Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The reconstruction will speed up round-trips between 95th Street and downtown and provide South Side customers with a smoother ride and fewer service interruptions through better reliability and on-time performance.

Was launched in 2011 to provide estimated train arrival times for all 145 rail stations across CTA’s eight lines. Estimated times are generated through a combination of scheduling information and data generated by software that monitors the signal system to indicate when a portion of track is occupied by a train.

Also approves an intergovernmental agreement with City Colleges of Chicago for the transfer of two CTA buses to be used at Olive Harvey College for new transportation-related courses offered by its “College to Careers” initiative.

Will provide valuable job skills and training to ex-offenders, increasing self-sufficiency for hard-to-employ individuals while providing CTA with additional resources to enhance the customer experience with cleaner buses and trains.

In 2012, the number of robberies and aggravated battery incidents reported on CTA were down by 21% and nearly 12%, respectively, compared to 2011.

The new customer service assistant positions will aid rail station customers in a variety of ways, from answering questions and helping customers with disabilities to handling or reporting problems with station equipment and facilities.

Will operate the shuttle buses and expanded supplemental bus service the CTA will offer customers during the Red Line construction project, which gets under way in May 2013. The drivers will become full-time bus drivers following the conclusion of the project.

The railcars, expected to begin delivery around 2016, will replace current rail stock that is nearing or beyond 30 years of age.

Ridership performance in 2012 follows an increase of 2.9% in 2011, making this one of the strongest two-year periods in CTA’s history.

Stations along the north Red Line are some of the oldest on the system, with most being built in the early 1900s and in need of being rebuilt from the ground up.