Posted Feb. 18 at 1:50 p.m.

After watching, re-watching, cringing and then re-watching this video, I have to say it gives new meaning to fare collection.  What is depicted in this video is reprehensible, and appears to be yet another black eye on the Chicago police department.  (Warning, per the Trib's word, this vid is graphic and profane.)

Done cringing yet?  Now answer this: Why would an officer scream, curse at and physically attack a man over some pathetic bus fare?  Is that $2.25 really worth that kind of reaction?  Making matters worse, this video seems to depict an officer so comfortable in his actions that the scrutiny of other riders doesn't stop him one bit.

Perhaps he didn't get the memo that that there is an onboard camera on every bus.  Or maybe he is still using a SkyPager circa 1990 and doesn't realize modern technology could allow an apparent outside party to capture this craziness on video.

I had no idea Chicago police officers were so invested in fare collection.  From what I've observed, the uniformed folk board and disembark CTA buses at such speed, they don't have time to regulate too much of anything.  I don't blame them, as I'm sure they are pressed for other matters, but this dude comes off as a Transit Terminator.

Perhaps the agency's budget woes -- also top news today-- could push even "Officer Friendly" here over the edge.

Posted Feb. 10 at 5:15 p.m.

Okay, not to be a nitpick, but:

 I took a No.65-Grand bus and the heat was on. From my "Going Public" experience, I realize that the operator cannot adjust bus temperature, but great googly moogly, I nearly overheated.  Has anyone else suffered from hot-bus syndrome today?  It was such a glorious and unseasonably warm day, so I understand if the agency wasn't exactly prepared, but man!!!

On another note: What was going on during your commute today? 

Another other note: Stay tuned, I'm going to start putting up  lost-and-found items tomorrow so we can get some reunions going.

Posted on Sept. 25 at 12:15 p.m.

This morning, I caught a ride on the No.65-Grand, and found myself on a relatively full bus.  There were at least 6 or 7 standees, including me. Waay in the back, was a Trib colleage, whom I shall reveal later in this transit tale.   After a few stops, I noticed an older man standing there with his suitcase, looking a bit defeated and maybe even tired. His back was to me. A seat opened and he didn't take it, so I did, but then felt bad. At the back of the bus, another seat had opened up.

Me: Excuse me, sir?  Would you like this seat? 

Him: Do I look that old?

Me: (in mind) Dayum! 

Turns out it was worse than I thought.  Political reporter and CLTV star Carlos Hernandez Gomez happened to be on the same bus, but in the back.  When we hopped out to head to Trib Tower, Carlos jokingly asked if I'd been flirting with the gentleman.

Me: No, of course not!  I offered him my seat and he was snippy with me.

Carlos: That was Burton Natarus.

Me: Get. Out.

Carlos should be glad I didn't channel Elaine from "Seinfeld" and shove him clear across the sidewalk.  I have spoken to former Alderman Natarus before, and should have known it was him from the growly voice and jowls, but I was distracted by my failed attempt at CTA civility. Plus, he never looked me straight in the face.

Yipes!  So wherever you are, Natarus, no...you don't look that old.  But the next time someone offers you a seat, take it, sir.  I know it's not the city council seat you want, but it's a seat nonetheless.

Posted July 31 at 3:48 p.m.

For the love of Mike, sometimes I hate CTA smart cards. 

Not once, not twice, but THRICE this week, I've watched a rider use the supposedly handy touch-n-go sensor only to get summoned back by the bus operator.  In each case, the card did contain value, so what's really going on?  It wasn't even a case of a rider paying the traditional way at the same time, a definite no-no...it was just a weird glitch.

The notion of the smart cards is clever and convenient.  I much prefer it to the old-school cash or mag-strip card, but we either need to have a CTA sit-down with the manufacturer of the touch-and-go device or the smart card itself because something is not right.

Check out this e-mail from a less-than-enthused CTA card carrier named Ann:

"More than half the time I get on a CTA bus, I have to scan my Chicago Card Plus 3 or 4 times before it works. Some drivers request another scan politely, and some are really rude. To the CTA generally, this needs to be fixed, as it is hardly the "Go Lane" when you have to scan your card multiple times. To the rude bus-drivers, don't take it out on me because your equipment is not functioning properly."

I'm going to look into this issue because I know it's a sore point for many riders.  CTA employee insiders, feel free to shed some light.  Bus operators too seem peeved by pesky cards.

And riders, other than Ann, how sick are you of serial swiping?

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 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 18, at 12:32 p.m.

So we've got cameras, GPS tracking, and touch-n-go pay pads on CTA buses.  Yesterday, we learned that buses could someday run on battery power.  It seems like the CTA is at least creeping toward Tomorrowland with its whizz bang devices, but I've got one more addition to the arsenal:

Ejector seats.  I've long championed -- at least inwardly -- for this amenity in movie theaters with all the gabbing, popcorn tossing, littering and texting going on during the picture show.  But this morning, while riding the No.3-King Drive into work, I damn near stood up and demanded it.

Being a dutiful rider, I sat in an inward seat to make room for other public transit patrons, only to be joined by a woman who was eating.  I am personally against chowing on buses and trains, due to the littering often left behind, but that wasn't my beef with this bus rider.  My beef is with what she chose to eat-- a slider.  At 10:30 a.m. in the freaking morning, this woman pulls out an extremely odorous White Castle burger and eats it as if it is her last meal.

I don't want to be too graphic, but I felt like an attack of the sick-ups was coming on, as the onion-y odor wafted my way.  I slid over to the left until I was practically out the window, until thankfully, she moved so she could continue her mobile meal on a row that opened up.

That likely didn't please her new neighbors, whom I saw make faces when she moved there.  That's why I want to put this out there again:  ejector seat, CTA, ejector seat.  This would also helpful for dealing with those who think they belong in priority seating for no other reason than that they exist.

Anyone else want in on my public transit plea?  And who would you use ejector-seat power on?

Posted June 16, at 12:54 p.m.

Update at 5:29 p.m.: CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney e-mailed me to call attention to a March 12 press release the CTA put out mentioning upcoming changes to the No.X20 and other routes, and her point is well taken. The RedEye also reported on the changes. However, it seems that RW is not the only rider who was taken aback by the altered routes, per my other posting.  I've e-mailed Gaffney back to find out exactly what the CTA did and see why some may have been left out of the loop.

Happy Monday!  Or not so much from some West Side riders.  More anger e-mails are entering my inbox about the changes the CTA recently made to "enhance" West Side service.  Among them is this e-mail from a rider dubbed "R.W.":

"I'm writing to "EXPRESS" my anger regarding recent changes to the X20 bus. Who does CTA talk to before making route changes?! I take the X20 Washington/Madison Express from the westside to downtown. This morning (6/16) there's a notice at my bus stop stating the X20 will now make all stops between Austin & Hamiln. The bus will then make express stops from Hamlin to Halsted. For anyone that lives west of Hamlin the X20 is no longer an "express" bus. I thought the main purpose of the route was to provide faster service from the far west side to downtown. With this change it'll be slow service as usual along Madison for westsiders."

Posted June 13 at 5:28 p.m.

It seems the CTA and some riders have differing opinions on some upcoming West Side bus service changes. 

What the CTA is calling "experimental enhancements," one rider has dubbed a sneaky service cut.  Rider Thelma Lofton left "Going Public" several phone messages this week upset that the No. 38-Ogden/Taylor will end at California/Ogden. 

When I talked to her today, Lofton said that the change will negatively affect a number of riders.  She claims that she saw some signs around the East portion of the route, but more Westward riders were not properly informed of the change.  Lofton said that CTA personnel, only beginning Wednesday ,climbing aboard buses and passing out flyers about a service set for a bit of hacking as of Monday.

The CTA, however, seems to think that the change to the No.38, plus a number of other West Side-serving routes is good news and said as much in a release put out today a little before 5 p.m. 

Believe me, "Going Public" will most certainly ask CTA officials how riders were notified and what the logic is behind this move.

Though the transit agency often defends its decisions with ridership surveys, they evidently didn't get data from the group that Lofton belongs to...the angry group. 

Check out the full CTA press release below, and let me know, is this a good or bad move?  If you are a No.38 rider, or a rider affected by any of the changes below, do you feel you were adequately informed?

CTA Improves Service to Several Bus Routes: Experimental Service Enhancements Begin Sunday, June 15^th

The Chicago Transit Authority will enhance several existing bus routes beginning Sunday as part of a range of ongoing experimental service improvements for the West Side. The service changes are the result of customer feedback, as well as observation and analysis by CTA staff. In March, the Chicago Transit Board extended the experimental period for new and improved routing first introduced to customers in 2006. The initial experiment included the launch of CTA’s eighth rail line, the Pink Line, increased frequency of the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line, and improvements to 13 bus routes. Several adjustments will be made to service to improve efficiency during the next phase based on customer feedback and ridership trends.

Morning and evening rush period service will operate more frequently running every six to 10 minutes during the morning rush period, every 7.5 to 10 minutes during the evening rush period and every 10 minutes during midday. On Saturdays, frequency of service will be every 12 minutes in the morning and evenings, and every 10 minutes during midday.

Midday service will operate every 12 minutes on Sunday.

Weekday hours of operation will be extended to 10 p.m. and service during the morning and

midday will operate more frequently. Currently, #126 Jackson buses begin service to Illinois Medical District at about

7 p.m. As a result of later #7 service, #126 buses will only serve the Illinois Medical District after

10:25 p.m.

#X20 Washington/Madison Express

Establish additional bus stops west of Central Park on Madison to provide more convenient access to customers further west.

Midday service will be added to the route with service intervals of every 15 minutes to enhance connections between the east and west campuses of UIC and to the Polk Pink Line station. The route will also be adjusted to terminate at California/Ogden, which will allow for continued service to Mt.Sinai Hospital and meet the demand for service along the higher ridership portions of the route.

Running time will be adjusted on weekdays to provide more reliable service on the route.

#127 Roosevelt/Madison Circulator

Service on the #127 will be eliminated and the operational savings used to add service to the #12

Roosevelt route.

#60 Blue Island/26th

#38 Ogden/Taylor

Experimental Bus Service Enhancements Effective Monday, June 16#7

Harrison

Experimental Bus Service Enhancements Effective Sunday, June 15#12

Roosevelt