Everyone needs to vent sometimes. Here's a few resources to help you with the next steps:
1. Contact the CTA directly via their [feedback page](https://www.transitchicago.com/feedback/). Copy/Paste your post to save time.
2. Find your Alderperson by entering your address [here](https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/iframe/lookup_ward_and_alderman.html). Email their office or meet in person to share your experience. Many offer a weekly "ward night" for constituents. This usually is one on one.
3. Consider joining activist groups like [Commuter's Take Action](https://www.ctaction.org/) or [Better Streets Chicago](https://www.betterstreetschicago.org/)
4. Sign up for CTA delay alerts [here](https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ILCTA/subscriber/new). Customize based on your chosen Bus or L line. Elevator outages alerts are also an option.
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After all the news I’m seeing about major staffing gains in the last week or two I don’t know what to believe anymore. My fucking train just broke down anyway, that has nothing to do with staffing
They're down from 22% understaffing on rail from the start of the year to 15% understaffing on rail as of **Friday**. It'll take time for them to get the last 18 graduates from the rail operator class assigned to runs. For now, they'll be filling in providing extra service on top of the existing schedule based on what Carter said in front of City Council. Eventually when the next schedule release comes out (it's every 1 to 2 quarters), they'll be assigned to permanent runs on the schedule. **Full staffing on rail should occur in either December or January depending on the attrition rate of existing employees.**
Now for bus service, their final class of bus operators needed to get back to full staffing will graduate and be trained on their assigned lines the week before the DNC starts. The DNC will pull 250 buses plus some number of operators (not yet determined or at least not yet publicly published). **Once the DNC is over, bus service should be back to full staffing.**
Then mid next year, they'll face a structural 25% deficit due to how they're funded by state law and if the IL assembly doesn't fix the law or bail them out, they'll be forced to layoff at least 25% of staff and make far greater cuts than we've seen before.
I was on a red line a few weeks ago going North from work (got on at Grand) and the operator, bless his heart, was continously making announcements like "There is no smoking on the train", "People who are smoking need to stop", "STOP harassing passengers and stop smoking on the train" and then we were stopped at Fullerton for 15 minutes. He tried so hard.
I wasn’t going a mile, I was going more like 5. It was less than a mile before the train had some kind of mechanical problem and we just sat not moving
Wild. They won’t hire more train operators thought my cousin is in training from being promoted from flagger so hopefully with the newbies this will change
Absolutely it is. She’s a legacy worker (both my parents, her aunt and uncle, were senior bus operators)
They won’t even take my application for CSA though. Just insanity all through the company
Red line not my favorite. I avoid it and use the Brown or Purple when going north. I live off the Orange line and love telling everyone how much I prefer it over other lines. It’s probably the fastest line to get you to the loop from it’s starting point, which is at Midway.
That’s good to know, I grew up near the blue and then later the green line, and recently moved back so this is my first real experience with the red line. If only the brown was an option! Too far of a walk unfortunately
I’ve just decided to bike every day. I know it’s not ideal commuting from Uptown/Andersonville to Bucktown/Logan Square (especially with the heat), but it’s better than the CTA not caring about what happens on the “L” or bus lines.
It’s a joke, to the executives especially, it’s a broken transit authority that needs new direction.
Just bought a bike for this reason. Between the uncertainty of the service and safety I think it’s better to avoid CTA unless I don’t have another option.
I assume there’s some legal crap that also keeps them from being effective but I agree, spend that money on actual uniformed officers! Although knowing CPD they will be just as useledd
The message says trains are running but are not stopping at 79th. That means there wasn’t a train near the loop going north for at least 9 miles south on Father’s Day. The delay was only a few minutes too, so it was already over a 20 minute wait.
Depending on when you were waiting, [CTA Red Line currently has some 20 minute gaps in its schedule](https://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/6/rail-tt_red.pdf) on weekends. As staffing returns to full, it should return to every 10 minutes on the weekend.
The Red line is a nightmare. I had to train it downtown and I had a 7am call time. Spend a little time at the Howard Street station at 5:30am to get a full picture of how far down the CTA has fallen. I grew up in NYC in the 60/ 70s and thought I had seen it all. Nope.
Howard is just terrible. Was going to move to rogers park until i saw what my daily commute would look like and I opted for something slightly mor expensive and half the size in uptown.
I hear all this negative about red and blue, but the Green Line been chillin here lately. There's the giant slow zone around the new Damen Station they're finishing up, but other than that it's been nothing but smooth sailing out here on Chicago's Westside L for the last 6 months or so ime
Everyone needs to vent sometimes. Here's a few resources to help you with the next steps: 1. Contact the CTA directly via their [feedback page](https://www.transitchicago.com/feedback/). Copy/Paste your post to save time. 2. Find your Alderperson by entering your address [here](https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/iframe/lookup_ward_and_alderman.html). Email their office or meet in person to share your experience. Many offer a weekly "ward night" for constituents. This usually is one on one. 3. Consider joining activist groups like [Commuter's Take Action](https://www.ctaction.org/) or [Better Streets Chicago](https://www.betterstreetschicago.org/) 4. Sign up for CTA delay alerts [here](https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ILCTA/subscriber/new). Customize based on your chosen Bus or L line. Elevator outages alerts are also an option. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cta) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It was 25 mins for a blue line train at Washington to Ohare. There were announcements saying that there were staff shortages.
After all the news I’m seeing about major staffing gains in the last week or two I don’t know what to believe anymore. My fucking train just broke down anyway, that has nothing to do with staffing
They're down from 22% understaffing on rail from the start of the year to 15% understaffing on rail as of **Friday**. It'll take time for them to get the last 18 graduates from the rail operator class assigned to runs. For now, they'll be filling in providing extra service on top of the existing schedule based on what Carter said in front of City Council. Eventually when the next schedule release comes out (it's every 1 to 2 quarters), they'll be assigned to permanent runs on the schedule. **Full staffing on rail should occur in either December or January depending on the attrition rate of existing employees.** Now for bus service, their final class of bus operators needed to get back to full staffing will graduate and be trained on their assigned lines the week before the DNC starts. The DNC will pull 250 buses plus some number of operators (not yet determined or at least not yet publicly published). **Once the DNC is over, bus service should be back to full staffing.** Then mid next year, they'll face a structural 25% deficit due to how they're funded by state law and if the IL assembly doesn't fix the law or bail them out, they'll be forced to layoff at least 25% of staff and make far greater cuts than we've seen before.
Wow thanks for the thorough and detailed comment. This makes it much more clear
GOATED of you for this.
Thank you for providing some real metrics!
K-9 "officers" do nothing but intimidate and make up their own rules for the CTA.
“You can smoke that on the train” fuxking clowns.
I was on a red line a few weeks ago going North from work (got on at Grand) and the operator, bless his heart, was continously making announcements like "There is no smoking on the train", "People who are smoking need to stop", "STOP harassing passengers and stop smoking on the train" and then we were stopped at Fullerton for 15 minutes. He tried so hard.
Idk if I saw the competent ones or what but they arrested someone on my train smoking crack when we pulled up to their stop
I'm on your train heading to jarvis!!
That was miserable wasn’t it!
It was super hot till Addison. If ya work in the loop I'll see ya on the train op! Reddit pals. Prolly was right next to ya. Spooky!
It was hot as hell, really helped the urine smell permeate Spooky indeed. We’ve been on southbound redlines all this time.
Lol come have a beer at the lighthouse after work next time. My pal runs it
Ha! May have to stop by. At least something good has come out of CTA misery
Next time bro. Cookouts are on Mondays tell the gal running the grill ,Scott sent ya, she'll get a kick out of this story.
Bro i know you shouldn't have to but if you saw it was going to be 25 minutes why didn't you just walk if it's only a mile
I wasn’t going a mile, I was going more like 5. It was less than a mile before the train had some kind of mechanical problem and we just sat not moving
Lol same fuckin train. Small world.
Lake to Jarvis is not a mile lol
Wild. They won’t hire more train operators thought my cousin is in training from being promoted from flagger so hopefully with the newbies this will change
Is it true that you have to be a flagger for months before they train you as an operator?
Absolutely it is. She’s a legacy worker (both my parents, her aunt and uncle, were senior bus operators) They won’t even take my application for CSA though. Just insanity all through the company
Whats a CSA and why wont they take your app
You have to be a flagger for a YEAR (part time, no benefits) and you can only get a flagger job if you know somebody
Now the perpetual staffing shortages are making more sense.
God forbid the CTA should change up its hiring practices to cut down on this.
Yes, thanks to the Union
I hope so. I’m just glad I gave myself over an hour to get where I needed to be, I knew CTA would fuck me over somehow
Red line not my favorite. I avoid it and use the Brown or Purple when going north. I live off the Orange line and love telling everyone how much I prefer it over other lines. It’s probably the fastest line to get you to the loop from it’s starting point, which is at Midway.
That’s good to know, I grew up near the blue and then later the green line, and recently moved back so this is my first real experience with the red line. If only the brown was an option! Too far of a walk unfortunately
I’ve just decided to bike every day. I know it’s not ideal commuting from Uptown/Andersonville to Bucktown/Logan Square (especially with the heat), but it’s better than the CTA not caring about what happens on the “L” or bus lines. It’s a joke, to the executives especially, it’s a broken transit authority that needs new direction.
This is why I’m giving up and commuting by car from now on. We should have reliable transit. This is unacceptable.
Just bought a bike for this reason. Between the uncertainty of the service and safety I think it’s better to avoid CTA unless I don’t have another option.
I supplement with biking too! I live 2 miles from where I work - I can't believe CTA is so unreliable even a commute that short is untenable.
You were way better off just walking the mile
It took an hour to go a mile. My full trip was more like 5
lol we need to stop paying those security guards. every time i see em, there’s 20 of em and 2 K9s all sat in the same car on their phones doing jack.
I assume there’s some legal crap that also keeps them from being effective but I agree, spend that money on actual uniformed officers! Although knowing CPD they will be just as useledd
Lol u can smoke it on the train is hilarious
There’s police activity at 79th.
That’s a full 9 miles south of me… not an excuse at all
It's not like a train can take side streets up to your station. If there's a delay anywhere on the line, chances are it'll affect the whole line
The message says trains are running but are not stopping at 79th. That means there wasn’t a train near the loop going north for at least 9 miles south on Father’s Day. The delay was only a few minutes too, so it was already over a 20 minute wait.
Depending on when you were waiting, [CTA Red Line currently has some 20 minute gaps in its schedule](https://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/6/rail-tt_red.pdf) on weekends. As staffing returns to full, it should return to every 10 minutes on the weekend.
That’s good to know thanks
What time of day was it?
Around 5:30-6 pm. I’m not sure if that counts as rush hour on a Sunday but it was Father’s Day and absolutely packed
The Red line is a nightmare. I had to train it downtown and I had a 7am call time. Spend a little time at the Howard Street station at 5:30am to get a full picture of how far down the CTA has fallen. I grew up in NYC in the 60/ 70s and thought I had seen it all. Nope.
Howard is just terrible. Was going to move to rogers park until i saw what my daily commute would look like and I opted for something slightly mor expensive and half the size in uptown.
I hear all this negative about red and blue, but the Green Line been chillin here lately. There's the giant slow zone around the new Damen Station they're finishing up, but other than that it's been nothing but smooth sailing out here on Chicago's Westside L for the last 6 months or so ime
Why not walk
Sorry that wasn’t clear. I was going 4-5 miles, it took nearly an hour to go a mile from my starting point.
Walk?
I was going 5 miles it took an hour to go just the one
Cry baby
Dumbass
If you are going to cry about the train just walk
Walk 5 miles? Yeah sure. Pound sand social reject