uh oh, CTA wants to raise fares (Chicago, Washington: find a job, taxi)

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by DatsThaBadGuy

I'm moving in a few days, and I bought my last seven day pass a few days ago- it was a great feeling to finally say to yourself "this is the last penny the CTA will ever steal from me, ever again." I, and many others, have depended, and continue to depend, on the CTA, but I can't help but really wish the worst for the CTA and, for the most part, all their lazy, incopetent, and whiny employees.

ok, have fun with that.

[DatsThaBadGuy]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

ok, have fun with that.

ok please, like you don't.

[Avengerfire]

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

He lost my vote the minute he said he wouldn't revoke Blago's cute free ride bonanza.

Then we have this:

"It's not official yet, but Sneed hears Gov. Quinn will give a "thumbs up" to construction of the Illiana Expy., a 30-mile superhighway that could cost $1 billion!"

Where in the world is the money for that going to come from?

Thumbs up to new expressway? :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Michael Sneed (http://www.suntimes.com/news/sneed/1880189,CST-NWS-SNEED12.article - broken link)

[Avengerfire]

Here are a few cuts I do not get:

56 Milwaukee (Why would you cut back on a bus that travels the whole length of the north part of the city on an angle? They will lose a huge amount of fares by cutting this route.)

Current start 3:40 am. Proposed 4:30 am.
Current end 1:50 am. Proposed 10:30 pm.

8 Halsted (Really smart. Cut back greatly on a bus that travels through neighborhoods that combined have about half or more of the citys population. They will lose a huge amount of fares by cutting this route. Sometimes I wonder if some of the great minds at the CTA have their hands in the taxi cab industry. Also, great way of encouraging more people to drink and drive since there are a huge number of bars on or near Halsted all over the city.)

Current start 2:45 am. Proposed 4:00 am.
Current end 2:20 am. Proposed 12:30 pm.

Eliminate X80. (They should be making the whole route express and getting rid of the normal buses. Morons.)
Eliminate X3,X4,X9,X20,X49,53AL,X54,X55. (Ditto as above.)

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Here are a few cuts I do not get:

56 Milwaukee (Why would you cut back on a bus that travels the whole length of the north part of the city on an angle? They will lose a huge amount of fares by cutting this route.)

Current start 3:40 am. Proposed 4:30 am.
Current end 1:50 am. Proposed 10:30 pm.

8 Halsted (Really smart. Cut back greatly on a bus that travels through neighborhoods that combined have about half or more of the citys population. They will lose a huge amount of fares by cutting this route. Sometimes I wonder if some of the great minds at the CTA have their hands in the taxi cab industry.)

Current start 2:45 am. Proposed 4:00 am.
Current end 2:20 am. Proposed 12:30 pm.

Eliminate X80. (They should be making the whole route express and getting rid of the normal buses. Morons.)
Eliminate X3,X4,X9,X20,X49,53AL,X54,X55. (Ditto as above.)

Cutting the X80 is ridiculous. As if riding on a bus during rush on Irving Park isnt frustrating enough as it is...

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

Cutting the X80 is ridiculous. As if riding on a bus during rush on Irving Park isnt frustrating enough as it is...

I will tell you what. When traffic is not bad or there is little traffic X80 is one of the best buses to ride in the city.

I have made it from Broadway to Harlem (and the other way around) in a little over a half hour. Many times I can make it between Broadway and the Brown Line in less than 10 minutes and about 20 minutes to the Blue Line.

The CTA should be making many routes express only. (Other people have mentioned this as well in this forum.) It would solve many issues with their service.


================================================== ================================================== ============

They really need to create an Addison Express bus for Cubs games (in addition to the one that already runs from the remote parking lots.) The amount of Cub fans that get on and off the regular Addison bus at the Brown Line,Blue Line, and near the Metra MD-N Grayland (as well as a few north south streets like Western) bogs it down on game days. Try getting on an Addison bus east of the Blue Line between 5pm and 8 pm on a game night. Most times there is no room to get on.

They could make the stops for that Addison express bus first stop Kilbourn,Milwaukee,Pulaski,Blue Line,Kedzie,California,Western,Damen,Brown Line,Ashland, last stop Clark.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Here are a few cuts I do not get:

56 Milwaukee (Why would you cut back on a bus that travels the whole length of the north part of the city on an angle? They will lose a huge amount of fares by cutting this route.)

Current start 3:40 am. Proposed 4:30 am.
Current end 1:50 am. Proposed 10:30 pm.

8 Halsted (Really smart. Cut back greatly on a bus that travels through neighborhoods that combined have about half or more of the citys population. They will lose a huge amount of fares by cutting this route. Sometimes I wonder if some of the great minds at the CTA have their hands in the taxi cab industry. Also, great way of encouraging more people to drink and drive since there are a huge number of bars on or near Halsted all over the city.)

Current start 2:45 am. Proposed 4:00 am.
Current end 2:20 am. Proposed 12:30 pm.

Eliminate X80. (They should be making the whole route express and getting rid of the normal buses. Morons.)
Eliminate X3,X4,X9,X20,X49,53AL,X54,X55. (Ditto as above.)

Most of the Milwaukee route runs parallel to the Blue Line. That's probably the rationale there. Remember two years ago, it was going to go away completely.

I'm not really sure on Halsted. Alot of Halsted in the areas where there are lots of bars runs pretty closely with the Red/Brown, maybe that's some of the rationale.

I can't argue with the X problem, you're right. Really, all buses really should only stop every half or quarter mile, not every block like many do, except for areas with lots of elderly and nursing homes i.e. my neighborhood.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Then we have this:

"It's not official yet, but Sneed hears Gov. Quinn will give a "thumbs up" to construction of the Illiana Expy., a 30-mile superhighway that could cost $1 billion!"

Where in the world is the money for that going to come from?

Thumbs up to new expressway? :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Michael Sneed (http://www.suntimes.com/news/sneed/1880189,CST-NWS-SNEED12.article - broken link)

Savings from eliminating senior free rides.
... oh, wait.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

...

Like I have said before all they have to do is reduce the frequency of the buses. Many routes have way too many buses, too often, with not very many people riding them. The CTA could keep operating hours on all of the routes they are talking about reducing the hours of, as well as save money by just adjusting the frequency of buses in the schedules. All they are doing is tugging at the heartstrings (and wallets) of people in order to get more money to waste. The city and state need to bring in an outside auditor and consultants on how do make the CTA more efficient. I have no confidence in most of the buffones that make the decisions at the CTA.

For example, I would much rather have to wait 20-30 minutes for a Halsted bus at 2 pm then not be able to get on one at all at 2 am.

Also the Halsted bus not only effects the north side. It effects the UIC area,Greektown,West Loop, Bridgeport, and areas further south. Those areas are much further away from north/south train service than the northside north of North Ave.

================================================== ======================================