The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) provides several methods to get real-time information about bus detours.
How do I know if a CTA bus is being detoured in real time?
- Official CTA Website & Alerts:
- Check the alerts section of the CTA website.
- Planned and real-time detours, including temporary bus stop changes, are posted there.
- You can also view current bus system alerts on the System Status & Alerts page.
- CTA Bus Tracker:
- The CTA’s Bus Tracker service allows you to see the real-time location of buses on a map and their estimated arrival times.
- Detour information may also be available within the tracker itself, as applications can use bus location data to indicate deviations from the normal route.
- Transit Apps:
- Several third-party apps, like the TransitHub Travel, Transit app, and Citymapper integrate with CTA’s data and provide real-time detour information.
- These apps may also allow you to receive push notifications for detours on specific routes you follow.
- CTA Service Alerts via Email or Text:
- You can sign up to receive personalized text message or email alerts about your preferred bus routes and travel times, including real-time detour information.
- To subscribe to these alerts, visit the Chicago Transit Authority website.
- Bus Stops:
- For planned detours, you may find flyers with maps taped to bus stop posts along the affected route.
Important considerations
- The CTA no longer uses X (formerly known as Twitter) for service alerts due to reliability concerns.
- While third-party apps can be helpful, it’s always good to cross-reference with official CTA channels for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
- Being aware of your route and looking for temporary signs at bus stops can be helpful in identifying detours even without immediate digital updates.