#50 Damen Bus

No stars. This bus is ridiculously inconsistent. I’ve taken it 6 days a week for three years, I’ve complained multiple times to the transit authority, but there is nothing to be done. This bus is just not great. Today I walked to the bus at ravenswood and foster at 10:25 and waiting until 11:15 for it to come. Why? And then when you get on the bus and ask what happened the bus driver shames you for asking. If I could pee on this bus I would. I hate it. Who is over seeing this route? Do a better job. Take this bus every day like we do and tell me it’s a good bus. Come on come on!

It is very, very clear to me every time I miraculously board a CTA bus that anybody managing scheduling there has probably sucked something multiple times to keep their job. I have never wished renal failure on anybody but the 50 Damen bus has me wondering if I need anger management.

I’m pretty sure I saw the Damen bus once, but then it went through a patch of fog and neglected to emerge.
That’s not completely fair, but my experience with the Damen bus seems to go one of two ways – it’s either right there or it’s 30 minutes away. So I find myself sprinting for it or cursing it for being so far away. There seems to be no middle ground.
I don’t ride it too often, so any regulars can feel free to correct me, but the only time it seems to be full are immediately before and after United Center events and during rush hour. I think the people living and working along Damen should be happy to have a bus, as the #50 is not really pulling its own weight with ridership.

Took the Damen #50 bus on a Saturday going far North. The bus came quickly, but I must admit I used the CTA tracker on my phone. Though it was a Saturday, we quickly got to my stop and I was on time to watch the Final Four with friends. Thanks CTA!

This is a shout out to the recent CTA bus drivers! Talk about a nice group of folks. I usually am not so effusive when it comes to the CTA, but the latest and greatest #50 drivers have won my heart!

I’m sure I’d have nicer things to say about the Damen bus if it EVER EVER came.
That said, the few magical instances where the planets have aligned and I have actually boarded this bus have been quite pleasant.

Elusive? so, is that to say that I elusively get to school everyday on time? Ummm, you guys should start tracking your buses via txt. At the bottom of the bus sign you will see «CTABUS #8929», txt whatever you see to 41 141 and you will get an immediate response with the next time the bus will come by. I live on damen and see this puppy passing by all day long, sometimes one right after the other. Either you guys are falling asleep or are not paying attention. Don’t blame cta. Wake up people!

I wish this bus came by more regularly; I seem to have to wait for about 15 minutes or more each time I want to take a ride.
I usually stick to the Ashland or Western bus and ride the Damen route only once in a blue moon. Also not a fan that it doesnt run later into the night.
But it’s there when I need it. I just have to plan ahead with BusTracker.

The whole cta organization, system or bullshit business is totally FUCKED UP!
Man seriously i had to wait 30 freaking minutes for the north bound damen ave. on a mid afternoon on a Monday.
Making me late for an appointment.
BULLSHIT, i say BULL-​SHIT!
I spent more time actually waiting for the damn bus then at the dr. appointment.
YOU SUCK!!!

I know this bus has an elusive reputation, as one which only seems to show up in front of you if you are trying to drive Damen in your car; but I’ve been taking it from Ravenswood to The Medical District recently, and I like it much more than the Brown Line to the Loop, and switching to the Pink Line Option. It’s just more of a human scale and much less crowded than the train.
First, you can check the schedule to minimize the wait, and then the bus is usually not very crowded. It moseys through a variety of scenery, from the large yards and nice homes in Ravenswood, through the more narrow tunnel of Roscoe Village, boutiqued-​out Bucktown, and Wicker Park, allowing for lots of window-​shopping and business-​spotting as you go. Also, it’s kind of a default express bus, since not many passengers alight from the bus at the smaller cross streets, so you pretty much cruise through the corridor all the way to Harrison/​Taylor and Damen. And it’s faster than the Brown/​Pink combo (which is a very unpleasant color combo anyway!)
So although I’m not a daily work commuter on this route, I find it pleasant and a little more scenic than the train. The drivers have been friendly, too. One day I’m going to ride it to 35^th and Archer, just for the heck of it. And don’t try and stop me.

Dear #50:
Bus Tracker would be great if, ostensibly, you would stop at Wellington and Damen like you told me you would.
I’m the chubby kid. Under the bus shelter when it’s cold, but running out to the curb with my bus pass out. Waving at you. (Throwing my briefcase at you as you stumble past me.) You remember.
Try to notice me next time?
Thanks,
Chris.

This bus is fake!
Ok, it’s real, but there’s seriously only one, it just trundles up and down Damen, and you get it when it comes by your stop. We call it the «Unicorn», as in «the elusive, mystical Damen bus»…

I take this bus on a very regular basis. Sure, it’s a little slower than if I ride my bike, but it’s cheap and easy. My biggest complaint about this route would be the fact that it only runs till 10:30/11:00 p.m.
My favorite seat on the bus is in the back top area on the right if you’re walking back. The seat that faces forward. If you get the window seat you can actually put your feet up while you ride. I call this, The Recliner seat.
Oh an it’s easier to drink and not spill on the bus compared to a bike.
Cheers.

The best thing to ever happen to this route is bus tracker. Now you know when it is gonna come and how long its gonna take to get where your going. a+

I could have stayed at Dallas’ longer if it weren’t for you.

Decided to add an extra star, since as of late, I’ve been having much better luck for whatever reason, when it comes to catching this bus.
Major reason I’m adding an extra star: It’s on CTA Bus Tracker (CTA needs to MOVE MUCH FASTER in adding this feature to other routes!), and whenever I leave my house now to catch this bus, it’s proven to be extremely accurate as to when the next bus will come. Yay for the fact that to me, it’s no longer an elusive, phantom bus. :D

My low rating of this bus is not due to the bus itself, but due to the city infrastructure. Damen is a narrow, busy road that isn’t well suited to buses. Chose Ashland or Western over Damen whenever possible, particularly during rush periods or late at night (when the Damen bus stops running around midnight).

What CTA brainiac puts a bus line on a one-​lane road WITH a bicycle lane?
The latest egregious behavior by CTA bus drivers is not pulling all the way over at bus stops to let the traffic go by… I suppose so that they don’t have to make the effort to get back into the flow of traffic.
Not sure how #50 compares with #22 (Clark Street) where one can find my diatribe about «bus-​humping.»

Oh, Damen bus, you’re like Jekyll and Hyde.
I’ve got a like/​hate relationship with good ol’ #50 (notice there is no mention of «love»).
It’s quite reliable in the morning when I hop aboard in Ravenswood and head southbound. I’ve actually got my morning routine down to a tee because I know that bus will be at my stop even if I’m not (drats to those days when I’m running late and see that bus pass me by!).
But, come evening, Mr. Hyde appears. I’ve waited 45 minutes – yes, 45 minutes! – for this damn bus to take me back home in the evening. That’s just cruel. To avoid the often ridiculously long evening wait, I bum rides home from co-​workers or take a detour to the gym so I can take the train home instead.
So, I guess you could say the Damen bus encourages me to exercise. I’m either running to catch it in the morning, walking home because it’s nowhere in sight, or avoiding it altogether and heading to the gym.

OK Damen bus, you suck royal ass. No, not even royal ass. Peasant ass.
I have waited over 35 minutes for you multiple times. Did you get caught up in Ravenswood’s charms? Or Wicker Park’s six-​way bliss? Whatever the reason, I have decided that you suck. Hard.