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emathias Jun 4, 2012 6:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Via Chicago (Post 5722437)
Per Tribune, south branch of red line to be closed for 5 months in 2013 to repair slow zones

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,2059367.story

Its gonna suck, but I think its definitely a better idea than stretching the nonsense over 4 years. Just get it over with.

So what will the routing for the Red Line be? It seems like they should route it onto the Green Line South, or maybe some to 63/Ashland and some to Midway and all Green Lines going to Cottage Grove. I bet you'd see a big jump in riders on the Orange "temporary Red" Line if they could do a one-seat trip from the SW side to State Street and the North Side.

And why can't they wait until the Cermak station on the Green Line is completed? I hope they would at least consider running the Clark bus to Archer/Wentworth during the construction. Actually, running the Clark bus to Cermak/Wentworth via Clark to Roosevelt to Canal then express to Cermak, turning around via Wentworth and Archer, would be very helpful. Then after the Red Line is complete, they could keep sending the 22/Clark to Roosevelt/Canal area to serve that retail district.

EDIT: So I see on the CTA web page about it that my suggested red/green routing is what will be done. I still think they should route some to the Orange Line, but I guess that might be too confusing.

Quote:

Service alternatives

During construction, CTA will offer extensive alternate service providing multiple options for commuters.
  • Free shuttle buses from 69th, 79th, 87th and 95th/Dan Ryan stations to the Garfield station on the Green Line
  • (a) including express service from stations and local, station-to-station service (entry at Garfield will be free for bus shuttle riders)
  • Free rail entry for shuttle bus riders at Garfield on the Green Line
  • 50 cent discounted bus rides on many South Side routes
  • Red Line service on Green Line tracks between Ashland/63rd and Roosevelt
  • Expanded bus service on existing routes


Beta_Magellan Jun 4, 2012 6:56 PM

It’s going to terminate at Ashland/63rd, running along the Green Line tracks. The Sun-Times says that it’s going to go into the State Street tunnel “from” Roosevelt, so I’m assuming it will just go down the 16th St. incline and the Sun-Times article is poorly worded.

Cermak-Green would be useful in this case, but a couple more years of deferred maintenance is pretty bad, too.

k1052 Jun 4, 2012 7:49 PM

Hopefully they are planning on getting after all those track slow zones on the South Main before beating the crap out of it with rerouted Red Line service.

CTA Gray Line Jun 4, 2012 7:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTA Gray Line (Post 5722452)
http://discussions.chicagotribune.co...ne-20120604/10

By Jon Hilkevitch

Tribune reporter

11:48 a.m. CDT, June 4, 2012


....."More than 50,000 riders board trains on the south branch of the Red Line on an average weekday, CTA statistics show".

jhilkevitch@tribune.com

Twitter: @jhilkevitch


You all MUST know that I will be promoting the Gray Line as a rail alternative, I can't wait for these "Town Hall" meetings: http://grayline.20m.com/cgi-bin/i/im...lier_front.jpg http://grayline.20m.com/cgi-bin/i/im...flier_rear.jpg

Vlajos Jun 4, 2012 8:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTA Gray Line (Post 5722452)
http://discussions.chicagotribune.co...ne-20120604/10


A Red Line train moves north to the 95th Street stop in 2010. (Jose M. Osorio / June 4, 2012)

By Jon Hilkevitch

Tribune reporter

11:48 a.m. CDT, June 4, 2012

The entire south branch of the CTA Red Line will close for five months starting in spring 2013, with the transit agency offering free shuttle bus service to Green Line rail stations, so a $425 million track replacement project can be completed more quickly, officials said Monday.

The decision to close the Red Line from the Cermak-Chinatown station to the 95th Street terminal was made to condense the reconstruction from four years of weekend work to five months total, said CTA spokeswoman Molly Sullivan.

She acknowledged it will cause inconvenience to riders, but that the benefits of the project will come on line sooner.

“Dragging out the project would be delaying faster service by more than three years,’’ Sullivan said, adding that slow zones are in effect on 40 percent of the Dan Ryan branch of the Red Line.

Completing the work in five months by shutting down the entire south branch, instead of four years of operating the line on weekdays only, will also save $75 million, Sullivan said.

The savings will also allow for some station upgrades, including elevators at three stations, she said.

The CTA is making the announcement now to get the word out and begin “extensive community outreach,’’ Sullivan said.

“We decided to make this announcement as early as we could to engage the community about the impacts of the project and (let people know about) the opportunity for jobs,’’ Sullivan said. “We will be seeking feedback from the community and planning town hall-style meetings.’’

The track system work will improve customer service by reducing the amount of slow zones, while also cutting operating costs for the transit agency, transit officials have said. Slow zones are currently needed to permit trains to travel safely on deteriorated sections of track.

The south branch of the Red Line has the highest slow zone percentage on the entire CTA rail system.

New steel rails, ties and ballast will be installed and drainage improvements made between the State Street subway portal, which is north of the Cermak-Chinatown station, and the 95th Street terminal, according to the CTA’s plan.

The project follows a 2006 project that upgraded signals, a portion of the power system and included some work on tracks and stations.

More than 50,000 riders board trains on the south branch of the Red Line on an average weekday, CTA statistics show.

jhilkevitch@tribune.com

Twitter: @jhilkevitch

Sounds great, and it will save $s too.

le_brew Jun 4, 2012 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta_Magellan (Post 5722609)
It’s going to terminate at Ashland/63rd, running along the Green Line tracks. The Sun-Times says that it’s going to go into the State Street tunnel “from” Roosevelt, so I’m assuming it will just go down the 16th St. incline and the Sun-Times article is poorly worded.

Cermak-Green would be useful in this case, but a couple more years of deferred maintenance is pretty bad, too.

Sun Times may have been referring to the incline a little south of 12th St. veers east toward Wabash.
Recall that prior to 1992/93 it was Howard/Jack Pk/Eng, and Lake/DanRyan. I don't know if that incline is any longer functional or will have to refurbish for this purpose.

chicagopcclcar1 Jun 4, 2012 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by le_brew (Post 5722845)
Sun Times may have been referring to the incline a little south of 12th St. veers east toward Wabash.
Recall that prior to 1992/93 it was Howard/Jack Pk/Eng, and Lake/DanRyan. I don't know if that incline is any longer functional or will have to refurbish for this purpose.

The south incline has NEVER been taken out of service...it needs no work except to adjust the cab signal to mainline speeds. It is used by work trains and as a mini re-route of Red line trains. 17th St. tower would probably be manned 24/7.

David H.

Busy Bee Jun 4, 2012 11:41 PM

Someone please explain to me why less than 15 miles of track replacement costs $425 million dollars. I mean PLEASE explain that to me.

ardecila Jun 4, 2012 11:53 PM

They're essentially rebuilding the foundation that the entire alignment sits on, including a complex integrated drainage system.

Plus, since it's a rail line and not a highway, there are complex systems (signal and electrical) that need to be pulled out during construction and then rebuilt when work is done.

I also think your figure is off: $425M includes $75M that was saved and repurposed for station renovations, which will tackle Garfield, 63rd, and 87th.

emathias Jun 5, 2012 3:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee (Post 5722950)
Someone please explain to me why less than 15 miles of track replacement costs $425 million dollars. I mean PLEASE explain that to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila (Post 5722959)
They're essentially rebuilding the foundation that the entire alignment sits on, including a complex integrated drainage system.

Plus, since it's a rail line and not a highway, there are complex systems (signal and electrical) that need to be pulled out during construction and then rebuilt when work is done.

I also think your figure is off: $425M includes $75M that was saved and repurposed for station renovations, which will tackle Garfield, 63rd, and 87th.

So, basically, it's most comparable to spending $350 million to build 10 miles of green-field transit line with no stations. That actually seems pretty reasonable, given that it's $35 million per mile.

CTA Gray Line Jun 5, 2012 1:57 PM

June CTA Board Meeting
 
I will be addressing the CTA Board Meeting next Wednesday, June 13th at 10am.

And the final South Lakefront Corridor Transit Study meeting is tentatively set
for the end of this month, at Rev. Braziers New Apostolic Church at 63rd &
Dorchester.

I will be at both to distribute literature, please attend if you can.

Mike Payne

CTA Gray Line Jun 7, 2012 7:48 AM

Open-loop transit on the rise
 
http://www.contactlessnews.com/2012/...it-on-the-rise


Wednesday, June 6, 2012


Agencies want to save money using standard payment cards

Jill Jaracz, contributing editor, Avisian Publications
For public transit users, the grind of a daily commute is two-fold. Not only do you have to cram onto a crowded bus or train, but you also have to worry about having your fare ready, whether you’ve got exact change, if your transit pass has expired, or what to do if your transit card won’t register.

Public transit officials know that commuting can be a stressful experience. With the development of open fare transit systems, they hope to make mass transportation a simpler and more enjoyable experience.

Most domestic transit systems today rely on a combination of fare payment methods. “Today, fares are paid with cash, tokens, or closed-loop magnetic or contactless media,” says Dave Blue, regional director for sales and marketing at Cubic Transportation Systems.

The variety of technology incorporated into transit systems across the world varies greatly. SEPTA, the transit agency serving southeast Pennsylvania including Philadelphia, uses cash, paper tickets and tokens. Other cities like Hong Kong, London and Chicago utilize a closed-loop contactless card in their fare acceptance systems.

In 2009, the Utah Transit Authority became the first in the nation to trial open-loop fare payments. Since this initial application, open-loop payments have made headway as the solution of the future with other cities piloting or implementing the technology.

Open-loop systems enable riders to pay fares using bank-issued payment products. Initially, this revolves around contactless cards such as a Visa payWave, MasterCard PayPass, Discover Zip or American Express ExpressPay. But it can also include mobile wallets and NFC payments.

“The convenience for the consumer is that you don’t need another form of payment or to carry another card. You can use the contactless bank card that you already carry in your wallet to get you through a fare gate or onto a bus,” says Blue.

As contactless technology was added to the payment system, open fare transit started making waves. “It changed the way people looked at options for transit collection,” says Jerry Kane, New Payment Technology Project manager at SEPTA. Transit systems no longer had to opt for a proprietary, closed-loop system that only worked in their transit operations.

With the addition of contactless, the amount of time needed to complete an open-loop transaction was reduced. This transaction speed is vital when moving people through turnstiles quickly. Once the transaction could be completed within 500 milliseconds, it was a viable option for use in the mass transit arena, says Kane.

Transit agencies that have paper tickets, mag stripes or tokens have discovered that the accounting and technology behind the scenes can become a burden. Paper tickets and tokens require inventory and distribution, says Kane.

Closed-loop systems don’t ease the burden much as transit agencies are forced to issue their own media and manage complex systems. They require agencies to invest heavily in technology and manpower to build and maintain the systems. “Today transit agencies spend significant dollars on proprietary fare media, media distribution and cash collection,” says Blue.

Proprietary systems leave transit agencies beholden to one vendor for everything related to the technology, including upgrades and added functionality. “You’re stuck with that vendor as long as that system is operating,” says Craig Roberts, manager for technology development at the Utah Transit Authority.

On the contrary, open fare systems enable transit operators to invest in communication and payment technologies that are based on open standards and widely deployed across industries, explains Roberts.

This gives agencies the freedom to make changes and upgrade their systems as their needs change. “Ideally you are able to buy in a competitive marketplace and plug and play different components. Agencies are in better position to make changes,” says Roberts.

Agencies can also transition from managing the entire payment operation to simply being another merchant in opensystem. “If the agencies can move toward open payments as their primary payment mechanism they can recognize substantial cost savings,” says Blue.

Roberts adds that once an open fare system is in place it’s relatively easy to make changes. In a closed system where intelligence is held on the card itself, changing fares can require the agency to change readers and even cards. If the agency adds a pass product that’s card-based, it’s “essentially going to have to re-card and reprogram readers to take the product,” says Roberts.

“Back office simplicity equals reduced cost for agencies. There’s greater efficiencies,” says Roberts. Because open fare utilizes current payment network brands, a transit agency doesn’t have to issue its own media or concern itself with issues surrounding adding value to the card. It also doesn’t have to provide customer service for the card since they’re not the issuer.

Passengers don’t have to figure out how the fare system works. Through focus groups the UTA found that was an added benefit. “The issue of embarrassment is a major barrier to use of a transit system,” says Roberts.

“If you have a contactless credit card in your wallet or purse, you can use transit in Utah today,” says Roberts.

Open-loop utilization in Utah remains low

Though agencies see benefits from open loop, convincing riders to use their contactless bank-issued cards for transit is a different story.

Currently, only about one percent of UTA fares come from open payment transactions, says Roberts. Half of ridership comes from third-party payers such as ski resorts, employers and schools that issue cards that work on the system. Another 25% to 30% of riders pay cash. The remainder purchase passes sold at retail locations like grocery stores.

“We have it but haven’t been promoting it. People don’t know,” says Roberts, noting that the card issuing banks are responsible for promoting the use of contactless payment with cards. “It’s the chicken and the egg about contactless and open payment. You have to have a lot of merchants, then a lot of banks. Then you get promotion,” says Roberts.

Chicago embarks on an open-loop transition

Although the UTA system has scant usage, it hasn’t deterred other agencies from delving into open fare implementation projects. In January the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) awarded a 12-year contract to Cubic Transportation Systems to upgrade its Chicago Card system from a closed to an open fare collection system based on contactless and NFC standards. According to Ed Reese, general manager for business development at the CTA, the terms of the deal give Cubic a two-year implementation program and a ten-year operation and maintenance contract.

Cubic won’t receive payment until the system goes live. Once operational, Cubic will earn a fixed per tap fee for the term of the contract, as well as a fixed monthly fee, says Reese.

It’s a way for CTA to reduce operating expenses. “We shift the risks, credit, labor and security to a private contractor,” says Reese, adding that the CTA anticipates cost savings of $5 million a year.

After the transition, rail fares will be 100% contactless. Buses will accept both contactless payment and cash. “This will lower the cash processing costs, which means higher revenue for us,” says Reese. When the new system is rolled out, the CTA will issue new media in the form of a Visa co-branded general-purpose reloadable card. Those who do not have a contactless-enabled card or are unbanked will use this card. “You can top up the card or link it to a credit card account,” says Reese.

Once the system is live, the CTA will stop issuing its old card.

The reloadable card will also be able to handle all of the various fare passes CTA offers. “All of the existing fare products are able to be purchased on the card at any point,” says Reese.

In designing the software, the CTA intends to support different fare schemes, including fixed-route pricing, peak pricing, premium pricing and route specific pricing. “Things we can’t do now,” explains Reese.

Open fare transit makes it easier for agencies to work with each other, because Visa, MasterCard and American Express are automatically interoperable with other systems, says Roberts.

For an agency like the CTA, this feature is important because it helps the system comply with a new Illinois state law that mandates the three Chicago-area transit agencies have a universal fare card. The transition to an open fare payment system will allow the three Chicago-area transit agencies–CTA, Metra commuter rail and Pace buses–to work together in an account-based universal system, explains Reese.

Philadelphia’s SEPTA opens up

While Chicago is transitioning from one contactless system to another, SEPTA plans to replace its paper and token-based fare system with a contactless system dubbed the New Payment Technology Project.

“We were facing a technological obsolescence,” says Kane. SEPTA’s current system uses read-only mag stripe technology for throwaway passes, a technology available since the 1980s. “It’s at the end of its useful life for fare collection,” says Kane.

For SEPTA, switching to an open fare system also means cost savings. “It’s quite expensive to run fare collection, managing calendar passes, tokens, collection and distribution. It’s the full burden of running a bank, but we don’t get any money out of it,” says Kane.

Transit vendor ACS will provide the complete solution including design, testing, installation and operation, explains Kane. The design phase is just beginning, with testing expected by the end of the first year and pilots to follow. Both systems will run side by side until the new system is installed overall.

A challenge for SEPTA is figuring out how to implement the open fare system for its commuter rail operations, which make up 10% of overall ridership and 15% of revenues. “At trains, buses and trolleys you pay first but with commuter rail you pay on board. Conductors will have handheld readers for validation,” says Kane.

SEPTA has not yet decided on the type of media it will use for this new system. “We are going to accept all forms of payment that comply with open standards,” says Kane.

Still any transit agency must serve the unbanked population. To this end, SEPTA is exploring use of its own white label prepaid card as well as a general-purpose reloadable branded card.

Because the new system is still years from implementation and has to run in parallel with the existing system, SEPTA does not know what cost savings it can realize. “There are a lot of hidden costs associated with running your own fare payment system that you would not encounter in an open fare system,” concludes Kane.

NFC’s role in open loop

As the mobile wallet becomes more prevalent, transit authorities may also be able to tap into the mobile user for payment. “Since the systems are built to accept contactless media they are a perfect fit for upcoming NFC technology. The mobile phone will be able to emulate a proprietary card if the agency wishes or it can be the conduit, through a ‘wallet’, for an open payment bank issued card,” says Dave Blue, regional director for sales and marketing at Cubic Transportation Systems.

According to a report by the Smart Card Alliance, NJ TRANSIT in New Jersey became the first transit agency to test these waters when in October 2011 it partnered with Google Wallet for an NFC mobile payment test. The agency hopes NFC can speed up the ticketing and boarding process through shorter transaction times.

However, open fare systems can also easily enable NFC and mobile payment. “If the industry makes mobile payments work for Visa, MasterCard and American Express, we’re already set up,” says Roberts. “Any agency looking toward the future will have that enabled.”

CTA Gray Line Jun 8, 2012 1:26 PM

Photo flashback: Vintage 'L'
 
http://www.redeyechicago.com/news/ct...9.photogallery


Photo flashback: Vintage 'L'

Chicago's beloved (and sometimes be-hated) "L" system turns 120 today. Think about how old that is. Nobody is alive to remember a time before the "L" started rumbling through the city, but we do have photos to remind us of the birth of our elevated trains. Click through to see photos spanning from the earliest train cars to the development of the modern "L."

CTA Gray Line Jun 8, 2012 11:20 PM

Pace joins CTA in universal fare system
 
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...ews/706089926/


Commuters who use both Pace and CTA know what a pain it can be to deal with separate fare systems.

But a new deal between the agencies will not only provide an uninterrupted transfer but enable riders to jump on Pace buses and CTA trains with a wave of their credit card or smartphone.

Pace directors Wednesday approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Transit Authority coordinating an open fare system for both.

“It’s the dawn of a universal fare card,” Pace chief counsel Thomas Ciecko said.

“This will allow customers using the CTA and Pace to have a seamless fare system,” Pace Executive Director T.J. Ross said.

The CTA and then Pace anticipate introducing the new technology in late 2013. Essentially, it will mean that commuters can pay for rides and transfer from one system to the other using a transit card that will include the CTA and Pace logos. Or they can use credit or debit cards, smartphones and certain types of prepaid cards to access transit.

Eventually, the new system will replace Pace’s existing fare cards. Cash will still be accepted.

The change will allow people to purchase fare cards at 2,500 venues across Chicago and the suburbs as opposed to about 800 now.

The move has come after some prodding from Springfield. The region’s three transit agencies were mandated by the Illinois legislature to offer a universal fare system by 2015.

The CTA has contracted with Cubic Transportation Systems to implement the program and the company will also work with Pace.

It will cost Pace nearly $55 million over 10 years to pay for the switchover as well as annual operating expenses. About $14 million is for capital costs to convert fare collection points. Cubic will handle processing of all fare cards, which includes dealing with customers.

Pace officials were still working out financing but they noted that the agency will save money spent on fare collections. It’s estimated 90 percent of all fares will eventually be paid by automated card versus 60 percent now.

Cubic conducted a similar transition for San Francisco’s transit systems.

“Our region will benefit from what Cubic learned from rolling this out in other places,” Pace spokesman Patrick Wilmot said.

Riders will be updated on changes to expect and how to prepare as the switch gets closer.

“There will be an intensive marketing process so people know this is coming ... and what they need to do,” Wilmot said.

For example, riders should note that for the system to work, credit and debit cards will require an embedded “smart chip” that can be read at fare boxes and collection points.

Meanwhile, Metra’s leap to universal fares will come later.

The commuter rail agency is working with Pace and the CTA on the issue, spokeswoman Meg Thomas-Reile said.

She added, “Metra does not currently use electronic fare collection while the CTA and Pace have had more than a decade of electronic collection experience and the infrastructure to support it.” Complicating matters is the fact the Metra is an “open” system, where anyone can walk onto a train with an upfront payment.

Metra is supposed to complete a universal fare development plan by August and request companies to submit proposals at the end of the year.

“We tentatively plan to begin implementation testing in June 2013 with the goal of implementing a system by January 2015,” Thomas-Reile said.

A transit brouhaha that erupted in the last two weeks also surfaced at Wednesday’s Pace meeting. Regional Transportation Authority Chairman John S. Gates wrote a May 25 memo that faulted the CTA, Metra and Pace for delays regarding consolidating operations to save money. The three agencies fired back accusing the RTA of a bloated bureaucracy.

Referencing the friction, Pace Chairman Richard Kwasneski quipped, “an intergovernmental agreement ... what a novel idea.”

He suggested that the meeting agenda be sent to the RTA, noting, “this is a prime example of how the CTA and Pace work together. Our staffs have been working on this for over a year.”

Nexis4Jersey Jun 10, 2012 10:56 PM

Here's my Metra map...I tried tweaking it twice and it froze...so i gave up :(

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...1e1ab450&msa=0

ardecila Jun 11, 2012 1:57 AM

A bit old, but I don't think it got posted...
Quote:

Beale predicts violence if Metra doesn’t hire more minorities for rail project
BY FRAN SPIELMAN
May 31, 2012 4:52PM


An influential alderman warned Metra’s executive director on Thursday that “people are going to get hurt” if the commuter rail agency fails to bolster minority participation on a $133 million South Side railroad bridge known as the “Englewood Flyover.”

Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), chairman of the City Council’s Transportation Committee, did not explain who he believed would “get hurt” or who the perpetrators might be. But, he was clearly referring to civil disobedience or maybe even violence at the construction site.

“I’m trying to help you help yourself. When I say that, problems could arise. When you look at a community like Englewood [that] is challenged and you have over $1 billion of work coming through and there’s no people of color working on that project, I’m afraid people are going to get hurt,” Beale told Clifford during Thursday’s committee hearing.

Clifford said he “respects and appreciates” Beale’s point. But, he also stood his ground, arguing that Metra has “not done anything wrong” and “followed federal statutes to the letter.”

After a Metra board meeting that attracted dozens of sign-carrying protesters, Metra put off awarding the contract to the low-bidder — Elgin-based IHC Construction Cos. LLC — until at least June 15 in hopes of resolving the issue to everyone’s satisfaction.
Looks like this week we'll see either a plan from Metra to increase minority participation, or an affirmation of the earlier contract with beefed-up security.

Knowing Metra, they'll probably punt.

Also, Beale is seriously misinformed - the Englewood Flyover is not even close to a billion. $200 million, maybe. CREATE overall is several billion dollars, but it includes numerous projects and many of the smaller ones have had substantial minority participation.

Standpoor Jun 11, 2012 3:24 AM

I guess it only makes sense to devolve into threats of violence since there is nothing else these politicians can do to stop this project. I am not entirely sure which I find more disturbing, the Alderman's knowledge of the project and set asides or the author's callous disregard to providing necessary facts.

CTA Gray Line Jun 11, 2012 12:01 PM

Chicago Transit Board Approves Purchase of 100 New Articulated Buses
 
http://www.transitchicago.com/news/d...ArticleId=3022


5/9/2012

New hybrid diesel-electric and clean-diesel articulated buses to begin arriving in late-2012

The Chicago Transit Board today approved the purchase of up to 100 new articulated (60-foot) buses from New Flyer Industries, continuing CTA’s effort to modernize its bus fleet and replace older model buses at the end of their useful life.

“This is one of several bus and rail system-improvement projects in the pipeline aimed at allowing the CTA to meet the growing ridership, further improve operational efficiencies and to continue to ensure safe and reliable service for customers,” said CTA President Forrest Claypool. “By taking advantage of this opportunity, we are able to expedite the process of upgrading our bus fleet and avoid making frequent and costly repairs to buses that are beyond their useful life.”

CTA is piggybacking on a contract belonging to King County Metro, Seattle’s public transit agency, to purchase the 100 low-floor, fully-accessible articulated buses. Due to changing business needs, the Seattle transit agency does not plan to purchase the full quantity of buses allowed on their contract and has agreed to assign a portion of the contract to the CTA.

Delivery of the 100 articulated buses – a combination of 33 hybrid diesel-electric and 67 clean-diesel buses – is expected to begin late this year and continue through 2013. The new articulated buses will begin replacing the 40-foot Nova buses that were entered into service in 2000-2001. The new buses will be assigned to routes where they are projected to maximize performance and meet the growing ridership demand.

The latest purchase of 100 articulated buses will cost $80 million and is being funded with a combination of federal funds and local resources.

Busy Bee Jun 11, 2012 2:15 PM

More New Flyers. It makes the most economic sense I suppose.

With the experience the CTA has with M.A.N., it would be so cool to get some slick German buses back on Chicago streets.... Just dreaming...

http://bus-and-coach-photos.com.s3.a...s.com/1676.jpg
linkhttp://bus-and-coach-photos.com.s3.a...s.com/1676.jpg

http://world-viewer.com/data_images/...w-floor-01.jpg
link

Beta_Magellan Jun 11, 2012 3:11 PM

Indeed—three doors would be great


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