Amid complaints about bus and train service, CTA takes the first step to update bus trackers

Facing complaints about bus and train service and trackers, the CTA has taken a first step toward upgrading its bus trackers.

The CTA unveiled a redesigned bus tracker website Wednesday, and said it sets the stage for future upgrades designed to make the trackers more reliable. The upgrade is expected to make some improvements to bus arrival information on both the website and other tracker apps, but is largely necessary for more substantial improvements in the coming months, CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said.

The upgrades made Wednesday do not apply to train trackers.

The transit agency has struggled with complaints about unpredictable service, safety and conditions as ridership plummeted during the pandemic. Among the concerns are so-called ghost buses and trains, which show up on the trackers but fail to arrive in real life.

Agency President Dorval Carter earlier this month laid out a broad plan to address the concerns, including upgrades to the trackers and schedule tweaks to take into account a limited number of bus and train operators, which he said are likely to lead to “marginally” longer, but more consistent, wait times. Hiring is also underway to address a staff shortage to which the CTA has attributed long wait times.

The schedule changes are expected to help with inaccurate trackers, which rely on both real-time and scheduled service, CTA has said. But further upgrades to both bus and train trackers to improve reliability are also expected through the rest of the year and into 2023.

The updates unveiled Wednesday are one step. They allow CTA’s bus tracker website to adapt to mobile devices, and are intended to make bus arrival information easier to access, officials said. The new website will also allow users to search for bus stops nearby using their phone’s GPS, and remember previously-searched stops.

“This upgrade is a critical first step in improving our rider communication tools, and a key component of our commitment to our customers to quickly address our most pressing challenges,” Carter said in a statement.

sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com