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Posted: Friday, 05 February 2010 12:39PM
CTA cuts back service this weekend
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CHICAGO (CBS) ―Mayor Daley today says he is making an effort to stop looming service cuts by meeting with the CTA and its unions to come to some sort of an agreement, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
"This afternoon, I have asked leaders of the unions representing CTA employees and CTA officials to come to my office so that we can -- I hope -- reach an agreement to prevent bus and train service cuts from going into effect this Sunday, " Daley told the paper.
Mayor Daley plans to meet this afternoon with CTA union leaders.
Your commute is about to change. GET DETAILS OF THE CHANGES HERE
CTA brass wants to stress that almost every passenger will feel the pain: longer waits for trains and buses and more crowding when you get on board.
On 41 bus routes, there will be shorter hours of service. On all 7 rail routes and on 119 bus routes, trains and buses will run less often. The only routes being eliminated altogether are nine expresses buses, service that riders say is essential.
For home care aide Rose Lucas, elimination of the X3 King Drive express bus isn't just a matter of convenience, it's a matter of safety.
"When I get off late, that makes me get home a little later. And the area I live in is rather rough. So I'd rather go home on the express bus," said Lucas.
But next week, the King Drive Express will be wiped out, part of CTA plan of service reductions and 1,000 layoffs aimed at saving $95 million.
"Unless we can set some concessions from unions that would save jobs and reduce service cuts, this will take place on Sunday," said CTA Board Chairman Terry Peterson.
How will you be affected? During rush hours, expect waits of two to five minutes longer between buses and one to two minutes longer between trains. That might not sound like much, but it is.
"Service has been scheduled so vehicles are carrying as many people as possible. As a result, vehicles will be crowded at all hours," said CTA President Richard Rodriguez.
As for off-peak service, expect to wait two to five minutes more between trains, two to eight minutes more between buses, and 10 to 15 minutes more between late night buses.
CTA drivers we spoke with said they would rather absorb the service cuts and 1,000 layoffs than give back a single dime.
"If you give this up now, who's to say they don't come back six months later and come back for more," said Joseph Lee, a CTA driver.
Drivers didn't seem to think the transit agency is crying wolf.
I think it's going to happen, unfortunately, I think it is," CTA driver Demenyon Meeks said.
But Rose Lucas said she can't understand why. Asked whether she'd prefer to be laid off or take some furlough days, Lucas said, "In this economy, I think I'd take a furlough day."
CTA officials said they haven't had substantial talks with the unions since last Friday, but they're willing to sit down at any time.
Even if the cuts go into effect, the CTA says some or all of them could be reversed within a week or two, depending on how much the unions would be willing to give.
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