CHICAGO (CBS) – The Chicago Transit Authority has begun operating new schedules that restore bus service to pre-pandemic levels.
The new schedules started Sunday, in what the CTA described as the latest step in its goal of returning service to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.
“Our ability to provide pre-pandemic service marks not an end point, but a milestone in delivering the exceptional bus service our riders deserve,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. said. in a press release. “In 2025, we will extend this milestone and further improve our service. The work of delivering world-class transit services means improvements can always be made.”
A total of 19 bus lines will receive additional services:
- #2 Hyde Park Express (operates between 60th Street/Cottage Grove Avenue and Navy Pier, via DuSable Lake Shore Drive)
- #4 Cottage Grove (runs between 115th Street/Cottage Grove Avenue and Columbus Drive/Randolph Drive)
- #6 Jackson Park Express (operates between 79th Street/South Shore Drive and Wacker Drive/Columbus Drive, using DuSable Lake Shore Drive)
- #15 Jeffery Local (operates between 103rd Street and Stony Island Avenue and 47th Street/Dan Ryan Expressway)
- #26 South Shore Express (operates between 103rd Street/Stony Island Avenue and Chicago Avenue/Fairbanks Court, via DuSable Lake Shore Drive)
- #28 Stony Island (runs between 103rd Street/Stony Island Avenue and 47th Street/Lake Park Avenue)
- #35 31st/35th (runs between 36th Street/Kedzie Avenue and 35th Street/Cottage Grove Avenue)
- #56 Milwaukee (operates between the Jefferson Park Blue Line station and Madison/Wabash)
- #67 67th-69th-71st (runs from Ford City Mall and 67th Street/South Shore Drive)
- #80 Irving Park (runs between Irving Park Road/Harlem Avenue and Irving Park Road/Broadway)
- #84 Peterson (runs between Central Avenue/Caldwell Avenue and Bryn Mawr Avenue/Sheridan Road, primarily via Peterson Avenue)
- #86 Narragansett/Ridgeland (operates between the Ridgeland Green Line station in Oak Park and Devon Avenue/Milwaukee Avenue)
- #120 Ogilvie/Streeterville Express (operates between the Ogilvie Transportation Center and McClurg Court/Huron Street)
- #121 Union/Streeterville Express (operates between Union Station and McClurg Court/Huron Street)
- #135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express (operates from Clarendon Avenue/Sunnyside Avenue southeast to Adams Street/Wacker Drive, and Franklin Street/Jackson Boulevard northwest to Wilson Avenue/Clarendon Avenue, via DuSable Lake Shore Drive)
- #136 Sheridan/LaSalle Express (operates from Sheridan Road/Devon Avenue southeast to Adams Street/Wacker Drive, and from Franklin Street/Jackson Boulevard northwest to Devon Avenue/Sheridan Road, via DuSable Lake Shore Drive)
- #143 Stockton/Michigan Express (operates between Sheridan Road/Belmont Avenue and Michigan Avenue/Ida B. Wells Drive, via DuSable Lake Shore Drive)
- #151 Sheridan (operates between Union Station and Devon Avenue/Clark Street, via Michigan Avenue, Inner Lake Shore Drive, Stockton Drive and Sheridan Road)
- #201 Central/Ridge (runs between the Howard Red/Purple/Yellow Line station to Old Orchard Road in Skokie, via Ridge Avenue, Church Street, and Central Street in Evanston)
The CTA noted that the No. 6, 80, 84, 151 and 201 buses will also see an increase in Saturday service, and the 151 will also see an increase in Sunday service.
Some bus lines have revised winter schedules based on changing passenger patterns.
The CTA said ridership has increased on routes that offer more year-round service. Ridership on routes that already saw increased service this year increased 14% to 15% year-over-year in October 2024 compared to October 2023, while routes that did not see increased service saw only a 10% increase in ridership.
On the train side, the CTA achieved its goal of meeting pre-pandemic schedules in November. Service was added on all eight rail lines every day of the week.
This all comes as the CTA celebrates a record year. The transit authority added more than 200 rail operators this year and hired more than 1,000 new bus operators.
