Riders who rely on CTA buses for work and errands suffer severely when they see a bus on the tracker but it never comes.
Data On CTA Bus Delays
People who have waited for a bus that was scheduled to arrive but never did, has encountered a “ghost bus.” The ABC7 I-Team searched through data and noticed a major issue affecting the neighborhood. They discovered that the CTA went had over 360,000 canceled services in the previous 20 months.
Tavia Turner, a tax preparer, claims she is frequently delayed due to difficulties with the 49 bus in the Beverly View neighborhood.
I’m waiting on the bus to go to work but if it doesn’t arrive then I lose money.
After the interview the I-Team waited and watched for the 49 bus to pick up Turner. It took 20 minutes, and the tracker showed cancellations and delays. This confirms it’s a daily issue our community struggles with.
“It says it’s approaching, then it says delays, then it shows up again like there minutes, then you’ll continue waiting then it’ll say 10 minutes, 15 minutes, you’ll be waiting like an hour,” added Tavia.
The Struggles
Every single day, almost 420,000 people use CTA buses. Many bus riders who were questioned stated that the condition worsens at night. ABC7’s data analysts got CTA records via the Freedom of Information Act. The information revealed that over 360,000 bus routes were canceled from January 2022 to September 2023.
The lack of employees was determined as the reason for 97% of canceled runs. This issue has caused problems from being late to appointments, school, and even work. “I have been waiting at least 40 minutes for a bus,” claimed 22-year-old Michael Fuller. “So often this requires me to leave earlier than I need to, to ensure I avoid missing the appointment.”
CTA Responds
CTA Chief Transit Officer Donald Bonds was questioned about what can explain these described as ghost buses.
“Normally it’s likely the staff member that has called off and we are just not able to fill that position, so it will stay on the board and then it will disappear,” Bonds said in a statement. “But sometimes it’s from a last-minute call-off that isn’t coming.”
According to the CTA, the routes with most issues are also the busiest. They claimed that if the trip is missed, another bus is usually not long after. The company also stated that the overall cancellation situation is increasing.
Solutions To The CTA Issue
The CTA claims to have more than 15,000 “scheduled bus trips” every day. However, the delays and transport cancellations have not been ignored. Bonds said that he is aware of the impact on commuters.
We’re continuing to push past a lot of our obstacles, we continue to bring on manpower in order to improve the quality of service level we’re providing.
The Company also mentioned that they are working hard to address the staff shortage by employing more bus conductors. The company announced that the target of employing 700 drivers by 2023, with incentives and additional full-time roles, has been successful. Users expressed belief that these actions will result in the disappearance of the ghost bus problem.
They also announced that it will assist new hires in obtaining a business license so that they can avoid paying for one themselves. They want to employ another 200 bus drivers before the end of 2023.
Written by Angelika Cano
Sources:
ABC News: CTA bus tracker ‘ghosts’ are frequent issue for riders, agency says it’s caused by staffing shortage
CBS News: CTA’s Bus Tracker Restored After ‘Technical Problem’
Chicago Transit Authority: Transit trackers
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of David Wilson Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Brian Crawford Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
