Page 8 - MyMetraNewsletter-Nov2020-KYLNr6-single.indd

ON SCHEDULES

Metra is exploring new ways to rebuild including an outbound evening train ules more predictable for customers.
our schedules while ridership remains that expresses to Tinley Park/80th While times might change, Metra hopes
low during the coronavirus pandemic, Avenue from LaSalle Street Station that these stopping patterns will remain in
using this time as an opportunity to had been popular among riders before place post-COVID.
improve the commuting experience the pandemic. Metra also looks at requests from
once riders return.
In addition to express service, Metra’s customers themselves to refine these
In March, Metra implemented our scheduling team is testing new stopping schedule changes. For example, several
alternate schedules, which were orig- patterns. On the BNSF Line, several BNSF customers called for reverse com-
inally designed to be used in cases of trains used to express to or from mute trains to stop at Halsted Street,
extreme winter weather. Our intention and that change was incorporated into
was to add cars to trains or add trains the August schedule change.
to the schedules as ridership increased All changes are guided by six service
to allow for customers to physically restoration principles Metra has ad-
distance. We’ve tweaked schedules a We’ve tweaked opted: provide consistent and frequent
few times since March, but instead of service throughout the day; establish
ridership, innovation has been the schedules, but easily understandable and memorable
driving factor.
instead of ridership, service patterns; include new express
“We look at passenger counts every service when possible; consider trans-
morning, and with COVID, we haven’t innovation has been fers; explore reverse commute and
run into a wall where we couldn’t just the driving factor. new ridership markets; and promote
add cars,” said Metra Manager of Ser- regional equity.
vice Design Dan Miodonski. “So when “Before when we would try a schedule
we add service, we’re doing it because change, we had such overwhelming
we want to make service more attrac- rush hour demand that if we tried
tive to riders.”
Congress Park, skipping over the more something and it didn’t work, we’d
Metra in June added express service popular Brookfield Station. Brookfield have stuffed trains,” Miodonski said.
to the SouthWest Service and North has become the express point for those “Now we can try new things and see if
Central Service for the first time on trains in the current alternate schedule. it works operationally without that con-
either line. On the Rock Island Line, we On other lines, the team is trying to cern. We have an opportunity to really
added two Tinley Park express trains, group stations together to make sched- start from scratch.”

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