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