CTA Bus – #134 Stockton/LaSalle Express

Generally this bus is good and quicker than the 156. I agree with other reviewers that you should not get on this bus if you know that LSD is backed up (if everyone is trying to get to a Cubs game after work, the 156 is probably a better option on a day like that.)
The reason why I’m not giving even 4 stars here is the clusterfu** that occurs every day on the corner of Jackson and Franklin downtown when I take this bus home. First off — there is no regularity with the 134 — the CTA solved the whole problem of «three come at once and then nothing shows up for 25 minutes» issue with most busses in the past few years, but not with this one! Last night I waited over 20 minutes for a bus and waiting that long is more common than not.
The other issue is that this corner has the 134, 135, 136 and 146 stopping there due to the Wacker construction. EVERY one of those busses has the «not in service» sign up when they get to the stop and the riders have to ask the driver which bus is which. This is highly annoying. Is there some big secret about whether a bus is a Stockton/​Lasalle bus vs. it being a Wilson Express bus? Refusing to put numbers on the bus makes no sense at all, considering the fact that CTA has multiple busses rerouted to this stop during the Wacker construction. It pisses people off and makes the whole ordeal more confusing and I and I can see no reason why doing it this way would make any sense.
Sometime busses that are supposed to stop at this corner show up across the street instead, and then a CTA rep YELLS at the people at the stop to go to the other side.
This is a great bus but seriously, CTA, get your freaking act together!

The good:
The bus gets on LSD between Fullerton and Grand so it saves 10 minutes over the 156 bus.
The bad:
The bus gets on LSD so if that’s a mess it can take as long or longer than the 156 bus. I avoid this bus if traffic is snarled because of snow or rain since LSD will usually also be snarled.
By the time it gets to my stop in the morning, Wrightwood, it’s usually full. With Bus Tracker, I can many times wait another minute and get on a bus where I can get a seat. I’ll usually take the 156 just so that I can get a seat and read the Redeye.
If you get on before Diversey in the morning, you have a much better chance of getting a seat or just onboard. By the time the bus gets to Arlington, it’s almost always full.

Having just penned a one-​star review of a local business, I feel the need to balance the negativity with something more positive. It is too easy to rant and forget that praise is just as important. Contemplating all the possibilities for kudos, I settled on the CTA. Yes, that’s right, the CTA. I was reading in RedEye this morning about the challenges that CTA continues to face, in this case about the State of Illinois not paying its bills.
You know, all things considered the CTA does a pretty great job with what they have to work with. I do enjoy my morning rides on the #134 and #156 buses, as well as my afternoon and evening rides on the Brown Line. One of the great things about Chicago is living without a car, and the CTA makes that possible. So «thank you» CTA!

Dear #134 bus,
I love you, I really do. I hope you aren’t upset with me because I’ve had dalliances with other lines. They mean nothing to me, nothing! Especially that nasty #135. He may be ok for the evening trip home, but my mornings belong to you. The fact that I am the first stop on your morning route makes me feel like I’m getting VIP treatment with my choice of seats. Other routes are dirty, smelly, and the people are just downright weird. Aside from the occasional loud-​talker, food eater, and/​or coffee spiller those of us that travel within your advertisement lined interior are blissfully quiet and relaxed. You may want to consider having a word with your dispatcher though because they should never send shortie buses on this route. There are entirely too many people that rely on you and we need all the room we can get. I don’t care what anyone else says, starting my morning with a lovely ride through the park and along the lake makes me almost happy to be going to work… almost.
Yours truly,
Josh G.