by Aaron M. Renn
Chronicling life riding the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
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The CTA stirred up a controversy by saying that it will launch an effort to be allocated a larger percentage of the funds from the 1% RTA sales tax. Currently the CTA gets 100% of the tax collected in Chicago, plus 30% from suburban Cook County. The rest is split by Pace and Metra. The CTA receives only 55% of the sales tax money even though it carries 80% of the region's transit passengers.
Pace has decided to stop selling and accepting the CTA seven day pass. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 3 December 1999 ]
The RTA has approved approved a market study of a possible commuter rail route along the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern railroad. A previous study showed that it was possible to implement service on the route. This is the so-called "Outer Circumferenital" rail route that links several outlying suburbs. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 2 December 1999 ]
Northwest surburban mayors still favor rail transit along the Northwest Tollway corridor rather than bus. But observers say that bus is probably a better candidate and that any rail line would have difficulty securing funding. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 10 December 1999 ]
In the year 2000, Metra will receive a tax subsidy of $6.80 for every ride it provides.
Weekly Breakdown reader nospam-SOLIDPLAT@aol.com has a question:
When, if ever, will the CTA finish the construction on the Chicago Ave. station? It seems like it is taking forever. Yesterday, all of the lights indicating the exits were out. All of the news is not bad though. At least they fixed the escalator.
Anybody know the answer?
Jacob M. Kaplan wrote in to say:
First of all, I just wanted to say that if there is anything that annoys me the most about the CTA, it's the slow zones. A new one was just added coming out of the Logan Square subway portal on the O'Hare line; trains slow to a crawl northbound (not sure about southbound) between Belmont and Addison. This line is only 30 years old; why should it have slow zones? Also, there's a new slow zone on the North Main Line (Howard Line) between Loyola and Morse northbound. Trains are leaning excessively to the right at that point, and I think the roadbed needs to be rebuilt at that point.Another problem is that the CTA never gets around to fixing the slow zones. I can't think of one slow zone that has been removed over the last few months, but many have been added. The slow zone between Belmont and Addison on the North-South was supposed to be fixed by "Early November", yet it's still there. I'm dubious as to if some of the slow zones are actually justified, also. A train will derail at any speed if it's running on bad track; it really doesen't matter if it's going fast or slow.
And finally a few thoughts from correspondent "Jonothan", a real, live, CTA bus driver:
Yeas and Nays for 1999Yea for the lower priced 30-day pass, the new 7-day and 1-day passes. Nay for discontinuing tokens.
Yea for CTA's commitment to have its entire bus fleet air-conditioned by 2003. Nay for it taking this long to make that commitment Nay for the next 3 summers that we have to suffer as we wait for all the new buses
Yea for Operation Clearview - we can now see out the windows of the buses Nay for the people who scratch the windows in the first place, and who will now be caught on videotape when all the buses get video cameras.
Yea for Illinois FIRST - Governor Ryan's infusion of much needed cash will help CTA rebuild its aging system. Nay for the City of Chicago's $3 million annual payment that has remained the same for years and the Mayor's refusal to increase that amount.
Yea for the sale of CTA's old Limits bus barn on Clark Street - that's twenty-some million dollars for the CTA. Nay for its sale to one of Daley's old pals and for less money than the original highest bid.
Yea for CTA keeping the X49 Western and X21 Cermak Express buses in service - it means a faster ride for a lot of people. Nay for CTA not putting more express buses on streets that need them. Nay for CTA ending express bus service on the north side so early on Saturdays. Nay for CTA not having an express bus on the north side on Sundays and Holidays.
Yea for CTA president Kruesi for making the GM of North Park authorize overtime - it means more buses on the street. Nay for it taking so long and a double nay to North Park's GM for her dictatorship style of managing that is reminiscent of Hitler. Because of her, 25% of the full-time bus operators left this garage as of December 12, 1999.
Yea to CTA's goal of delivering on-time, clean, safe, friendly service. Nay to CTA for not delivering on-time, clean, safe, friendly service.
Yea to those CTA managers that act like human beings and treat bus operators fairly and with respect (Mr. Espinoza, Mr. Thomas, Ms. Cobleigh-Beal, Mr. Neal, Ms. Williams - to name a few) Nay to those CTA managers who couldn't manage their way out of a paper bag and are only interested in making a reputation for themselves as hard asses.
Yea to CTA for adding service to busy routes that needed it and making improvements on several others. Nay to the refusal of CTA to restore some of the previously cut service despite pleas from certain communities (such as Pilsen). Nay to CTA for not changing its bus schedules to reflect increased traffic and ridership and, as a result of this, having its buses run late all the time. Nay to CTA for running empty buses until late at night on routes that don't justify having late night service (such as #90N, and #56A). Nay to CTA for neglecting its older, longer, and busier "trunk" bus routes where the buses are always overcrowded and running late (such as the #56,77,80,22,151,etc.)
Yea to the new CTA uniform that is very sharp looking. Nay to the new uniform pants that are paper thin and won't offer any protection from the elements. Nay to the CTA board's refusal to allow bus operators to wear shorts on hot summer days.
Yea to the CTA store that sells merchandise stamped with the CTA logo. Nay to the high prices at the CTA store ($65 for a silk scarf?)
Yea to the 150 new-low floor buses from NovaBus coming in 2000 (they are really cool - no pun intended) Yea to the 150 additional buses that were ordered from NovaBus that will be in service in 2001. Nay to the creaky, dilapidated, old rust traps that are currently in service. Nay to CTA for not ordering articulated buses (those long buses that bend in the middle). These buses are excellent people movers.
Yea to the CTA's capital improvement plan to bring the system in good repair. Nay to the CTA for neglecting its bus system, even though the buses carry 75% of its riders.
Amen to the last comment on the funding of the bus system. Frank Kruesi complains that the CTA gets relatively less money than Metra, even though the CTA carries more passengers, yet underfunds the bus service that carries the vast bulk of CTA passengers in order to pursue boondoggle L projects.
More from Jonothan next week.
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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