In 1961, the CTA purchased its first “New Look” (or “Fishbowl”) buses from GM. The New Look buses were more efficient than previous motor buses and nearly all were powered by diesel fuel. By 1976, all propane buses and trolleybuses were replaced with diesel-powered buses.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago "L" and CTA bus service. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 309,197,200, or …

The first services operated under the CTA name ran in October 1947 when we acquired the then-private Chicago Rapid Transit Company (elevated and subway lines—the 'L' system) and the Chicago Surface Lines (who ran streetcars and buses), followed later by the acquisition of the Chicago Motor Coach company (buses).

April 27, 1998 - The CTA institutes some of the largest service cuts in its history. Under the Booz-Allen Hamilton Service Plan, numerous bus lines are cut and, while most rail service is unaffected, Owl Service is cut on the Green, Purple and Blue (Douglas) Lines. Additionally, the Douglas branch no longer operates on the weekend.

Detailed information on current CTA bus routes is available at the official CTA Web site. Chicago's first numbered routes were "Through Routes" 1 through 23. These routes were ordered created by a 1908 city ordinance, and would operate over trackage of more than one streetcar company.

The CTA ran trolley buses until March 25, 1973. All units were originally purchased by Chicago Surface Lines for its Chicago Railways division and were acquired by CTA upon takeover of CSL on October 1, 1947.

On March 27, 1948, Skokie service between Howard Street and Dempster Street was replaced by buses. On April 5, 1948, to speed up service (slow due to two track lines and old wooden trailers), the CTA introduced A/B skip stop service on Lake Street Line. Under this system, stops are …

In 1997, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) was the second-largest transit system in the United States, with approximately 1,900 buses and 1,150 rapid transit cars carrying almost 419 million passenger trips a year (1997). The CTA was created in 1945.

CTA Surface System History presented by the Illinois Railway Museum This website is a collaborative effort between the Illinois Railway Museum's Strahorn Library, Trolley Bus Department, Motor Bus Department, and the Museum's generous donors.

Horse car service began Apr. 25, 1859 Cable car service began Jan. 28, 1882 First electric streetcars Oct. 2, 1890 First rail line June 6, 1892 Loop Elevated opened Oct. 12, 1897 First motor bus service Mar. 25, 1917 Trolley bus service began Apr. 17, 1930 State Street Subway opened Oct. 17,