Will having more riders' eyes on the CTA make public transportation operate more smoothly? In Tuesday's "Going Public," columnist Kyra Kyles reported on the progress of the transit agency's Mystery Shopper program. More than 2,000 riders have signed up for the program, in which problems are reported directly to the CTA through surveys. The agency said the surveys are leading to positive changes, including the issuing of a safety violation to a bus operator.

But there are plenty of more ideas to consider and complaints to address, judging by the letters we received from riders this week. One rider has an idea to smooth out travel on the Red and Brown Lines where track work is being performed. Another rider wanted a heads-up to know about film work that disrupted her commute.

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What's the motive?
If I take part in a CTA survey, is it because I believe it to be a viable form of assessing the [agency's] performances with the expectation that something beneficial will be done for all considered? Or am I participating so I can claim to have done something?

And, as for CTA spokeswoman Sheila Gregory: It is safe to assume that part of her profession is to present as much of a reassuring face to the public, concerning the dysfunctional public transportation system, as will be reasonably acceptable.

Some may consider cynicism unwarranted, especially if their needs are being well-served by public transportation. But cynicism is always useful when one is preparing for any fight. The delays will end after it has been decided that profits will not be disrupted.
Idris Ali, 46, Uptown

Mixing Red and Brown
I was wondering if anyone considered the idea of, during morning rush hour, having the Red Line stop at Brown Line stations that are south of Belmont during the construction.

If you were to do this, riders coming from the North Side would not have to change trains if they were riding to one of these stops (Diversey or Armitage), so some riders would not need to switch trains at Belmont, which would cut down on the congestion on this overcrowded platform.

If you opened the doors and gave riders an option of getting on either a Red or Brown train at Diversey, it would, again, cut down on the congestion that exists on this platform due to the Wellington [stop] closure.

And if your reasoning for not doing this is "It might cause confusion to riders," try and remember that [a lot] of your riders in the morning are college graduates and beyond—we are completely able to differentiate between the two colors.
Dave Rench, Edgewater

Wake up, drivers
Comatose drivers: Happy Monday morning to you too!

As I stood in the rain waiting for the No. 125-Water Tower Express to come on this dreary Cubs home opening day [March 31], never would I expect not one but two 125s whizzing right by the Canal Street-Union Station stop.

There were seven of us waiting for the bus, which was completely empty as it passed. One gal almost got run over by the comatose driver. Are you kidding me? Why is the stop for that bus not at the corner with the other stops? Not only do passengers not know where to stand (and it apparently doesn't matter, because the drivers don't stop), but obviously the drivers don't know where to look.

Someone over there, wake up.
Angelina Filippo, 38, Far Suburbs

Communication is key
Back a few months ago, the CTA had no problem plastering requests for our help in getting more funding so that routes would not be eliminated.

Why is it then that they couldn't let the riders on the No. 26-South Shore Express and No. 100-Jeffrey Manor Express know that the 106th Street bridge was going to be shut down [April 1] while Johnny Depp's film crew was on the scene?

Perhaps the film company didn't tell the CTA, since no one at the 103rd Street garage or the CTA customer service line knew anything about a reroute. A lot of people were late for work because they didn't know the bus wasn't coming! Maybe this was the CTA and film crew's idea of an April Fools' joke. Sorry—not funny!
Donna Baker, Hegewisch

So are you loving the newly reopened Southport stop, or do you have a beef with the Brown Line rehab? Columnist Kyra Kyles reviewed the station, which re-opened Sunday after a nearly yearlong shuttering for the $530-million Brown Line capacity expansion project. Kyra gave kudos for the widened steps and futuristic design, but she was less enthused by the uncovered seating. Riders responded with their own takes on Brown Line stations, while others submitted more CTA sins and other observations.

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Southport super soaker
It was certainly a major relief, after this terrible winter of trekking to the Belmont stop, to have the Brown Line Southport station reopen. Overall, it is a major improvement. Though a bit sterile and institutional in appearance, the facility itself seems functional.

However, I question why the design did not include covering the top of the stairwell when riders enter the platform? Instead, when one comes up the stairs and enters the platform, there are several yards of open, uncovered space.

On Monday, in the pouring rain, riders were greeted with soaking rain and wind and started scrambling and pushing to get to the covered part of the platform, and also were popping their umbrellas open while still climbing the stairs and ramming into one another, all in the quest to keep dry.

It would not have taken a great deal of thought by the designers to include a contiguous covering to shield riders from the elements, as the old station had, when entering the platform. I hope the CTA has some retrofitting funds available to fine-tune this design flaw.

Also, when arriving home Monday night, I noticed large pools of water collecting on the tile floors inside the ground floor station entrance. I couldn't tell where the water was coming from, nor were there any CTA employees paying attention to it and perhaps sweeping it into a drain or at least out of the paths of exiting riders.
Larry Loubet, 53, Lakeview

How's it hanging, Fullerton?
I haven't seen anything mentioned yet, so I have to ask the question of what was the CTA thinking with the design of the new northbound Fullerton platform? The overhang cover that was built only covers about one third of the platform—the area above the stairs—creating major congestion on rainy/snowy days. Was this just an architectural oversight? I would have guessed someone thought about this before since the platforms in the Loop are all nearly 100 percent covered.
Brett Sims, 26, Lincoln Park

Thou shalt not squeeze
[Another CTA commandment:] Thou shalt not squeeze thyself into a seat if you are too large. You are making the person already sitting there very uncomfortable on an already tiresome commute. I'm not sitting on you; please don't sit on me.
Mindi Webb, 24, Jefferson Park

Where's the CTA chivalry?
Lately I have been taking the Brown Line to work. It could be a much more pleasant ride.

Every day I leave the train somewhat speechless; sometimes angry, sometimes dumbfounded, usually a little ashamed. Ashamed for all of the men on the train who sit there while women, women of all ages, races, shapes and sizes, married, single, professional, and even pregnant women, stand.

[March 31], at the Sedgwick stop, a professionally dressed fortysomething man actually seemed to have raced a young woman getting on the train for the last open seat. For shame.

I do not think that women are "the weaker sex" or that women cannot handle standing on the train. I know they can. I see them do it every day. I just think that any self-respecting man would want to offer his seat on a 20-minute, or even a three-hour train ride to his wife, mother, sister, aunt or niece. Stop being lazy. Start being gentlemen.
Patrick Lynch, 26, North Center