by Aaron M. Renn
Chronicling life riding the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
Visit The Weekly Breakdown on the web at http://www.urbanophile.com/breakdown/
The Weekly Breakdown was again featured in the local media this week. The Chicago Tribune did an article about online complaint web sites, and the Weekly Breakdown homepage was the first one mentioned. Thank you to all the contributors who have made putting this newsletter out worthwhile.
A 12 year old girl was raped at a bus stop in the 4400 block of West Deming this week. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 17 September 1999 ]
Richard Bennett of Mt. Prospect was seriously injured when his car was struck by a train on a grade crossing there. Authorities believe that he was blinded by the glare of sunlight and failed to see the warning signals. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 17 September 1999 ]
Joel Magalnick wrote in with a story about mega-bus bunching:
"If you want to talk about bus bunching, I was walking south down Damen a couple blocks north of Lawrence last week at around 6pm. I counted the amount of nortbound buses that passed me in my four block walk to the Wilson L station. If I pick the one that I could see approaching as I entered the station, the number would be 11. No buses were heading south. And Damen's not even a very busy street!"
Steve from Roscoe Village wrote in with this late night transit riding tale:
"Here's one that happened to me a few weeks ago....
"Friday, Aug. 27 I did dinner and a video at a friend's house in Lincoln Park. I left about midnight, and decided to save a few bucks by taking the CTA home instead of a cab (I take the Brown Line to work daily).
"I waited a few minutes at Clark and Belden, then along came the good old #22. I began to board when the driver yelled at me to get off so he could lower the handicapped ramp. So I got off and waited while a wheelcart-bound guy got off the bus. I then boarded and, as my farecard went in and out of the machine, sincerely told the driver 'Sorry about that; I didn't know he was getting off the bus.' Strike one.
"The bus was pretty full (all the seats were taken), so I stood near the back, by the exit door. The bus took off, and a sudden sharp swerve sent me bumping into the door. An alarm ring emitted, and the driver's eyes locked with mine in his rearview mirror, his eyes piercing me like twin laser beams of contempt. Strike two.
"We went a few blocks, and people boarded and disembarked. At one point we were stopped, and the driver turned around and yelled in my direction. I turned off my headphones and said 'I'm sorry?' He then yelled that I was blocking the door, which is pretty ridiculous, as it was one of those buses where the back portion has a few steps up and there is an area the size of a Chicago apartment bathroom to maneuver in.
"At this point I was feeling stone-cold harassed, so I gave an insincere military-salute salute and replied 'Okay.' Passengers giggled nervously. I was now uncomfortable and a bit scared. Strike three, so I decided to get out at the next stop, near Diversey. I did so, jotting down the bus number (5862) in my little phonebook, then hailing a cab.
"When I got home I called the CTA's toll-free customer service number. I was greeted by a message to call back during normal business hours. I did not, as I always follow Mike Brady's advice that a wise man forgets his anger before he goes to sleep. But it still concerns me that there is at least one ill-tempered road rager trolling the North side for the CTA."
And Jonothan wrote in to tell us a bit about what it takes to become a CTA bus driver:
"This week, I would like to tell you about the CTA's pressing need for employees and what they are doing to fill the vacancies. As I have reported to you in the past, all bus garages are holding in runs on a daily basis. My garage has been holding in, on average, 6-10 runs a day. The biggest reason the Authority is doing this is because we are now understaffed. Several months ago, the bus operator's union - Local 241 - won an arbitration that stated part-time bus operators cannot work over 30 hours a week. Since the Authority is now forced to comply with this rule, they are forced to hold runs in because there is a shortage of available operators. Before this arbitration, the CTA was giving the part-timers more than 30 hours a week, and in some cases, more than 40 hours a week. Forty hours a week is classified as full-time, but CTA was giving the part-timers full time hours and not paying them full-time pay or full-time benefits. And that was a violation of the union contract, so CTA was taken to court and the union won. Now, with this restriction in place, full-time operators can still work overtime, but that too has some restrictions. So, the bottom line is we are short bus operators - 40 short at my garage alone. And the CTA isn't really helping matters any because they are taking their time and turning over part-timers to full-time slowly. This is probably because the current union contract expires in 2000, and CTA may be dragging its heels to see what happens in the next contract.
"With the shortage of available bus operators, the CTA has put out an unusual request from its employees. If we know of anyone who is interested in employment as a CTA bus operator, we can recommend that person to our bosses. As far as I know, this has never been done at CTA, which for years had a reputation of being a job you couldn't get unless you knew someone. Well, let me tell you that it has never been easier to become a CTA bus operator than now. But before anybody races off to put in an application, let me tell you about the pros and cons of this job. As a CTA bus driver, you will go through 19 days of training -- both classroom and behind the wheel. CTA will help you to secure your Commercial Driver's License (CDL) during your training. You will learn how to drive a bus, and you will drive the hell out of those buses. As a new CTA bus operator, you will start out at $12.50 per hour, which will be increased in increments until you reach top pay, which is currently $20.01 per hour. All new bus operators start out as part-time, working no more than 30 hours a week. Part-time bus operators do not get to pick their schedules; they are placed on the extra board and work different runs every day. You can expect to work a few hours in the morning rush hour, then have the middle of the day off, and be expected back at work in the evening rush hour. You will be expected to join the union, and pay full union dues ($40 a month). You will receive single medical and vision coverage, but no dental insurance. You are not eligible for tuition reimbursement, nor are you eligible for paid sick leave. Part-timers are the CTA's stepchildren, and you will be treated as such.
"Now, with all the technicalities out of the way, here's what you can expect once you get behind the wheel of a CTA bus. The buses are raggedy and are usually cold in the winter and hot in the summer. They have slow acceleration, the brakes squeak and grab, they jerk when accelerating, and they break down constantly. As a bus operator, you will have extensive contact with the public. You will be cursed at, threatened, intimidated, laughed at, spit on, have stuff thrown on you, and possibly be assaulted or robbed. Other vehicles will cut you off, race you, honk at you, and not allow you to merge into traffic. You will be flipped off constantly. And finally, you will have both passengers and other drivers try to set you up to have an accident so they can get paid from suing.
"Still sound like a dream job? I will say that being a bus operator can lead to higher positions down the line, but it usually takes a lot of time to advance. Everything at CTA operates by seniority, and there are a lot of CTA employees with a lot of time with the company. I personally know of a few guys who have over 30 years at CTA. But if you like good money and plenty of abuse, then this is the job for you. But think it over real good before you send that application in."
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. The views expressed by contributors are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher.
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