In a response to reader a question, Ken Davis goes in search of the factors that lead to Chicago Transit Authority decisions about eliminating or adding bus service.
To find answers to his inquiry, Davis speaks with Jeff Schroeder, a "data jockey" with CTA. "Obviously any decision to change or drop service is driven first by
money," notes Davis. "The CTA currently wants to add buses and trains to its
highest-traffic lines, but without any additional money, they have to
cut something else. And good decisions require clean data. So Jeff has
turned about 1,700 CTA buses into hunter-gatherers. They quietly,
unobtrusively collect data. On you."
Davis describes the on-board computers, recorders and GPS devices that collect and report data on ridership numbers per stop, direction, and time.
"So money and research are behind these decisions," concludes Davis, "but that's not all.
CTA President Forrest Claypool said demographics can be taken into
account in some circumstances.'It's certainly a high priority to
make sure that our most impoverished areas have quality mass
transportation,' he said. 'So we are gonna protect that service at all
costs.'"
FULL STORY: Question answered: What factors lead to CTA bus routes being added or removed?
Chicago Transit Leaders Call for $1.5B Funding Package
Public transit across the Chicagoland region could suffer massive cuts without additional funding.
Chicago Transit Authority Announces Service Boosts Ahead of NYE
The agency says it will reach pre-pandemic service levels by the end of the year.
Chicago Secures Funding for Southside L Extension
The city was awarded almost $2 billion to build four new stations in Southside neighborhoods long underserved by transit.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research