by Aaron M. Renn
Chronicling life riding the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
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Pace has decided to extend its employee pass program to any employer who seeks it. Previously the program had been limited to select employers. Under the plan, new employees of companies in Pace's service area get a free one week bus pass when they start. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 8 July 1999 ]
Don Hosek (nonspam-dhosek@webley.com) wrote in with this story he calls "My Great America Adventure". It's a veritable "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" story.
"A group of us went to Great America Saturday, taking advantage of the $10 off coke can deal...
"But as it turns out the guy with the car had to leave earlier than the rest of us wanted.
"No problem. We can take a bus to the metra station, and bang zoom bam, we're at Northwestern Station & home.
"We get on the bus, all is well. The bus driver is even courteous enough to point us to the station (which is at the bottom of the hill, a little ways away from where the bus stops).
"We run down the hill, hearing bells & not wanting to wait a long time for the train.
"But wait, that was just them moving trains around the yard. It turns out that we would have a 90 minute wait to catch the next train, because apparently they don't expect people to take the train home from Great America on Saturday night or somesuch.
"One $60 cab ride later, we end up on the O'Hare L, heading into the city. We get to Clark & Lake and smoke begins to pour out from under the train. No announcement from the conductor or engineer. Large numbers of people run out of the station panicked.
"Oh well, we're still reasonably close to home, although the people who live in Little Italy were a bit bummed at almost getting home.
"I've got to get to Old Town, so I go upstairs, find one of the CTA people who sit in the cage and presumably are there to supply information. 'Are they running Ravenswood trains late today for Taste of Chicago?' I ask. 'I don't know,' she answers.
"It's late, I'm tired, I catch the 22 north instead. Fortunately, my adventures had come to an end."
wIlD bIlL (nospam-billmars@merle.acns.nwu.edu) wrote in to tell us about the CTA's methods of beating the heat this summer:
"Last Friday (July 2) I hopped on the south-bound Redline train at the Chicago Ave stop at about 5:50 P.M. As the doors closed, I quickly realized that the window heaters were going full blast pumping out hot air! If you remember correctly the air temps that day were close to 90 degrees.
"'Well, I see the CTA finally got those 'ol heaters working!', I quipped to no one in particular. Which is just as well, since the only reply I received was the sweaty silent scowls of those poor souls who hadn't yet scurried to another car.
"I could afford to laugh since I was getting off in just two more stops. However, I really did feel bad for those folks that were determined to stick it out to the end of the line. Still, it was fun to watch the facial expressions of the passengers getting on as they caught on to the CTA's big 'joke'.
"Oh, well- I'll bet they'll have those air conditioners up and running in no time- by December for sure."
The Weekly Breakdown is a small Internet journal devoted to the trials and tribulations of being a regular rider of the Chicago Transit Authority. I would be happy to hear about and include your experiences. Just send mail to breakdown@urbanophile.com.
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