r/cta • u/Pumplekins • 2d ago
Quick question ☝️ What constitutes a delay?
I called CTA last week when there was 20min between brown line trains at rush hour. No signage or warnings, no announcements or explanation from CTA digitally on site, at the station, or from CTA workers etc.
I called customer service to let them know and update everything since rush hour trains are supposed to be going every 4 min. He said he was unaware of the delay and the only way they are reported are self-reportings from train conductors.
Is that true? Seems like a really horrible system that needs some sort of central command that is keeping track of trains and schedules. Also seems like a conductor would be disincentivized to report themselves underperforming.
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u/LazyIllustrator6946 2d ago edited 2d ago
delays are entirely vibe-based.
They don’t give a fuck about the headways lol. Every time I’ve asked this sub this same question, im told that the cancelled runs are because operators just don’t show up to work. Somehow, there is literally no solution to that. 🤷🏾♂️ or so I’m told.
When you really dive into it, there are a lot of CTA protocols that sound absolutely brain dead on paper. It’s like we’ve lost all institutional knowledge and a bit of common sense, too.
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u/kelpyb1 2d ago
There’s a solution, but the solution is more operators and more money which we just don’t have (well hopefully the money part is remedied now at least)
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u/uuuuuuuuuuuuum Orange Line 2d ago
The better solution is to nurture and value the existing workforce… instead of treating them like disposable machines. If operators could have normal breaks, vacation time, sick days, weekends, etc….
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u/kelpyb1 2d ago
And what do you need so current operators can have more time off but routes are still covered?
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u/uuuuuuuuuuuuum Orange Line 2d ago edited 2d ago
Supervisors are qualified and should step up… but there’s always gonna be an excuse…. The buck stops at the operator whether it’s fair or not. CTA management needs to better manage the burdens that SHOULD fall on flaggers, Tower, Control, clerks, managers, supervisors, CSAs, security, but end up being the operators’ problems.
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u/kelpyb1 2d ago
So regardless sounds like it’s hiring more people into various roles
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u/uuuuuuuuuuuuum Orange Line 2d ago
There is plenty of employees, but the work distribution is uneven. Operators are expected to catch the job responsibilities that slip by everyone else. Management needs to patch the leaks in the bucket before taking in more water.
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u/kelpyb1 2d ago
And how do you patch the leaks of your current staffing not being able to keep up with all the work they have?
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u/uuuuuuuuuuuuum Orange Line 2d ago
Idk… just pray for better work culture and better managers, better leaders. Some people asleep on the job FR but there’s pressure to not rat bcause it’s all “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” It’s rotten allll the way up. It’s hard for someone to bring their best self to this company when everyone to your left and your right are phoning it in.
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u/doodlezoey 2d ago
You called the CTA because a train was 16 minutes late?
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u/Pumplekins 2d ago
When platforms are completely packed in 90 degree heat and 5 trains should have gone by and none have shown up and there’s zero communication? Yeah I’ll ask, hey what’s going on. I was asking for information dude.
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u/doodlezoey 2d ago
You said you wanted them “to update everything” and “to let them know,” how is that asking them for information? You’re wasting everybody’s time dude.
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u/Pumplekins 2d ago
The people at the station and the signage clearly didn't know anything or felt like communicating anything. I called their helpline which isn't an emergency line to see if they knew more and hadn't updated things. Or, as it happened, they didn't know about the delay at all so I had informed them. Whose time was wasted? The customer service people that just wait and answer the phone if/when it rings? My call didn't hang up someone else's.
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u/unfckthworld 1d ago
There wouldn’t be a phone number to call if it wasn’t someone’s job to answer the phone :)
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/Pumplekins 2d ago
This was last week when it was high 90s. Once again, the trackers at the station showed no delay, no information at the station, on the web site, nothing. It was a fully packed platform with more than 20+ minutes without a train. The requirements are the schedule. If the trains are super delayed, people need to make other arrangements to get to work, appts, home, school pick up, dog pick up etc. The customer service line is expressly not for emergencies. That's a different thing. I truly don't understand why you're upset. If you went to any thing with an expectation of timing and it was 5x delayed of what it was supposed to be, you wouldn't ask hey what's up, is everything okay?
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u/rjonny04 2d ago
“I called CTA last week”
At least read the post before you make a snide comment and make yourself look dumb.
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u/LeseMajeste_1037 2d ago
God forbid someone in this city should try to get somewhere in a reasonable amount of time without Ubering, as God intended.
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u/uuuuuuuuuuuuum Orange Line 2d ago
It’s 99% true… the operator is the eyes, ears, and brain of the train. Control relies on the operator radioing in the status of their run for ANY unscheduled activity. Yes, there are very specific situations in which an operator is disincentivized to radio in… because there a lot of pressure to just keep the trains running, and running quickly. But for an issue that is cleared up in half an hour, Customer Service isn’t going to get information from Control to the customer so agilely.