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

Posted May 6, 10:50 a.m.

Riders, do you want the CTA to get rid of the Go Lane?  I touched on that topic during today's "Going Public" about brave new bus service. 

Personally, I think the CTA should get move all the sensors to the fare box, where they are on some buses, since having two different riders trying to pay with different media at the time obviously doesn't work. 

Don't you love when the bus operator has to summon you back to reswipe, Chicago Card/Plus users?

If the CTA does not want to admit the Go Lane is a bust, they could just slowly phase out all fare media until everything is in smart card format.  Face it: the Go Lane doesn't work unless everyone is on the same page...kinda like that check-card commercial where everyone is swiping away in a delicate dance of efficiency, until somebody shows up and wants to slowly write a check.   

Just last week, I stood behind some Captain Clueless who not only didn't have his magnetic-strip card ready,it was still in the plastic covering.  He was blabbing on a cell phone, holding a briefcase and unwrapping the transit card with his mouth (yes, his mouth) as riders with their smart cards waited impatiently behind him. 

Originally Posted April 22, 2:44 p.m.

Update #2: As of 4/24 at 5:10 p.m., Gaffney sent me the following e-mail message regarding this incident: 

Update #1: As of 4/23 at 3:30 p.m. CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney has indicated she will look into this complaint, after I forward her details from the rider in question.  She is also looking to clarify what was meant by the bus-tracker not being "useable" 7 out of 10 days, as her operations peepz have told her it's been up and running without incident.

The battle of bus operators vs the public continues.  First, the disclaimer:  Not all bus operators are rude, heck, some are an absolute delight and I've met many during my transit travels. 

Disclaimer 2: Not all riders are innocent, in fact, some are so rotten that they deserve to be dragged to work or school in the back of a red wagon ...a red wagon that travels over every pothole and puddle available.

That said, I was saddened by this e-mail that I received from a rider who claims a bus operator was rude to her child because he yawned with his mouth open as he boarded the bus.  The operator reportedly then proceeded to bully the boy's mother off the bus after she remarked that she was planning to report the incident to the CTA.  I know there are two sides to every story, so bus operators out there, let me know what you think.  In the meanwhile, here's the rider's note:

I am a 40yr old mother of three residing in Brighton Park -I am the Chairperson for my children's elementary Local School Council, I am VP of Local Little League in our park, I go to all my CAPS meetings, I am member of community council and I am actively involved in various activities. I have a college degree, I work in Finance/Accounting and I am a respected member of my community. I have no vehicle of my own so I opt to take the CTA for transportation. It appears to me that hard working families are at the mercy of the CTA when it comes to bad schedules, faulty equipment, high fares and RUDE BUS DRIVERS (not to mention unsafe and wasteful of CTA time & money).

Besides the CTA bus tracker only being useable 7 out of the first 10 days the employees of the CTA have become complacent and abrupt.  There have been several incidents but speaking as a mother and member of the community I don't believe any driver was given license to verbally assault a child or a paying customer -Yes I said CUSTOMER. There is no such thing as customer service anymore.
I pay my taxes, city, state and sales -what right does it give anyone to tell me or my family what to do or not to do on public transportation -including yawning or stepping off a bus.  There are homeless people, gang bangers, fare jumpers etc.. why should myself or my children be treated
so rudely when we must and should be able to ride the city's transportation without being badgered, insulted or accosted by one of its employees?!?  After several complaints I have yet to be contacted by CTA Superviser, Archer Garage, Customer Service, anyone?

Outrageous, and if this is true, let me refer you to my previous item today.  Should CTA go all Starbucks and shut down for refreshed customer service training?  (In shifts, per a rider's astute observation that this could cause a really big transportation problem if all were offline at once.)

"Customer service received (2) emails, and (1) phone call related to this incident on April 22 and April 23rd.  The complaints were forwarded to Archer Garage.  As she indicated to you, she received an email response on April 22, acknowledging that CTA received both a phone call and email from her and letting her know that her complaint would be forwarded to the garage for a response.  The General Manager at Archer contacted the customer today, April 24,  and will interview the operator regarding the complaint."

Posted April 16, 12:20 p.m

I've got a special place in my heart for riders who provide me with photographic proof of CTA snafus.  We all know that some riders are exaggerating the ills of the agency, so it's great to illustrate the issues when they happen, so the CTA can solve them.

Hey, we're not hating on the CTA....we're trying to uplift the system.  (Wow, talking like that, I might get an invitation to the pulpit of public transit like G-Rod.) 

But anyhoo, I received this photo file from a rider and thought I would share it, especially as some are telling me that bus-tracker just makes it easier for you to bide the bunch.  Check out what I am told are images of the No.9-Ashland and X9-Ashland Express buses headed northbound near the intersection of Ashland Avenue and Lake Streets.

Personally, I want to see bunching disappear as much as anyone, but how much hope do we have with traffic patterns, an aging bus fleet and some apparent operational inefficiencies? 

Let's predict when bunching will stop.  I'll go with 2010...around the time that buses are given the gift of flight.

What are your guesses for the end of buses traveling in herds like "Rawhide"?  And keep the pics coming! 

Posted April 2, 12:19 p.m

Just the other day, I was on a bus when a young woman brought a big honking stroller onboard along with one adorable baby who occupied it. The bus was crowded and it was clear that other riders wanted her to fold it, but it was bedecked with so many bags and dangling toys, I doubted she could. She seemed overwhelmed and at least a bit embarrassed as dozens of eyes rolled skyward at her presence.

As a proud godmother and occasional Other People's Babies-toter, I do feel for the plight of those traveling with kids, but other riders are fed up with CTA Mama Drama. Take for example, this e-mail from a rider named Eric.

I have another problem with the buses that is not being talked about. It is when these young women want to bring their baby strollers onto the bus and cram up the aisles. This is getting to be a problem for me. It makes it hard for other passengers to get on and off the bus and those strollers block the aisles. I wish somebody would let the CTA know that there must be another alternative for mothers cramming up the bus like that.

Oh, this issue is being talked about, Eric. Right now, in fact.

Moms, let us know, how easy is it to fold those strollers? Are there any who have discovered viable alternatives, i.e. slings, other carriers? Riders who aren't traveling with kids, are you sick of the strollers?

Is there anything the CTA could do to improve "strolling on the CTA?"

Posted March 24- 3:48 p.m

So I was still on CTA Cloud 9 after finding out today that next-bus tracker will be in place on 14 routes -- including the No.20-Madison pilot -- beginning April 7.  Then, I fell back to earth after receiving an e-mail account of an operator gone wild on the No. 148-Clarendon/Michigan Express. 

No doubt, riders will rejoice about being able to find out exactly when their bus is coming courtesy of next-bus tracker, but hopefully the GPS associated with that technology will stop operators from acting up.  Check out this horror story from a rider named Angela who was too through after her morning commute complete with several unwarranted stops.

We don't want to be relentless with operators, since we don't want our bosses turning us into virtual drones who can't sneeze without written permission, but this account is pretty outrageous:

"I was waiting at 8 a.m. this morning for the #148, at Clarendon and Sunnyside (south bound, since that's the only direction this bus runs in the morning) when I saw the #148 turn onto Clarendon off of Wilson, coming from the west.  I hope that someone addresses the issue of the drivers doing personal business when they should be driving their buses.

The driver proceeded to park the bus at the stop right before me, at approximately 8:04am.  How do I know this, because I was timing the occurrences of the other bus on this street.  The driver then sat there for a minute and then she got off the bus, talking on a phone.  She got back on the bus and a couple minutes later, got off the bus, walked her way down to the mailbox and deposited some mail. 

Then she stood outside the bus talking on her phone some more.  When she finally ended her call, she got back on the bus, took her sweet time getting adjusted in the seat before she finally pulled away to "start" her morning.  At 8:12am, I finally got on the bus.  That's right, she spent 8 minutes yacking on the phone and doing her personal business while on CTA time.  And you people wonder why us riders get so upset?! 

What would you have done for me if I was late to work because of her dilly-dallying?  Nothing.  And yes, I have to clock in at my job, account for every minute of my day.  If I want to make personal phone calls or send out some mail, I have to do that on my lunch hour, MY TIME, not the company's time.  Your drivers and the rest of your personnel need to learn to respect the job and the paying customers or you'll continue to be the laughing stock of the city of Chicago."

So riders, what do you think?  Is this an overreaction or are you fed up with operators going AWOL?  Operators, do you feel it's unfair that riders complain about your pit stops?