Back in April, the CTA modified its bus boarding procedure, asking riders to board through the rear doors in an effort to create more distance between passengers and operators. On Sunday, June 21, the CTA ended back-door boarding and welcomed passengers to resume boarding through the front doors—the change was announced via Twitter, which means that there will probably be a bit of confusion over the next few days.
The return to front-door boarding means that you'll definitely have to pay your fare when you ride the bus, so don't leave your Ventra card at home. During the switch to rear-door boarding, some CTA buses installed Ventra card readers in the back of the bus, but much of the fleet operated without a way for passengers to pay their fare when entering, effectively making many bus rides free.
You'll now be able to hop on a bus from the front, but reduced capacities on buses are still in place: 15 riders on standard 40-foot buses and 22 riders on 60-foot articulated buses. While the use of face masks on buses is technically required, CTA operators are not enforcing the guideline. In a statement shared with WTTW, a CTA representative said, "CTA’s mask requirement is based on voluntary compliance. CTA personnel will not prevent passengers without face coverings from boarding a bus or train."
If you're worried about riding a crowded bus, you might want to consult the CTA's weekly bus crowding report, which uses data collected over the previous two weeks to determine when ridership is high, medium or low during any given hour. If you have the ability to shift your commute to a less popular time, you shouldn't have much trouble boarding a bus with plenty of room to spread out—just don't forget to bring along your face covering (and maybe some hand sanitizer).
Starting Sunday, rear-door boarding on CTA buses will end. As we begin to welcome people back, riders will return to boarding at the front as we’ve taken many steps to provide the healthiest environment possible for customers and employees. Learn more: https://t.co/VDccvU5ct2 pic.twitter.com/SuRgcZfCwr
— cta (@cta) June 19, 2020
Most popular on Time Out
- These Chicago breweries and bars have reopened their patios
- Supporting Chicago’s Black-owned restaurants is a lifelong commitment
- iO Theater is closing permanently, due to ‘financial issues’
- Where to find drive-in movie theaters near Chicago
- Here’s what you can and can’t do outside in Chicago right now