Expansion of CTA Bus Tracker Nears Completion with the Activation of 19 Routes
4/13/2009
Progress continues as 19 additional bus routes will be added to CTA’s Bus Tracker web site on Monday, April 20. The popular bus service tool provides customers with estimated bus arrival times and real-time service information. When the additional routes are activated, a total of 129 of CTA’s 153 bus routes will be part of the Bus Tracker service.
CTA Bus Tracker is a web-based program that uses global positioning system (GPS) technology to provide customers with the locations and estimated arrival times of buses operating along activated bus routes.
“Bus Tracker has become a valuable communications channel for CTA customers by alerting them to the next arriving bus and changes in service that may affect their commutes,” said CTA President Richard L. Rodriguez. “Customer communication is a top priority at CTA and we will continue to find ways to enrich existing tools to deliver pertinent travel information to customers.”
The CTA will activate the following 19 routes on Bus Tracker’s web site on April 20:
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- #N5 South Shore Night Bus
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- #123 Illinois Center/Union Express
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- #53AL South Pulaski Limited
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- #135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express
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- #136 Sheridan/LaSalle Express
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- #143 Stockton/Michigan Express
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- #100 Jeffery Manor Express
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- #144 Marine/Michigan Express
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Results of a recent survey show that as customers become more familiar with Bus Tracker and its features, they have expressed increased satisfaction with CTA service and feel that the reliability of bus service has also improved.
Customers consider information provided through Bus Tracker a valuable resource when traveling the system. One survey observation shows a 30 percent increase in satisfaction along the #8 Halsted route and that a customers’ perceived wait time between #8 Halsted buses has decreased by 27 percent when compared to a year ago.
The dedicated CTA Bus Tracker web site (
www.ctabustracker.com) provides customers with a route map where icons indicate the location and direction of buses currently in service on up to five routes, an alarm feature that alerts customers when a bus is approaching their selected bus stop, and the estimated arrival times at bus stops.
The CTA Bus Tracker web site is accessible from computers and web-enabled wireless devices for customers to view the arrival times of buses along a route. BlackBerry™ users must have version 4.1 or higher. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) must have full Internet access capabilities through web browsers that support HyperText Markup Language (HTML) such as Internet Explorer®. Customers who use PDAs are able to access the arrival time display only. Cell phone users should contact their wireless service providers for information on their phone's Internet capabilities.
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