Great for getting around the city of Chicago whether it be by bus or train. I enjoyed utilizing public transportation to get around the city during my visit. The buses are a great way to get around with frequent stops throughout the city. read more

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I'm on the #36 bus at 7:10 and the female bus driver stops the bus and goes into Dunkin Donuts for coffee and food. While we are watching her put more sugar in her coffee in a driverless bus. The rudest thing I have ever witnessed. Horrible service. Female red hair 7:10 Devon and Sheridan. I can show pictures too. read more

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Perfect? No. Pretty good? I'd say so! I had vetted out all the different ways to get around with kids in Chicago as a tourist, and ultimately between the CTA bus and L trains, as well as the Metra, there are some nice options. Note, when you have two small kids Uber/taxis are not really an option without car seats, so this is the best plan of action IMO. For starters, you can futz around with a Ventra card, or you can just pay per ride ($2.25 at time of writing) by tapping your credit card when you get on. You can also get unlimited day passes, 3 day passes, or 7 day passes. When we got into Union Station with our luggage in tow, we made our way to the transit stop nearly joining the building and patiently waited..and waited. It incredibly late and threw me off more than I thought because I was so tired, but ultimately got us there. Others were much smoother: getting from our hotel to the Children's Science Museum was wonderful, taking us right to the entrance. Worth noting the bus was five minutes early to the stop so thank god we were there or it would've been a while! (Although the Metra also goes that way, but is a farther walk from the stop.) Here's another thing; I almost always felt safe. In summer in the Loop, these are heavily trafficked, and the crowds are varied. The bus drivers don't take any crap, and honestly that helps hold everyone in line a bit so it's kinda nice. Using Google Maps, or the Transit App, or the Ventra app will help you navigate but it's really pretty easy and there are stops everywhere. Much better than my hometown of KC, and I feel comfortable using this again and again when I visit Chicago. read more

Absolutely terrible. The apps are confusing, trying to Google things is terrible , both buses & trains are late, and god help you if you need to catch a bus in the suburbs. They NEVER, EVER come when they're supposed to. Ever read more

At no point should any paying customer that ride the red and blue line be greeted with homeless people sleep laying across the seats! No paying customer should be greeted with urine on the floor or blood! Should no paying customer be greeted with people smoking weed or whatever else on these trains let alone selling it. The red line train is never really clean. The floor is always sticky and smells bad! Loud music is always being played. What's the point of having K-9 services and they don't do anything. Y'all need to do better! These trains are overly disgusting and there's no sense of security read more

I refuse to compare the Chicago "L" to the New York City subway. I will not. To do that is literally comparing an apple to an orange and that simply is not fair. What I will do is praise the heck out of this system. It is clean, safe, reliable, and extensive. Those are my only similarities between the "L" and the subway. After that, things vary, and not just because most of the system is above ground, hence the "L" nickname. I found most people on the trains respectful. Not many panhandlers, and the rule about no bikes on the trains during peak hours is strictly enforced. I was on a train where a cyclist tried boarding with a bike and the motorman announced "No bikes during rush hour." To enforce this, the train would not move until the cyclist disembarked. That would never happen in New York City. Once you get the hang of it, navigating around the Loop is rather easy and fun. There are plenty of lines to pick from, and they all pretty much get you where you need to go downtown. Once they branch off the loop, some of the lines run express outside downtown, making it even easier to get around. From a railfans' perspective, it is an absolute delight. I found a parking garage that overlooks Tower 18 and you could easily spend several hours watching trains traverse this intersection. It is like watching vehicle traffic as trains stop to allow other trains to pass by or merge onto another track. Sometimes you can see up to four trains come together! It felt like a model train display being brought to life. I could also talk about METRA, but that is for another review. read more

Chicago Transit Authority - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Has the CTA Forgotten about the service on the Sundays Cumberland Line, it is like a ghost town waiting for bus service .

My friend & I took a trip from the NW burbs via Metra with plans to ride the CTA bus from Union Station to the Chicago Auto Show. I last rode a city bus a few years ago. I was pleasantly surprised with our experience! The buses were clean and well-lit. I was most impressed with our bus drivers who were friendly and courteous. Initially, we needed help finding the correct bus and asked the driver of a different route for directions to the correct pickup spot. She was accommodating and came out of her bus to talk with another driver for help, as this was not her usual route. Our drivers were patient and assisted us with boarding info to our destination and back to Union Station. It's a convenient and inexpensive way to get around the city. read more

Your drivers really need manners especially if you are advertising as a great alternative instead of driving to land marks. Your drivers are rude and truly lack empathy to help with directions. He stopped behind a bus 5 feet from the curb then began yelling for passengers to get out in the middle of the road! read more

The CTA is decent over all, although wait times and crowds can often be an issue. And what really bothers me and visitors that ride with me a lot is the fact the cards we pay for often will not let you through the turn style, and yet still will count it as one of your uses wasting your money! Another thing are all the people that sleep on the trains taking up seats and stinking up the cars! or worse as we saw the other day one of them waking up long enough to blow their nose onto the floor! The other night we saw someone kicking one of the windows trying to break it. And do not even get me started on all the smoking and loud music and talking on the phone that goes on. It is not a surprise that people chuckle when the announcements come on claiming no smoking or radio playing or gambling or loud talking on the phone, etc is allowed on cta vehicles as everyone knows it is always happening and nothing is ever done about it! And even funnier when they claim you will be prosecuted to the fullest lol. I mean come on. Again, nobody enforces any of it. And even if they did, the entire world knows that Chicago treats criminals like Kings and they will be let go as soon as they are caught so it is so laughable! It is a shame as they could prevent all of this but won't. And it hurts what COULD be a great, clean, enjoyable, safe transit system. read more

I am taking the #82 bus today. The bus driver is very nice, He gave me a very warm feeling in the heavy snow morning.

Took the train from Midway airport to downtown Chicago. The station is a ground level station and on the Orange Line. There is indoor and sheltered bike parking available. This is also a bus stop. The $10 1-day CTA fare pass is affordable and you get to ride as many times as you want in a day. The ticket machines are easy to operate and if you take your time and follow the instructions it is not complicated. I had a little trouble with entering the terminal as I didn't see the sign change on the display on the turnstile. So I had to be let in by the agent. I'm a hot mess. The train was already waiting so we got on board. There are maps on the top so you can see the different stations and find the one you need. The ride was smooth for the most part and it was not crowded both times we rode. The train is on a platform downtown and it was strange to ride between buildings and be able to look into someone's room since we were so close. It feels like the buildings press against the train. When we got out, we made our way through the turnstile and down to the street. On the return, we found a station and took the stairs up and went through the turnstiles. There are elevators if you need. And the signage tells you which side of the platform you need to be on depending on your route. It's actually pretty easy compared to other train systems I've ridden on. They announce the stations where you can transfer to another line at so that's convenient. read more

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Rather than pay for parking, I opted to take the bus and train. At $5 a day, it's totally worth it. I took the bus to Navy Pier. The drivers are meh with their attitude but you can't beat the convenience, especially on the hot day I had on Wednesday. It does get crowded but to me, it beats paying $20+ taking a cab or Lyft. read more

CTA exceeds my expectations. They're not perfect, but no transit system is. Here's what I like: Drivers and staff are friendly and helpful. They might be direct and talk loudly to be heard, but they are helping you with good intentions. I've had overwhelmingly great experiences with almost everyone. The system has a long history and the routes have worked themselves out mostly well. Things tend to run often. There's at least one rock band named after them. (Chicago, formerly Chicago Transit Authority, which was too long for rock and rollers, who were into the whole brevity thing) What I don't like: Random and unexplained delays, too often. Train cars aren't patrolled. People will beg for money, sometimes aggressively. Other situations might arise where you're on your own. In summary, quit driving and start bussing and training. Not training... L-ing, I mean.. Or uhh, take the train, that is! read more

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My family and I were visiting Chicago from out of town. We could have driven in but decided to take the South Shore train and use the CTA to get around the city. Riding the 151 bus, we had an awful experience. A lady entered the bus without paying the fare. I heard the bus driver tell her she needed to pay, but she ignored him and sat down directly in front of us. This lady had a large amount of wet excrement from her midback down, and the smell was absolutely awful. We hopped off at the next stop. I'm not sure if bus drivers need more training or if new protocols need to be implemented, but this lady should not have been allowed on the bus. Not only was it a health hazard, but I'm sure the bus had to be taken out of commission to clean the seat. read more

The CTA can do a better job at not succumbing to the mandates given by whom ever regarding the mask mandates. I have also been to the 79th train station recently and it looked as if the tracks hadn't been cleaned in months. So let's keep the tracks clean. Also, it's literally a snow day on 1/24/2022 and the Wallace bus normally sits at the stop for a few minutes and today they decided not to wait. They also did not take initiative to get the fallen crossing signs fixed by IDOT for the customers crossing from the other side of the street. There's a lot of room for improvement. Still grateful that he city has the public transportation we have, just gotta make sure we don't spend billions on one train stop (Washington and Wabash) and forget about everything else that needs to be taken care of. 9:54am update: spoke to Randall in CTA customer service and seems as though he was bothered I had complaints about CTA. He ignored some things I mentioned and also interrupted me while in the middle of speaking. Also, the cover stickers on the glass windows in the orange line halsted station need to be removed so customers can clearly see when the buses are arriving. read more

Chicago Transit Authority - Stickers covering glass in CTA Halsted Station. Cannot see through it. Need to be removed so people know when buses are here. - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

CTA really needs to retrain there employees or fire them. At 419pm while on the 29 state bus (1157) the bus just randomly stops for serval minutes and when I ask the bus operator she said to me "why would it be something wrong" and I said to her because the bus stop and you never made any announcement on why the bus stopped here I said to he. I was recording the whole brief conversation too so there won't be any confusion. The bus operator needs to be retrain on how to answer the public question and not get mad when someone ask a question. read more

Coming from a big city with a shitty transit system, it's hard to judge CTA harshly. The only reason I'm on here is to express my pleasure with the staff working the morning of March 1 at the Merchandise Mart station. She was fan-f*cking-tastic! We couldn't figure out the machine and she didn't think twice about coming over and helping us. Then she shared a trick with the zip code for out of towners, and told us to not use our debit card while were in the city. Loved her and she kicked off what turned out to be a great day on the L. Dropped a star because waiting 20 minutes for a train feels weird coming from a city where a train comes every 2-5 minutes. read more

Got on bus 155 today on a Sunday with my small daughter Bus driver started to cus at some women who couldn't speak English when I stuck up for the poor women he started cussing at me and is fighting problems in front of my six year old daughter not to mention bus was 45 minutes late read more

Chicago Transit Authority - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Omg it's raining CTAs and DGOs right now, it's making my dylsexia come out really dab! The CTA in general is okay. It's not quite as extensive as the New York System but it does work. There aren't really ways to get from one end of town to another in such a speedy way as the subway in New York City, and London also has a better subway system than anything on offer in Chicago. Having said that it's a lot better than some places. Los Angeles, Washington DC, I'm looking at you. Having said all that you have to say the elevated train is pretty amazing. But then so is your mother's body considering her age. read more

Chicago Transit Authority - Coincidentally right now I have an MT A - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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CTA in Chicago is for the most part very reliable.It takes me from point A to B as well as C .Its waaaaaay better than driving especially in the downtown area.Many CTA bus and train routes run 24 hours.Just need to figure it out.You can put me anywhere in the city at any time of day or night and I can guarantee you CTA will get me to my destination.Sure,there is homeless people sleeping on the train at times.Sometimes CRAZY PEOPLE.But overall I know Chicago CTA is very beneficial and even critical to those of us who use it on a daily basis.Shout out to my bus and EL peeps!!! Aaaaaaand THANK YOU for always being there!!! read more

if you are looking to be on time with the 151 you had better leave 2 and a half hours early. worst absolute worst experience and service in the morning trying to get to work. again if you have to rely on the 151 bus route you are fucked. read more

This review is for the CTA BUS-Chicago Avenue LOST & FOUND.. Have you ever left personal items on the CTA BUS and wondered how to find out if your "lost items" were in fact "found"? I went on a Sunday Journey to Crate & Barrel to buy a few small culinary items.....then went to get groceries before taking the 72 Bus back home. It was in the afternoon and raining and only myself and another person were on the bus and we both got off at the same stop. Unfortunately, I forgot my Boxed Up Crate & Barrel Culinary Purchases on the seat directly behind the rear exit door. BUMMER! I got on-line to research how to see if there is a CTA BUS LOST AND FOUND. YES...YES...YES! The direct number is: (773) 638-3083 Prompt #2 directly connects you to a "human being!" I called immediately after I got home and the Lost and Found Attendant said to call back later as the bus driver/bus was probably still out on "the job." SO I WAITED and CALLED BACK THE NEXT DAY- Someone who said "Lopez" answered and listened to my inquiry on my Crate & Barrel Box "Lost items" and then checked and said that the box HAD NOT BEEN TURNED IN...aka the items were still "LOST!" I thanked him and hoped that someone else was enjoying my condiment bowl, 4 appetizer plates, a festive pumpkin dish towel, and hanging Christmas Tree Cut Out. Lopez said that he would take my number and call if indeed it was turned in to the Lost and Found CTA BUS Department. Very thoughtful and it is nice to actually know that people DO CARE...even about small things... THANK YOU CTA LOST AND FOUND! 5 STARS for the Professionalism and Caring Spirit and for even having a Lost and Found that is staffed by "real" Chicagoans who try to help make the world a better place! read more

Horrible service and it's not even due to COVID travel times are horrible at train stations employees are rude as well and seem to never know anything I have been late for work almost everyday for the past two weeks due to cta get it together read more

Chicago Transit Authority - Three times I have sat here and it's will give me a time when it comes just so when it time to say due it goes to this - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

For tourists, this is a passable way for getting around the city, especially if you are staying in the downtown Loop area. There are many stops that are close by all the famous attractions. However, for such a big city, I was surprised that the trains do not come more often. It was normal to wait at least 10 minutes for the next train. Also, there is a good amount of homeless people sleeping on the trains, with some cars smelling so bad, it was impossible to stay in them. Speaking of cleanliness, it did not appear that these trains are cleaned much, as the inside of most of them had plenty of wear and stains. read more

Chicago Transit Authority - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Fast and often. CTA did a pretty job of getting us around the Windy City. Their multi-modal- they have trains and buses. You can use your Ventra card on all of them. I ended up caving and getting the Ventra app, which links up to your credit card, so you don't have to handle tickets and the machine being out of order. It's great once you get it set up. It took some practice to get down how to position my phone on the card reader. You use the phone to draft your account! The buses were swift, with lots of stops nearby. I was disappointed that many of the stations in the loop don't have wheelchair access. You gotta plan ahead if you have a wheelchair or something. The ADA wheelchair icon can be found on many, but not all the stations on the map. I got chewed out by one bus driver for not announcing getting off the bus fast enough. But that was on me. If you miss one bus, there's another one coming shortly, or another one nearby that'll come get you. It sure beats driving in this town. read more

The CTA and I have what I would call a love, hate relationship. When it's running smoothly and I happen to catch a good cart on the train, I'm the definition of a happy camper. Those days when everything is delayed and the cart smells so bad I almost get sick, I curse to the high heavens and dream of teleportation. I'm about to get really real here. You ready? Also, heads up. I must point out that the majority of my experience utilizing the CTA is with the train system, most particularly the Blue Line. While I've ridden other lines and the bus a number of times, I lived off the Blue Line for about three years and knew it pretty well. The upside - I love that the CTA has an app and that you can use to add value to your transit card while on the go. The machines they have at each stop are fine and fairly easy to use but using the app is the most convenient. The app will also tell you about arrivals, delays, etc. Their operators are real humans. They have bad days but they also good days, like the rest of us. If you're lucky you'll get a super friendly or even a singing operator. It always brightened my morning and I want to give that specific fella a shout out. I don't know if you're still there but you're awesome. The downside - Depending on the line you ride, the carts and the train itself can be outdated. The Blue Line specifically seems to be a really outdated. It always has less room and is visibly older than others, like the Red Line. The Blue Line is also one of the only 24-hour trains and while that may seem like a perk, be mindful of the time that you're riding it. You'll have folks keeping cover over night when the weather is bad or when they have no place else to go. Pro tip - If you're around during the holidays try and catch the holiday train. It's cute. Solid three stars CTA, thanks for your service. read more

I write this review to highlight the extraordinary service of three CTA train operators. Firstly I mention Barron of the Purple Line Express. His rides are experiences. I feel as though I am being transported on the Disneyland Monorail. The ride is smooth and precise, allowing me to enjoy the sights of Chicago. Barron is friendly and respectful. I have dubbed his run as "The Barron Express." Secondly I mention Cynthia of the Brown Line. The energy and cheer that she provides is out of this world. I think that she was born of another planet! Thirdly I mention Kevin of the Brown Line. He is a hunk who operates skillfully and kindly. I am grateful to these divine humans who take me where I need to go! Oh, and I love the CTA so muchly that I don a CTA hat in the wintertime (see picture). Thank you, CTA! read more

Chicago Transit Authority - donning my wintertime CTA hat. - A person wearing a black jacket, a patterned face mask, and a beanie with a logo takes a selfie outdoors. They are holding a coffee cup and walking a dog dressed in a purple coat. The ground is covered with snow and ice, and a concrete wall is visible on the right side of the image. - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

BAD. trains are NEVER, NEVER on time! What the hell? Constantly 30 min delays, doors close after 5 SECONDS. I would much rather ride new york transit and thats saying A LOT. whether i come extra early, or just on time for a train they are NEVER ON TIME. I have had to relocate my gd job because of this. RIDICULOUS AND SHIT TRANSPORT. youd be better off paying a local to piggy back you all the way to downtown. read more

4 stars for convenience and price, 2 stars for ease of understanding if you aren't a local. I really loved the convenience of hopping on and quickly getting where I needed to go. But determining what type of tickets to buy ... finding station entrances ... all challenging. I wish that the CVB and major events (like the Chicago Marathon) would include info for tourists about the system so you could easily learn how to take the train from the airport, major station locations, etc. The trains run 24/7 which is also a huge plus. read more

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The bus drivers have gotten done right mean lately. I didn't get on 147 going north because it wasn't going to Howard it was only going to Devon. The next 147 after it was going to Howard. When I got on the female bus driver asked what was wrong with the first bus, as if I wasted her time picking up me. I told her it was only going to Devon. I always say thank you getting in and off bus. The bus drivers should snap at the customer who is rude not at people like me. read more

For commuters who rely on the trains outside of peak periods, avoid at all costs. Train arrival times are falsely advertised so that you pay the fare believing a train arrives in 5 minutes, only for that train to mysteriously disappear and have the next one arriving in 30 minutes. This also creates long waits at night in subway where crime frequently occurs. Because of this I will be relocating close to work to avoid any future reliance on the CTA. Use at your own risk! read more

Why can't there're be some washrooms at some subway/el stations. Charge a fee and have an attendant if need be. It seems barbaric in this day and age that the CTA has no public washrooms. read more

My brief experience with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) reminded me of NYC's MTA in format, availability, and efficiency. The staff I interacted with were professional and got me where I needed to be. The CTA is convenient if you happen to live or work near a stop (if you don't have a car, they're kind of necessary). We took the Metro, via the Blue Line, both to and from O'Hare. While in town, we bussed from Navy Pier to a stop near our hotel. On the way home, I had to take a detour, ending up on a CTA shuttle for a bit. (Of course, when the CTA isn't available, one can always hail a taxi, especially if out late.) Besides being very confused with how to pay for their Metro cards (uh, don't ask), we got ourselves three-day passes, perfect for weekends and worth it for out-of-towners, especially since they can pay for rail AND bus service. Give them a try if you've never! read more

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Magneto strikes (my wallet) again! My CTA Plus Card got demagnetized. For weeks I would play roulette getting on my bus (usually after all other riders) and the train, hoping my card would "take" after a few swipes on my pants leg (ancient bus driver's secret) or wool coat. The card finally failed, and so I easily deactivated it online. Once you deactivate, you can immediately pick up a new card! The CTA Sales Center is on the 2nd floor of their building on Lake, and there are a few computers right up there that you can access your account information, if you need. There are a few people working Customer Service who are nice, and the Sales Center is where you get your new card. They also have a Lost and Found for items lost on the CTA. (Wow, novel idea!) So if say, you find someone's wallet, take it here and let CTA handle it! I'm sure the person that lost it will appreciate your honesty, and will call CTA to retrieve it with all of its contents still intact. I'm sure service at the Sales center depends on whoever's working, similar to the DMV. My wait at 1:30pm was only 15 minutes and my time at the window picking up my new card took less than a minute. My new card was FREE. It happened so fast, I was wary that the lady had tied my new card to my monthly account, but she did! Easy Peasy! Don't hate! Appreciate! read more

Chicago Transit Authority - Life size Bike loading example ! - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I queried enough pedestrians as to locating the stop for the CTA60 bus to await it's arrival, nobody had a clue. Friendly as they were, how can there be such a disconnect between machine and man? So, the bus driver proceeds to inform me that he "wazzint no toor guide" and to step back from the yellow line. Fortunately for the overweight Martin Lawrence look alike, I use words for good -- not for evil. I was on the phone a second later with the CTA's customer care supervisor, bus ID number in hand. I'd love to use her actual name for her to receive true credit, but I'll not. She was apologetic and remedied my issue after two return calls totalling fifty well spent minutes. The buses themselves were in clean and quietly running condition. An atrium-ish effect, outside light was being send down and through the large windows upon the passengers. Each seat had contours dipping and curving suggesting a snug, well fitting squat -- and I must say that it works --- having had a fourty minute test ride. read more

NO STAR, OR STARS NEEDED FOR THE SHITTY TRANSIT OF CHICAGO. Snow is needed to be removed.........always. CTA Employees always sitting on asses in there little silver boxes. Machines are always down....... The prices continue to be raised, but the customer service continues to suck! Hell with the amount of money going into repair tracks, how about making sure there's a elevator at EVERY EL STATION FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, HANDICAP CUSTOMERS, ELDER PEOPLE, ETC!!!!! read more

Tired of having to wait more than a half hour on the morning Pulaski bus just to get to the Orange line and be told that it's the last stop. We get kicked out and have to wait another 10 to 15 minutes for another bus to take us to 31st and Pulaski. On top of it today the driver got an attitude when I said we had gotten off the other bus. Normally we don't have to pay twice. This driver made everyone pay again. They need better up management cause it already takes an hour to get to work and when they do this it easily adds another half hour to my commute. And the way back home is always at least an hour on bad days 2. And I'm sick of the attitudes from the driver's. If we get an attitude we get kicked off the bus. It's BS! read more

Poor customer service. Stranded in snow storm and wail long long time with no busses on sight at Chicago freezing temperature. read more

Chicago Transit Authority - No busses on sight while waiting in freezing Chicago temperature. - Public Transportation Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honestly, the CTA sucks. It really sucks, like here is a list I have of things I have seen while using them over the years: 1) Extremely inconsiderate bus drivers who make it difficult for the elderly to get on and off the bus, especially in slippery winter conditions. 2) Bus drivers letting people on the bus without paying because they are their 'friends' 3) People smoking on the train, especially weed (my girlfriend is allergic to weed and this can cause her to break out) 4) people pissing and shitting on the train 5) homeless sleeping and/or using the train car as their home, and verbally and physically attacking people who go anywhere near them. 6) CTA employees and security not doing their jobs, sleeping around and ignoring clear acts of criminal activity. 7) Ridiculous wait times for trains and buses which lead to double or triple stacking which is extremely inefficient 8) Lots of stations not having ADA access or if any, have awful conditions (ie smelly elevators, broken down elevators etc). 9) Rude CTA staff in general 10) Bus drivers driving erratically and nearly causing major accidents with other vehicles and pedestrians 11) Broken or insufficient heating lamps on platforms in dangerously cold weather 12) People playing extremely loud music or not using headphones on trains and buses 13) Many stations are lacking any sort of security and/or a CTA staff member in case help or assistance is needed. 14) People breaking or destroying the trains or buses 15) Bus drivers not stopping at bus stops with people at them 16) pickpockets everywhere 17) Ghost buses of course 18) Do I need to mention there have been shootings on CTA? Probably should I could go on, but there are many things that need to be improved on this train line in order to be a safe and enjoyable for Chicagoans and tourists alike read more