No more waiting in lines!
The CTA announced it will begin testing an all-doors fare payment on two routes starting summer 2020. The transit authority hopes this will help improve the speed and reliability of the bus service. This new entry policy is similar to the way London busses operate, where riders can get on and pay at both front and rear doors.
The experimental service will operate along the #J14 Jeffrey Jump and #192 University of Chicago Hospitals Express routes and is part of an initiative led by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr.’s. The initiative includes improvement to speed, reliability and customer experience of CTA’s bus service, as well as a $20 million investment in the Bus Priority Zones program.
“CTA’s bus system is a vital component of Chicago’s comprehensive, affordable transit network that connects people, jobs and communities,” says President Carter. “We are taking a fresh look at our bus system and operations to look for ways we can make it even better. Initiatives like this help us gain valuable insights that will shape the future of bus service in Chicago.”
This new all-doors entry method could reduce boarding times by as much as 50%, says the CTA. The test will run for six months and allows riders to pay with Ventra cards, contactless credit cards, and bank cards at either front or rear doors. Riders that pay with cash will have to continue to board at the front of the bus, as will riders that need the ramp to enter such as wheelchair users and other disabled and senior riders.
Feature photo by Joshua Hanson on Unsplash