IL: Transit Group Study Shows Significant Cuts in Bus Service Over the Past 5 Years
Source: Citizens Taking Action
Created: September 17, 2013
Citizens Taking Action conducted a study of changes in CTA bus services over the past five years. The results show that 28 bus routes have been eliminated altogether, seven routes were shortened and the hours of service were reduced on 62 routes.
The group has been alarmed that changes in CTA bus routes take place virtually at any given time, with no public hearings, or adequate notice to passengers who use the routes. The study did not look into possible increased headways, or waiting time between trains, on the elevated lines.
At the same time that services were being cut, the basic fare was increased by 25 cents and passes, such as the 1-day, increased from $5 to $10. A 30-day pass increased from $75 to $100.
The basis for the study were a comparison of the CTA schedule issued in April 2008, with that issued in May 20013.
Charles Paidock, secretary, stated “It’s obvious that we’re paying more and getting less transit service for it. Something is definitely not working at the federal, state and local levels, and at RTA and CTA headquarters. On average there are 1-2 cuts in service of some type every month. At this rate, how long will it be before the transit system disappears altogether? The mayor’s response to all this will probably be ‘Let them drive,’ as he said not too long ago. I’m a transit dependent rider, and there are an increasing number of residents in Chicago for whom CTA is their only mode of travel.”
Kevin Peterson said “We keep losing service with no one being held accountable for it. There are no public hearings because they are claiming they are just ‘service adjustments.’ The people only find out about the service cuts usually only when they’re waiting at a bus stop, only if CTA bothers to put up a sign about the service cuts. Usually they only find out the day before, if at that. On occasion they find out about this while they are waiting for a bus and it never comes.
Also, the fares went up for the seniors and disabled from $35 to $50. That is money they would maybe spend on food or medicine. In return, CTA cut the service at off peak times and on weekends when they are most likely to use public transit.”
Citizens Taking Action
for transit dependent riders
Routes Cut on Average
1-2 Each Month
Called "Service Adjustments"
Legend
7 RC: Route Cut
the bus route has been shortened
62 HC: Hours Cut
the beginning and ending hours of operation
have been reduced
28 E: Eliminate
the route is no longer in the system
RC 1 Indiana/Hyde Park
E X3 King Drive Express
E X4 Cottage Grove Express
HC 6 Jackson Park Express
HC 8 Halsted
HC 9 Ashland
RC,HC 11 Lincoln/Sedgwick
HC 12 Roosevelt
HC 15 Jeffery Local
E 17 Westchester
RC 20 Madison
E X20 Wash/Madison Express
HC 28 Stony Island
E X28 Stony Island Express
HC 29 State
HC 30 South Chicago
E 33 Mag Mile Express
RC 34 South Michigan
RC 35 35th
HC 36 Broadway
E 38 Ogden/Taylor
RC,HC 43rd
HC 44 Wallace/Racine
HC 47th
RC,HC 48 South Damen
E 49A South Western
HC 49B North Western
E X49 Western Express
HC 50 Damen
HC 52 Kedzie/California
HC 53 Pulaski
HC 53A South Pulaski
E 53AL South Pulaski Limited
HC 54 Cicero
E X54 Cicero Express
HC 54A N Cicero/Skokie Blvd
HC 54B South Cicero
E X55 Garfield Express
HC 55A 55th/Austin
HC 56 Milwaukee
E 56A North Milwaukee
HC 62 Archer
HC 62H Archer/Harlem
HC 63W West 63rd
E 64 Foster/Canfield
E 69 Cumberland/East River
HC 70 Division
HC 71 71st/South Shore
HC 72 North
HC 74 Fullerton
HC 76 Diversey
HC 79th
E X80 Irving Park Express
HC 81W Lawrence
HC 85 Central
HC 85A North Central
HC 87th
HC 88 Higgins
HC 90 Harlem
E 90N North Harlem
HC 95E 93rd/95th
HC 95W West 95th
HC 97 Skokie
HC X98 Avon Express
HC 103 West 103rd
HC 106 East 103rd
HC 111 Pullman/111th/115th
HC 112 Vincennes/111th
HC 119 Michigan/119th
E 122 IL Center/Ogilvie Exp
E 123 IL Center/Union Exp
HC 124 Navy Pier
HC 125 Water Tower Express
HC 126 Jackson
E 127 Madison/Roosevelt Cir
E 129 West Loop/South Loop
E 144 Marine/Michigan Exp
E 145 Wilson/Michigan Exp
HC 146 Inner Drive/Mich Exp
HC 147 Outer Drive Express
HC 148 Clarendon/Mich Exp
HC 151 Sheridan
HC 152 Addison
HC 155 Devon
HC 156 LaSalle
HC 157 Streeterville
E 168 UIC-Pilsen Express
HC 171 UofChgo/Hyde Park
HC 172 UofChgo/Kenwood
E 173 UofChgo/Lakeview Exp
E 174 UofChgo/Garfield Station
E 200 Main Shuttle
E N201 Central/Ridge
HC 205 Chicago/Golf