definately ride free. After all we are the ridiculed natives that are on the bottom of the totum pole.

The CTA needs to reduce fares. The last increase, from $1.75 to $2.25, plus losing the 10% discount by using Chicago Card, was effectively a 43% increase ($1.575 up to $2.25 is a 43% increase). THAT'S RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!! Who gets to raise their prices by 43% in one crack????? Only the government, that's who. (I consider the CTA a government organization, although technically it may not be). HELLO???? And you want us to sign up for government controlled health care? NO WAY!!!!!

No need for lies, the cash fares was previously $2.00 and was raised to $2.25. The transit card fee went from $1.75 to $2.00.

1) Upgrade the PA system in all train stations. When there's an announcement about a delay, I can understand it maybe 1/4 of the time.
2) Going along with that, use the electronic signs installed already in many stations (the scrolling LED variety) to make actual up to the minute announcements. All I ever seem them doing is announcing scheduled work and other static content.

Both of these may be included in your third point, but I think they're worth breaking out on their own.

3) Keep good people around!
For a long time there was a very nice customer assistant at the Blue Line stop I get off at in the morning. She always had the gate open so people could get out quicker and smiled and greeted people with "Good morning!" Then she disappeared. The woman that eventually took her place also had the gate open and after some time also started sayng "Good morning." And now she is gone and the new woman doesn't open the gate and is either in her little booth or nowhere to be seen. I hope the others were just transferred somewhere else in the system and didn't quit or get fired.

4) Take advantage of Cash for Clunkers and trade in some of their oldest, junkiest buses. Those are the ones always breaking down and falling and guzzling gas, and their wheelchair lifts never seem to be working (from my limited observations...I'm not in a wheelchair).

5) Get some real leadership. There are many styles of leadership, and usually some mix is required for success. The CTA needs a visionary and a champion that sees what the agency should be and fights to make it happen. They also need someone who is detail-oriented and can work with people to make it all happen. These may be two (or more!) different leaders. It would be nice if Daley was that Visionary, but he's clearly not. The only thing in his tunnel vision these days is 2016.

I agree with the PA system. If anyone has ever lived by the El, however, the voices that come from the train are loud and clear! I've had nightmares about that voice.

Eliminate Madison/Wabash station....

BTW, what ever happened to the plan to replace both Randolph and Madison with a new station at Washington, similar to the one at Washington-Wells? IIRC, Marshall Field's was still there when that was proposed.

Not to mention, replacing the dump of a station at State over Lake.

The station at State of Lake is not bad - it's old, but it has some cool updates, like the colored lighting effect, and it's in generally well-maintained condition.

The narrowness of its platforms makes State/Lake a good candidate for renovation. It serves so many people and gives them a tightrope-walking experience. Very dangerous.

First, I have a question/comment. Is the Pilot program of screens really working to it's original purpose? Maybe that's what you mean by fix. But the last few times I looked at them, I was given no information about the trains. All I learned about were Verizon and the Sox. Ads have completely taken this over.

How would I improve the CTA?
-- I agree with you about the screens, though getting it back on track (yes, pun intended) would be a pre-requisite.

-- Another thing I'd do would be to open the eyes of management. I admit, I'm relatively uninformed of the CTA's management operations, but I have to think that their point of view can be improved. I'm not calling for an all-out firing of management at CTA, however they can be re-positioned to add a bit more value to the service. To open their eyes so to speak. Put them out in the field for at least month out of the year. Let them ALL see what riders have to deal with on a daily basis. Maybe this would prompt some of management to see how well ideas are working and what they can tweak.

-- Re-purpose the Washington stop. Let's face it. High-speed rail service to the airports isn't going to happen unless parallell track is installed along the Blue and Orange lines. This means big money, this also means coordination from IDOT. Take the big space and build spots for food kiosks. Give Loop commuters a focal point for their morning. The revenue from those rentals could go a long way towards beefing up and improving other parts of the CTA that need it.

start at the top with the money, and y their is not any money, and y does cta have 26 vice presidents, this isnt the world unite nations, and y the fare is raised so much, and y the bus routes are cut so much, and y cta incourages the public to fight with and file false complaints against the little people and y u all keep voteing for daley

And "y" do you write sentences like this is Twitter?

I agree, Red Line stations are too close together on the north side. It seems like it stops almost as often as buses in that stretch. Lawrence to Thorndale is less than 1.5 miles, yet there are 5 stops in that span. And you can spit from Thorndale to Granville.

With that reasoning, why not close a bunch of red line stations in the Loop as well?

Why not close them all?!

They already closed one--albeit not really on purpose. Also the density is much greater than in Uptown/Edgewater/Andersonville/Rogers Park. First, each Loop stop serves many more riders than the stops farther north. Second, the density of traffic, pedestrians and stoplights downtown means it's harder to walk/bike that extra distance than it is in a less dense, primarily residential area.

That being said, would it be a big deal to me if I had to walk to work from Jackson instead of Monroe? Not really.

Well, they could do that. But you better not close the one near me. I'll protest at my alderman's office. I'll... And that's why it will never happen.

having just moved to Chicago from Tokyo which has one of the best train systems in the world:
1) install modern gates utilizing smartcard technology on both entry and exit gates
2) the addition of exit gates will allow for charges based on distance traveled. say under 3 stops is $1, 4 to 7 is $1.50, etc... the current system is a great deal for longer travel but overpriced for short travel
3) put in new tracks to facilitate faster travel, especially all the sharp bends on the above ground portions of Brown Line

1. Make sure the buses are timed so three do not show up at the same time and you miss them all as you are standing across the street waiting for the light to turn. 2. More Service for those living on the west side. 3. More buses, more trains, to help promote more ridership and less cars on the road.

Hate to break it to you, but CTA is not going to have anti-cellphone devices on their trains anytime soon. They are actively signing 10 year agreements for cell-phone service in the tunnels. You think anyone would ride if they couldn't use their cell phone in this modern day?

Also federal law currently prohibits cell phone jamming in any environment.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/07/experts-clash-over-cell-phone-jamming-at-senate-hearing.ars

There may be a law against it but until people learn to keep their businesses to themselves, they should be allowed to jam cell phone services on buses and trains. I don't mind at all if it's an emergency, but I don't need to hear some bitter witch who complains about her work and how mean her boss is for everyone else to hear. Her potential employer could be on that same ride and will make them think twice about hiring her when they find out what kind of a nagging witch she's like.

People talk on the bus all the time. It's not functionally any different to talk to another person who is also on the bus than it is to talk to someone on the phone.

Wish that were the case, but too many cellphone users shout, as though their phone were not enough to convey their voice to the person on the other end. They also get lost in the world of their phone conversation. It's all down to the complete lack of consideration for others that pervades society.

Things I don't like should be banned.

Most have been said before...

The NYC-style seating on L cars got shot down due to complaints, but it is much more efficient to have a few of those cars on each string for rush hour routes. People would much rather stand on a train than stand on the platform as full trains go by.

Alternative to that or the A-B trains, the CTA could start some trains (especially red/brown) mid-route during morning rush hour so people who live nearer to downtown don't have to let full trains pass by. I now take the blue and very rarely have to let a train pass, but when I'm standing on my platform and there are 4 times as many people waiting at the stop to go inbound as there are that are actually on the trains that are going outbound, something isn't running efficiently.

As others have mentioned, some of the redline stops are way too close, many of the loop stops are too close, and many of the bus stops are way too close. A bus that stops half as many times is much less succeptable to bus bunching.

With bus tracker now, signs saying when the next bus is arriving should be the next step. A few train stops have had this for a while, it should be expanded to all train stops and could be paid for with integrated advertising.

Nothing the CTA could do, but Michigan Ave travel would be infinitely more bearable if cabs were not allowed to stop on Michigan Ave. If instead they were forced to pick up and drop off customers on one of the many many East-West streets, it would essentially open up an entire lane in each direction making general traffic and more specifically bus traffic much lighter. Additionally, the city needs to do a better job managing the ability to turn off of michigan Ave.

At times when the Purple Line is not running to the loop, the Yellow Line should run that route. Both Yellow and Purple Line trains should stop at Sheridan. The Red Line on the weekends is like a slow boat to China with all those north side stops. Having at least some express service would eliminate that hassle.

A little more far-fetched would be to have a transit line that goes down the median of LSD, enters a Michigan Ave. subway and continues to the Museum Campus and possibly beyond. This would eliminate having express buses stuck in traffic on LSD.

Every day, including Sundays, from now until the next mayoral election, Mayor Daley, by himself, incognito, should be required to ride one different rapid transit line or bus route in its entirety and report his findings the next day to the citizens of Chicago on how he will improve the route to make it move convenient and safe for all riders. Surely the Mayor can spend one hour a day keeping a watchful eye on his transit system.

Focus capital expansion efforts on projects with a bigger bang for their buck, like streetcars. Replace buses on Ashland and Western with streetcars in a dedicated right-of-way.

Work with the city to focus new real estate development and destinations around existing train stations, to make service more useful and available to more people without having to actually expand the system.

The express train should run the entire day. Even if its just once or twice an hour during non peak hours. Also I don't understand what the point of having a purple and a red line is. Why can't they just combine it and have the red line go all the way north to Linden??? It would save a lot of time and prevent people from having to get off at Howard to wait for another train.

Amen sister! I second that notion that the purple line should run all day express as well as we should skip this nonsense of switching lines at Howard. And no express from Davis to Central on the purple line. What's the point of skipping two stops that are popular for students?!

Chris....y don't you have anything better to do???? Get a job!!!

I do have a job, thanks.

111th street Vincennes bus service to Morgan Park Metra is non-existent more times than I'd like to count; almost cost me my job; now I live on the north side of Chicago and the el is always jammed ~ I cannot believe that I cannot get a seat EVER! The City should insist the mucky mucks ride the el and/or bus and 1) pay for the service; 2) have their pay docked if they are late getting to work ~ that'll fix it. I don't use the word 'hate' very often ~ I HATE CTA!

Why can't they just combine it and have the red line go all the way north to Linden???

Basically the demand isn't there for 8 car trains past Howard; 2 or 4 car trains do the job in the nonrush. Also, most of the stations only have platforms for 6 car trains. You would probably need another 40 cars to accomplish the Red Line at 8 cars up to Linden.

Having frequently made that transfer (or to the Yellow Line), I don't find it that much of a burden.

Running the red line up to Linden doesn't make logistic sense, but I do like the idea of running the purple line as an express more often. My thought was that they could use it for Cub games to get crowds out quicker. Or to get them to the games as well.

I know this is brought up often, but here goes again:

They need to have the Purple Line stop regularly at Sheridan during rush hour.

1)It would greatly reduce congestion at Belmont and Howard. I'm surprised people haven't toppled off those two platforms, they're so crowded at time.
2)The Sheridan station is setup to handle it already with two platforms. No renovation necessary!
3)The Purple Line train already has to slow down to go through the S curve, so it's not like it's slowing the train down in a place it isn't already slow.
4)When it's Cubs time, it appears that at least half of the people who get off are regular commuters, not Cubs game attendees.
5)It's a simple measure that improves the CTA's relations with its customers, with little financial or time commitment from the CTA.

I like the idea, but how does it help the congestion at Howard?

Many red line trains are 8 cars long. The purple line platforms are only 6 cars long. Therefore, running the red line north of Howard would mean two cars hanging off of the platform. That seems to work okay for some Metra trains, but I'm not sure CTA could handle it.

I could not agree more. The Purple Line is one of the most convenient trains, but if I want to visit the Art Institute, I better start my journey during morning rush hour or I'll have to brave a hot, crowded walk through the loop from a Red Line stop to get there. I also like the idea of combining train lines. As long as we're on the subject of suburban L stops, it would be nice if the yellow line ran more frequently. It was awfully nice of the CTA to add weekends to the yellow line schedule, but on any given day, if I happen to miss a Yellow Line train by a few minutes, I have to wait about fifteen minutes for another one (and this is particularly grueling on a cold winter's day). It would also be nice if the Yellow Line ran later than 11 PM. Just sayin'...

I'm sure the RedEye article will elicit lots of really dumb ideas from lots of really uninformed people. Coming to you from the same people who voted the 156 the worst bus route...

A purple line express that is running late should never run express from Howard to Davis, and then Davis to Central. There are many Northwestern students that get off the train at Foster and Noyes, and to skip over these stops is ridiculous. I don't know how many times I've had to get off at Davis to wait for the next purple line train to come by so that I can get taken to Noyes. Wouldn't stopping at Foster and Noyes only take 2 more minutes? Stupid CTA.

I agree! I've complained to the CTA about this before.
If you're riding the northbound Purple line on a week day, chances are you're there for Northwestern. It's very aggravating when they skip 2 of the 3 Northwestern stops. Every time this happens, most of the train piles out at Davis, and I usually count about 5 people per car as it leaves, skipping to Central.

1) Gold line to better service South Loop, Bronzeville, Hyde Park and South Shore. In fact, build it all the way down to Hammond and let the casino pick up part of the tab.
2) Institute congestion pricing in the central business district to pay for L expansion, or create dedicated street car lanes on Western, Garfield and Belmont to serve as a sort of "outer loop" to quickly move people onto dedicated L lines. If there's money left, drop fairs as close to zero as possible to encourage ridership.
3) Scrap mandated parking for new construction to encourage ridership.

Basically, you want to create as a large a constituency as possible for CTA improvement. You do that by expanding and improving service, while reducing the number of people who drive instead of taking mass transit.

Most of your ideas are pretty good, but dropping fare price to increase ridership doesn't make sense. The CTA doesn't really lose riders when they increase fares, so it stands to go that they would not gain riders by decreasing it. Plus, the CTA is required by law to generate a certain percentage of its operating income from fares/revenue.

Totally agree - there are what 8 whole stops on the purple line north of Howard. If the trains are running late and they hit every stop it would take only a few more minutes and there would be fewer pissed off riders.

I don't think you need to get so upset. MK just asked you to further explain why you think your suggestions would help. You have some reasonable suggestions, some not so reasonable, and some that could use some explanation so others can see what you're seeing.

StreamlinerDude, it's understandable why you would think the CTA is "his" transit system, but it's more complicated than that. The CTA is actually a regional agency, funded largely by the state and regulated by the RTA. Daley does appoint some (but not all) of the board members and the city contributes money and services to the portion of the CTA that is in Chicago, but the CTA is not a city agency and the state actually has a bigger say in what resources it receives.