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. 

Ah yes, another canned response. I'm sorry, I don't believe that at all.

I notice that all of the improvements mentioned by the CTA are on the #8 and #22 buses, of course, east of the Chicago River, in the land of boutiques and condos. No mention is made of improvements on the other lines. After taking the #152 Addison Street bus and the blue line downtown for nearly 20 years, with my average commuting time between 1.5 and 2 hours each way, I was glad when my office moved to the suburbs a few years ago. No more CTA. There will never be any improvements on Addison, because the city never spends any money on anything west of the river. We're just there to pay taxes, ever increasing taxes. Now, I've just got to sell the house and get out for once and for all!

THAT SOUNDS GOOD. NOW, WHAT ABOUT THE #3 (KING DRIVE) & #4 (COTTAGE GROVE)?
I AM SICK AND TIRE OF WAITING FOR BUSES (UP TO 20 MINUTES AT A TIME), REGARDLESS OF TIME, TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE BUSES ARRIVE AT ONE TIME (SOME CASES FIVE BUSES!). IF THE BUS SCHEDULE SAYS (FOR EXAMPLE DURING A.M. RUSH) EVERY 5 TO 10 MINUTES, FORGET IT!! IT SHOULD READ: WHENEVER!!!

Ken - I hadn't realized that by living in the land of boutiques and condos I wasn't required to pay taxes! Thanks for this very cool information.

I think the problem with both the 8 and 22 is that when there is "bus bunching" the buses aren't talking to each other. If there are three buses together, there should be some mechanism in place to have bus #3 (empty bus) take the lead and pick up passengers. As a passenger, our instinct is to get the first bus that comes, especially if we've been waiting for forever and a day (which is often the case).

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