Posted July 2 at 8:00 a.m.

"Going Public" is going out of town, but puh-leaze don't let that stop you from posting your public transit thoughts and observations.  Feel free to add any kudos, complaints or even artistic expressions.  And I'll be back on track come Monday, July 7.

Posted July 1 at 10:30 a.m.

Shortly after we crowned the Rotten Routes, I contacted the CTA to get their take on what went wrong with the No.8-Halsted and No.22-Clark routes.  In recent months, CTA officials told me the No.8 was showing signs of improvement, in part due to staffing shifts and a ticketing program aimed at bus-lane blockers.  So imagine my surprise when ol' No.8 showed its face on our Rotten Route list for the second time in two years, this time, tied with the No.22.  Booo!

Here's what the CTA told me is their take on the "Going Public" contest, as well as some facts that you may want to know about ongoing and upcoming adjustments to these routes.  Check it out, and let me know what you think:

Does CTA have a response regarding the #8 and #22 being this year’s “Rotten Route(s)” as determined by the Going Public online poll? Any comment regarding improvement or work on those routes?

Since last fall, CTA has implemented a performance management program to improve reliability and reduce bus bunching throughout the system.  In addition, service levels are evaluated to determine appropriate changes.

Between May 2007 and May 2008, weekday ridership along the #8 Halsted route increased by 2,615 rides – the largest increase in ridership across the system – and the #22 Clark route also gained 1,973 riders per weekday – the fourth highest gain across the system.

Schedules for the #8 Halsted and #22 Clark bus routes were reviewed and adjusted to improve reliability for the 2007 Winter Pick (December), which included a running-time adjustment that added service on both routes (40 hours were added to the #8 and 23 hours were added to the #22).

For the 2008 Spring Pick (March), during the morning rush period the frequency along the #8 Halsted was improved to 6 minutes (previously 7 to 8 minutes) and eight additional buses were assigned to operate along the #22 as part of the supplement for the Three-Track Operation.

Despite the significant increases in ridership recently, performance along the #8 Halsted and #22 Clark routes has in fact improved since last year with a modest 3.39% and 0.9% decrease in bus bunching over the past 12-months, respectively.  These improvements are a result of implementing measures such as increased supervision, leap-frogging, schedule changes, and earlier departures.

Since April, newer buses were assigned to the #8 route resulting in fewer bus break downs and delays.

Staff continues to monitor each bus route to identify trends and their causes (scheduling, ridership, route configuration, equipment failure, operator performance) and what can be done to help improve service reliability as quickly as possible. 

Posted July 1 at 8:00 a.m.

So you think you're riding the CTA's most busted bus? 

You may not be exaggerating the awfulness of your bus service, but "Going Public" launched a public transit poll, and learned that not one, but two bus routes hold our official title of Most Rotten Route.  But there were other routes that duked it out for the dubious distinction, and some came pretty close.  Here they are, in all their infamy below.

No.65-Grand (1st runner up)

No.152-Addison (2nd runner up)

No.4-Cottage Grove (3rd runner up)

No. 87-87th Street (4th runner up)

The CTA offered a more in-depth explanation of what went wrong in the No.8/No.22 tie for terrible service. Stay tuned.  I'll post it in a few.

Posted June 30, 2008 at 2:54 p.m

Ouch!  The CTA could not be too happy with an RTA report written about in today's RedEye and the Trib. Though the overall safety of the CTA is such that it doesn't put riders in danger, the analysis isn't too encouraging, and includes findings like CTA rail operators being observed pulling away from stations without checking to see if all the doors were closed.

Here's what might be the biggest yee-ouch, according to an excellent piece written by Jon Hilkevitch:

"The safety audit found that the CTA is not conducting enough emergency-response drills and that its construction-safety performance on the $530 million Brown Line reconstruction project 'is not satisfactory.'"

The CTA has money woes-- some dating back for decades-- that make it difficult for the agency to get everything 100%, and we understand that. Every day, we see the agency working on some aspect of the system, though it may be an annoying process for us riders.

But come on, rail operators not checking to see if doors are closed?  I gabbed about this around noon on WGN-AM with the esteemed Bob Sirott.  Enough of my analysis.  What do you think of this report?  Do you feel safe on the CTA? 

Posted June 27, 2008 at 8:24 a.m.

The CTA can be a saviour for bicycling riders.  They can enjoy the beauty of this Chicago summer (now that it finally showed up) on their bikes and, if they get weary, climb aboard the bus or trains -- during certain hours, in the latter case. 

Sweet deal, huh?

Not always, according to two-wheelers who have written to "Going Public" recently with two different camps of complaints  The first issue focuses on the bike racks situated on the fronts of buses, particularly those connected to Comcast ads. 

Quoth a cyclist about the arrangement which he initially found impressive:

"When you lower the bike rack, to actually use it for something other than advertising, those Comcast signs block one of the two  red braces for your front tire from moving. This means your bike has nothing to hold it in place.  Of the two spots available for bicycles on the front of each bus, only one of them is usable. To revue, 50 % of the bicycle carrying capacity has been eliminated because some inovative ad executive found  a new revenue stream. Genuises."

The final complaint, which a rider actually illustrated for me with the photo below, is not about the CTA, but about the lazy CTA cyclists who don't remove their bikes from station racks. This photo, the rider told me, came from the Noyes Street stop and describes, at least the one on the right, as "quite weathered." 

What are your beefs -- cyclists or non-cyclists-- about bikes on the CTA?

Posted June 25 at 3:02 p.m.

Sometimes, even "Going Public" gets called out.  And it happened yesterday, for sure.   While tallying "Rotten Route" votes from my e-mail and this blog, I received a call from a woman who said she was a CTA employee and boy, was she mad and seemingly ready to let me have it.  She said she knows things aren't 100% with the CTA, but it infuriates her to constantly read rider complaints in the RedEye maligning transit agency employees when riders themselves are part of the problem.

"These people need to have a mirror put up to their faces," she told me during the approximately 10-minute conversation.  She pointed out, and rightfully so, that buses do not pull out dirty in the morning and that only happens once riders get in on the equation.  One particular pet peeve, she offered, in response to those who say bus operators are rude:

"We face bad attitudes all the time, especially from the ones who come in from the suburbs and think that $2 buys them the world."  By the time the call ended, I encouraged her to sound off on this blog with more stirring insights, and I hope she takes me up on that offer.  I got an ear full, but felt I learned something too.

Then, today, I got another note from a gentleman who said he is a bus operator.  His e-mail was very humble and I could totally sympathize with his situation, as he appealed to riders to get up on time, use the Internet to plan their routes, and use some restraint when taking out their system-inspired anger on individual employees. 

In closing, he wrote: "Thank you for this opportunity and I wished the best to all customers of Chicago and  others, and remember we will be there for you." 

So do you have empathy for CTA employees? Do the many get a bad rep due to the actions of a few bad apples? Or is the apple cart rotten through and through? CTA employees, we want to hear from you too.

Posted June 24, 2008 at 8:15 a.m.

Awww yeah, it's time for the second-annual Rotten Route Challenge.  Check out the official criteria and rules in today's "Going Public."  I'm accepting votes at goingpublic@tribune.com and would love it if you would pretty please put the route number in the subject field and include your full name, age, and neighborhood.  Also add a few lines about why your bus gives you the blues. 

Remember, it's all about improvement, so let's highlight which route needs a helping hand.

I'm tallying votes until Friday at 5 p.m., and feel free to sound off here as well.  The most Rotten Route will be revealed soon, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, bring ont he bus routes.

Posted June 23, 2008 at 2:15 p.m.

This morning while waiting at the 35th Street Red Line stop, I looked down and marveled at a mass transit mess.  It's not that I've never seen litter on the tracks before, but this amalgamation of items suggested just plain slobby behavior from riders.

There were plastic bottles.  (New recycling plan?)  There was a Sox cap.  (Disgruntled fan from the Crosstown Classic, I'm guessing.)  And most ridiculous of all: a Harold's chicken bag.  I took some photos with my BlackBerry...you can make out the telltale green label, though I didn't want to fall onto the tracks trying to get more detail.

Now, we know that litter can be a factor in small track fires, so what's up with all this trashy conduct?  Do you see some rubbish on the rails?  E-mail me a phot and I'll post it. 

Let's shame these CTA riders into finding a trash can or recycling bin.

Posted June 23 at 12:01 p.m.

Forgive me a little CTA self-indulgence, but I must speak out about a ridiculous Red Line commute this morning.  The story starts out smoothly enough with a promptly arriving No.35-35th Street bus, which I knew was coming courtesy of the bus tracker.  (Thanks bus tracker!)  But once I got to the 35th Street Red Line stop, the commute hit a kink-- a serious one.

Despite the notion that trains should arrive in timely intervals...I waited not 10, not 20, but 30 minutes for a train headed to the Loop.  This was worsened by the fact that two fake-out trains ( a training train and an express) whizzed past with no regard to the quite evidently infuriated riders on the platform.

Three southbound trains went by until finally, some slovenly northbound train arrived. 

So a trip that could have taken about 30 minutes from the bus to the Grand stop, where I disembark, turned into about a 55-minute nightmare.  So much for rapid transit, huh?

Believe me, I know this is a tired tale by now, and other riders have it 100 times worse, but I just had to share. (Taking deep, cleansing breath) I'm OK now, I promise. 

Your turn.  Share your most recent, annoying run-in with the rails. 

Posted June 20, at 1:22 p.m.

This just in:

Prepare yourself for some Blue Line Blues.

Going Public" just got a press release from the CTA with a very strong good news/bad news factor.

The good news: The CTa is getting uber-aggressive about stamping out slow zones between Rosemont and O'Hare, actually ramping up ongoing efforts to make the repairs needed to transform the branch back to a rail service instead of a tortoise trek.

The bad news, particularly for those who hate CTA shuttle service: the transit agency today announced that for three weeks in July shuttle service will replace rail travel between the O'Hare and Rosemont stops until (gulp) Monday, July 28.