Posted March 10 - 11:18 p.m

You'll see it on buttons worn by employees. You'll see it on train and bus placards. The call: "Be a Mystery Shopper."

The CTA, like Uncle Sam, wants YOU to join its nearly year-old program to surreptitiously evaluate the agency's service from cleanliness to timeliness and fill out surveys for review by top management.

The first 1,000 to sign up even get a freebie in the form of a $2 transit card, as I reported in today's "Going Public," where the CTA exclusively spilled their secret-shopping secrets.

Want in on the action? Visit the CTA's Mystery Shopper micro site if you want to sign up, but do you even want to? Will you join the program in an effort to improve CTA service or do you suspect this info will simply go into a black hole?

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I can assure you that there is nobody with any accountability responding to your issues or concerns. I placed a call and an email a few months ago requesting a bus shelter at the stop near my house that's used by dozens of people every morning. Let me paraphrase their response "it's not the CTA's responsibility, you need to bring it up with your alderman". I'm sure "not our problem" is their standard response.

"GOING PUBLIC" SAYS: Thanks for being my first official blog customer, Brutus. I definitely feel you on the skepticism, but maybe we should give it a try. The comments are supposed to go directly to CTA's customer service operations where pressing issues will be routed to CTA officials, such as their veep of facilities, for quicker turnaround. The surveys also will be part of a weekly report the CTA reviews at headquarters. Of course, the CTA is notorious for ignoring rider complaints, but think of it this way: The data might be easier to process versus an amalgamation of comments and calls going through different channels. Either way: Don't you worry. I'll definitely be watching to see if it works. "Going Public" will shop the Mystery Shopper program, so to speak.

Yes, I'm going to try out this Mystery Shopper they are offering. Who knows if the results will even do any good! I have one major complaint, why won't the bus drivers OPEN THE DOORS for you when you are stading 10 ft. away from the actual bus stop when they are STOPPED at a RED LIGHT. They simply shake there head 'no'. And don't let you ride the bus. Doesn't the CTA NEED money at this point? Refusing riders is a big problem!!!

"GOING PUBLIC" SAYS: We'll just have to stay tuned, but just let me know if you get your free transit card if you signed up in time...You definitely deserve at least a ride and a transfer for your willingness to give this program a whirl.

Ummm. The CTA hardly needs 'mystery shoppers'. They can easily just ask people standing at any bus stop what they thing about busses and trains.

And this, just like calls to the CTA, will fall into the black hole of nothingness, that is their customer service. If they wanted to make a difference and add some accountability up from they could start by listing all the numbers to the different bus barns so you could speak directly with the people who are in charge of bus lines instead of non-descript, phone answerers who have no ability or desire to change anything.

I mean those supervisors are out there all day long, taking down what time busses come by and they have done nothing with that data. And as long as the northbound No. 4 or X4, stops on the south of 63rd, causing everyone to have to run a half of a block, across 63rd Street, to get on the El, then I can not believe that they or anyone at the CTA is willing or able to make any changes that are supposed to benefit the consumer.

"GOING PUBLIC" SAYS: Hopefully, this mystery shopping will not take the place of the common-sense solutions you suggested. But I guess we'll have to stay tuned to see, for sure. New regimes, such as CTA President Ron Huberman, bring fresh blood and new ideas, but only time will tell if they actually deliver value. Guess you won't be getting that free $2 transit card then, huh? :) Thanks for writing!

Hey Brutus, CTA has not provided bus shelters for decades. Budget cutting action of long ago. Those JC Decaux beauties you see are a City of Chicago purchase. Ride a CTA bus in Oak Park, and the bus shelters, if present, are not from JC Decaux, because Oak Park is not in on that contract. CTA told you the truth, and how to get what you want. That is good service! Cheer up, and call that alderman!

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