Chicago Transit Authority
Diesel-electric hybrid, Electric-Drive Motor/Battery | |
Chief executive | Dorval R. Carter, Jr.[3] |
---|---|
Website | transitchicago.com |
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of
The CTA is an Illinois independent governmental agency[4] that started operations on October 1, 1947, upon the purchase and combination of the transportation assets of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the Chicago Surface Lines streetcar system. In 1952, CTA purchased the assets of the Chicago Motor Coach Company, which was under the control of Yellow Cab Company founder John D. Hertz, resulting in a fully unified system. Today, the CTA is one of the three service boards financially supported by the Regional Transportation Authority and CTA service connects with the commuter rail Metra, and suburban bus and paratransit service, Pace.
Operations
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
The Chicago Transit Authority provides service in Chicago and 10 surrounding suburbs. The CTA provided a total of 532 million rides in 2011,[6] a 3 percent increase over 2010 with ridership rising to levels not seen for 20 years.[7]
The CTA operates 24 hours each day and on an average weekday provides 1.7 million rides on buses and trains. It has approximately 1,800 buses that operate over 140 routes traveling along 2,230 miles (3,590 km). Buses provide about one million passenger trips a day and serve more than 12,000 posted bus stops. The Chicago Transit Authority's 1,450 train cars operate over eight routes and 222 miles (357 km) of track. Its trains provide about 750,000 customer trips each weekday and serve 145 stations in Chicago and seven suburbs.[8]
Currently, the CTA provides regular service within Chicago and the neighboring suburbs of Forest Park, Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park, Summit, Cicero, Berwyn, North Riverside, Rosemont, Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn, Park Ridge, Harwood Heights, Norridge, Lincolnwood, and Wilmette.
Fare collection
The CTA accepts payment with a Ventra Card which can be purchased with a single-ride, 24-hour unlimited ride ($5), 3 day unlimited ride ($15), 7 day unlimited ride ($20), 30 day unlimited ride ($75), a Ventra disposable ticket, contactless credit or debit card, and certain smartphones. Unlimited ride Ventra cards/tickets are only valid for one passenger. CTA buses also accept cash. Up to three children under 7 can ride free with a fare-paying rider.
The CTA has many free and discounted fare options, for elementary, middle, and high school students, college and university students, people with disabilities, senior citizens, and military service members.
Cash
Only buses allow riders to pay directly with cash at a farebox. Exact fare is required, since no change is given. Since January 7, 2018, the bus full fare is $2.50, the senior/disabled fare is $1.25, and the student fare is $.75. No cash transfers are available. Previously, some rail station turnstiles accepted cash, but this feature has been removed in an effort to speed up boarding. Cash at rail stations is only accepted at Ventra Vending Machines to purchase Ventra cards and tickets.
Transit Cards
The CTA no longer sells Transit Cards. All remaining Transit Cards must have been used by July 1, 2014.[9] In its place CTA has adopted the Ventra Card system. The Ventra Card can be purchased online, Ventra Vending Machines at CTA rail stations, and at authorized retailers like Walgreens, CVS Pharmacies and check cashing locations.
Ventra
Ventra is an electronic fare payment system for the Chicago Transit Authority and
Riders using Ventra pay $2.25 for bus, $2.50 for rail (except Blue Line O'Hare station, $5). Disabled & seniors who are 65 or older pay $1.10 for bus, $1.25 for rail. Elementary and high school students 7–20 years old: Valid 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on school days pay $.75 during school hours and pay $1.10 during weekends and holidays. The two transfers, within two hours, from the start of a trip is free. After that, it is considered a new trip and the user is charged another fare.
Contactless payments
Ventra readers on buses and rail station turnstiles can accept contactless payments directly from mobile devices. Riders can pay a PAYG fare ($2.50) by touching mobile phones with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay—or any contactless bankcard with the contactless wave symbol.[15]
Equipment
As mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 for all transit operators in the U.S., all CTA buses are accessible, with a ramp on every bus available for use upon request by anyone who has trouble with steps, even temporarily. The majority of train stations CTA operates have elevators or ramps to provide access for customers with disabilities. All trains are accessible, either through fully level boarding or a ramp to bridge the 3-4in height gap.
Active bus fleet
Year | Manufacturer & Model | Length | Engine Type | Numbers | Assigned Garages | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006–2009 | New Flyer D40LF |
40 ft (12 m) | Diesel | 1000–2029 (1,030 buses) |
74th, 77th, 103rd, Chicago, Forest Glen, Kedzie, North Park | Older models are currently being retired. |
2008–2009 | New Flyer DE60LF |
60 ft (18 m) | Diesel-Electric Hybrid |
4000–4207 (208 buses) |
103rd, Kedzie, North Park | |
2012–2013 | New Flyer DE60LFR |
4300–4332 (33 buses) |
103rd, North Park | |||
New Flyer D60LFR |
Diesel | 4333–4399 (67 buses) |
North Park | |||
2014 | New Flyer XE40 |
40 ft (12 m) | Electric | 700–701 (2 buses) |
77th |
|
2014–2019 | NovaBus LFS |
Diesel | 7900–8349 (450 buses) |
74th, 77th, 103rd, Chicago, Forest Glen, Kedzie | ||
2019–2022 | Proterra Catalyst BE40/ZX5 |
Electric | 600–624 (25 buses) |
74th, Chicago | ||
2022– | NovaBus LFS |
Diesel | 8350–8949 (600 buses) |
77th, 103rd, Chicago, Forest Glen, Kedzie |
|
Notes:
- Source: Chicago Transit Authority Presentation on Alternative Fuels, April 20th, 2009, p. 4 (accessed 1 July 2009), unless otherwise indicated.
- Some individual numbers may no longer be in service.
- See Chicago Transit and Railfan Archived June 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine for historic rosters.
Bus garages
- Forest Glen Garage, 5419 W. Armstrong Avenue, (Elston/Bryn Mawr)
- North Park Garage, 3112 W. Foster Avenue, (Foster/Albany)
- Chicago Garage, 642 N. Pulaski Road, (Chicago/Pulaski)
- Kedzie Garage, 358 S. Kedzie Avenue, (Van Buren/Kedzie)
- 74th Garage, 1815 W. 74th Street, (74th/Wood)
- 77th Garage, 210 W. 79th Street, (79th/Wentworth)
- 103rd Garage, 1702 E. 103rd Street, (103rd/Stony Island)
Active "L" rolling stock
- For a description of the 'L' cars, see Chicago "L" rolling stock.
Series | Year | Manufacturer | Assigned Lines | Quantity | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2600-series | 1981–1987 | Budd Company rebuilt by Alstom, 1999–2002[16][17] |
Blue, Brown, Orange | Yes | 493 |
3200-series | 1992–1994 | Morrison-Knudsen
|
Blue, Brown | 255 | |
5000-series | 2009–2015 | Bombardier Transportation | Green, Pink, Purple, Red, Yellow | 712 | |
7000-series | 2019–TBD | CRRC Sifang America
|
Blue | 400 (base order) 846 (all options included) |
- See chicago-l.org for car assignment sheets.
History
In 1953, the CTA placed an order for Flxible buses after the latter's absorption of the Fageol Twin Coach Company.
Until 1973, CTA's fleet included a large number of
CTA buses were known as the "green limousine" or the "big green" — buses were one or more shades of green from the CTA's establishment until the end of the 1980s. With the delivery of the TMC RTS buses in 1991, a more patriotic color scheme was adopted, and the green scheme was fully phased out by 1996. A notable color scheme was the "Bicentennial" of about 1974 to 1976.[20]
CTA bought very few buses between the mid-1970s and the end of the 1980s. During this time, purchases were only made in 1979 (20
In 1995, the CTA placed an experimental order of their first 65 low floor transit buses from
Today CTA's current fleet of buses is mostly dominated by New Flyer's
The rail orders of the CTA include the last railcar stock built by the
The most recent order was from
In 2014, the CTA received their first electric buses from New Flyer, making the CTA the first major U.S. transit agency to use the new wave of electric buses as part of a regular service.[23]
Security and safety
After the September 11 attacks, CTA announced its "If you See Something, Say Something" campaign.[24] CTA has also installed a security camera network,[25] and a system to send real time images from cameras in buses directly to emergency responders.[26]
CTA has also been actively prosecuting vandals, announcing on several occasions that felony convictions were obtained against persons who spray painted authority vehicles.[27]
Technology
The CTA installed GPS Bus Tracker systems on all buses starting with the 20 (Madison St) bus in 2006,[28] before expanding it to other routes in 2008.[29] The original claim justifying the addition of this technology was that it would reduce the issue of bunching buses. The system also allows riders to be able to determine the location of buses online.
A report prepared by the CTA claims that there was a decrease in bus bunching from 3.9% to 2.3% from 2007 to 2009, but the report neither demonstrated a direct connection between Bus Tracker and this reduction in bunching, nor did it show whether this was a temporary or permanent phenomenon.[30]
CTA has also made its Bus Tracker and other developer tools available,[31] and is making Bus Tracker arrival data available through text messaging.[32] One of the first applications of the Bus Tracker Developer Tools involved the installation of monitors showing the information in several businesses in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.[33] Using the developer API published by CTA, some augmented CTA bus tracking applications have been developed for mobile phones,[34] and CTA has its own Transit App, CTA also has a bus tracker (Beta starting January 2011), and it can also be accessed through a computer, smart phone, text messaging, or any smart device.[35]
Public art
The CTA is home to a collection of art – including mosaics, sculptures and paintings. More than 50 pieces of art are exhibited at over 40 CTA stations.[36]
According to the CTA's website, the original pieces of artwork contribute to each station's identity and enhance travel for customers. Art promotes a friendly, inviting atmosphere for these stations, which serve as gateways to the communities they serve.
Many of the pieces are a result of the Arts in Transit Program, which is funded by the Federal Transit Administration and coordinated locally through the City of Chicago's Office of Tourism and Culture. A number of other pieces were created through the CTA's Adopt-A-Station program and through partnerships with organizations such as the Chicago Public Art Group.[37]
Arts in Transit
In 2004, the CTA and the City of Chicago Public Art Program installed nine permanent works of art at eight renovated rail stations on what is now known as the Pink Line. The CTA has since created an ongoing program to showcase permanent works of art in conjunction with the City of Chicago Public Art Program. The Arts in Transit Program is funded by the Federal Transit Administration, and created opportunities to develop original artwork for station reconstruction projects along the CTA Red and Brown Lines. Artists were selected for each of the stations included in the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project and select renovated Red Line stations.
With the completion of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project in December 2009, original artwork was installed in each of the 18 renovated stations along the CTA's Brown Line. By combining the visibility and accessibility of the city's mass transit system with the creativity of Chicago's art resources, this program resulted in a successful public display of professional works of art designed with input from nearby communities. This program provided high-profile locations for public art and server as a gateway to communities served by the CTA stations. Media under consideration included, but were not limited to, mosaics, art glass, ornamental fencing, mixed-media artwork, and freestanding sculpture and furniture.
The CTA and the City of Chicago Public Art Program, administered by the Office of Tourism and Culture, encouraged and facilitated collaborations between artists, government agencies, the community and other partners. The City of Chicago Public Art Program accepted qualifications from local and national professional artists or artist teams capable of creating permanent public works of art for the CTA Arts in Transit Program for the renovated stations.[citation needed]
CTA promotes its Public Art with a video and online gallery.
TV show
The Chicago Transit Authority produced a monthly television show, Connections, from May 2003 until March 2011. The show, hosted by Braydens Connections, was broadcast on City of Chicago
Connections featured news and information about the CTA and services it provides. Individual segments from Connections are available on CTA's YouTube channel.[38]
See also
References
- ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "News/Press Releases". Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ "CTA Facts at a Glance". Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- ^ CTA - Ridership - Annual Boarding Totals (Report). Chicago: Chicago Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ CTA - Ridership - Annual Boarding Totals (Report). Chicago: Chicago Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ Hilkevitch, Jon. "CTA ridership jumps to highest level in 20 years". Chicago Tribune. Chicago: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
- ^ Most recent ridership information is provided in the President's, Budget, and Financial Reports on the Board Presentations page of CTA's website Archived April 1, 2018, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Transitioning to Ventra" (Press release). Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority. Archived from the original on June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ Mancini Nichols, Chrissy. "Talking Transit: Chicago transit gets open payment system" (Press release). Chicago: Metropolitan Planning Council. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "Ventra FAQ". Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
- ^ Thomas, Monifa (March 14, 2014). "Ventra cards become only way to pay starting July 1". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago: Chicago Public Media. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ "Ventra". Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
- ^ Hilkevitch, Jon (March 20, 2013). "CTA's Ventra debit option rife with fees". Red Eye Chicago. Chicago: Tribune Publishing. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
- ^ "How-To: Paying with Apple Pay, Android Pay or Samsung Pay". Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ Chicago Transit Authority Train Collides with Bumping Post and Escalator at O'Hare Station (PDF) (Report). Washington: National Transportation Safety Board. March 14, 2014. NTSB/RAR-15-01.
- ^ "Blue Line O'Hare Branch challenges—and what we're doing - Improvement projects". Chicago: Chicago Transit Authority.
- ^ a b Sebree, Mac; and Ward, Paul (1974). The Trolley Coach in North America, pp. 49–60. Los Angeles: Interurbans. LCCN 74-20367.
- ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
- ^ "Harry Gershen photograph at busdrawings.com".
- ^ "CTA to Begin In-Service Testing of New Rail Cars" (Press release). CTA. April 15, 2010. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- ^ "Chicago orders 300 more 5000-series metro cars". Railway Gazette International. July 20, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ^ Hilkevitch, Jon (October 29, 2014). "CTA testing 2 all-electric buses". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ^ "CTA Security & Safety". CTA.
- ^ "Mayor Daley, CTA and CPD Officials Test Mobile Security Network" (Press release). CTA. December 2, 2006.
- ^ "CTA to Test Mobile Security Network to Enhance Safety on System" (Press release). CTA. March 16, 2006.
- ^ "Vandal Sentenced to Prison for Defacing CTA Property" (Press release). CTA. March 21, 2008.[permanent dead link]
"CTA Vandal Receives Felony Conviction for Criminal Defacement and Trespass" (Press release). CTA. December 19, 2007.[permanent dead link] - ^ "Mayor Daley, CTA Launch Bus Tracking Pilot". CTA. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ "CTA Expands Bus Tracker Program". CTA. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ Ben Meyerson (December 16, 2009). "Bus bunching down 40% since 2007, CTA report says". Chicago Current. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2009.
- ^ "Developer Center". CTA.
- ^ "CTA Bus Tracker Information Now Available On-Demand via New Text Messaging Feature" (Press release). CTA. December 22, 2009.
- ^ Steve Bryant (December 14, 2009). "Bus Trackers Installed at Wicker Park Shops". NBC Chicago. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
- ^ "Search Results for 'cta'". Apple.com. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
- ^ "Transit App Center". CTA. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
- ^ "Online Gallery - Public Art on CTA". CTA.
- ^ "Public Art on CTA - video". CTA.
- ^ "CTA Connections - YouTube". YouTube.
External links
- Chicago Transit Authority - official site
- CTA Bus Tracker website