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