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CTA launches test for added Purple Line express service
Hopefully, Ms. Morey will be working late for at least a week to ride her “pilot” Linden-downtown-Linden. The concept is good but it falls well short of what’s needed to test the market. A true test would be to continue the Evanston Express evening peak operation after 630pm concluding with the schedule of the “pilot”. Yes that will undoubtedly cost the agency more. But offering one chance at this service during the late evening is a hit or miss proposition.
I liken this initiative to the once a day Amtrak trains in medium-distance markets, Vermonter, Adirondack, Ethan Allen, Pere Marquette. These routes cry out for added frequencies of at least two to four trains to give travelers a choice. A 4 or 5-car train once in 24 hours or a 6-car transit train once in the post-evening peak will not make a market and create spin-off economic activity and growth. Train service has to have multiple frequencies if it has any hope of getting significant numbers of travelers/commuters out of their cars.
Good luck with your “pilot” Ms. Morey. But are you and CTA prepared to expand the service if the ridership on the “pilot” is strong, especially to points in Evanston, because you miraculously hit a timing sweet spot?