Communication Can Save the CTA

Let me say it right at the top, I love the CTA. I have the CTA-coin cuff links to prove it. But I just got back from a jaunt across the pond to swingin' London, and I can no longer be a CTA apologist. Not after getting the full experience of London Underground, aka-The Tube.

This isn't meant to be a rant about Chicago needing a mythical "Circle Line" or anything that would generally be considered unrealistic. But dealing with the realities of economy, infrastructure and geography there is still a way for the CTA to score higher grades; employ the lost art of communication. On top of all the other pluses The Tube brings to the table, it was the flow of information 100 feet underground that made me see the light.

During my 5 days in London, I took the Tube. I took it a lot. I rode at least a small stretch of almost every line. I transfered trains so frequently I should've been carrying all my belongings wrapped in a hankerchief that was tied to a stick. I rode it not because I wanted to see as many sights as possible. I rode it because it enabled me to see more sights than imaginable.

The most indelible moment happened during a mid-week afternoon rush hour when I was trying to get from near the London Tower to the British Museum. I get down to my track and its crowded like any Chicago loop station at rush hour. Which makes it by far the most crowded train stop I saw during my stay in London. Very soon I hear a voice over the loudspeaker. I live voice (with a very proper British accent). And I can actually understand the words through the loudspeaker, it's not muffled one bit. It was very specifically explained that the train was delayed because of a "commuter incident" a few stops prior. The voice then proceeds to suggest some alternate routes. I take a bit of a roundabout way to the museum, but by my estimates only lose about 10 minutes. Voila! A potential major headache becomes a mild inconvenience. And to top it off, when I get on the alternate train, the conductor apologizes for the overcrowded conditions.

Another telling moment happened on Saturday morning. Apparently the Underground line we wanted was closed that day for some repair work. We didn't know this until we approached the down escalator and see the "Closed" sign. Like any savvy tourist, we start heading for the map on the station wall. Before we can get there, a station agent approaches us and immediately gives us our best travel option. As a Chicago resident, I'm confused why he's not sitting in a caged booth oblivious to what's happening in the station.

Look, it's okay that Chicago's trains and buses don't run as efficiently, but please just keep us informed. This isn't about having a friendly face, it's about everybody in Chicago knowing that their best option from point A to point B is with the CTA, warts and all. Sure, locals and tourists have different needs, but a very small investment (compared to, oh I don't know, building an entirely new express line from block 37 to O'Hare) can bring some huge benefits in terms of new riders and more frequency out of people like me.