The Chicago Transit Authority launched a Facebook and Twitter page Tuesday morning, the latest in a series of moves to update the technology that connects commuters with the CTA.
Hosted on their respective social media sites and on the Transit Authority website's "social" page, the platforms will feature announcements about unplanned events that affect bus and rail service and allow users to subscribe for text and email updates, according to a news release. Unlike previous notification systems, the Facebook and Twitter subscription models promise to let users customize their notification settings, only receiving texts or emails pertaining to specific stops or routes.
"We've long kept up with what people are saying about CTA on blogs and on Twitter, but haven't been a part of that conversation until now," CTA President Forrest Claypool said in the release. "These social media tools help bridge the gap in communication between the CTA and customers. Customers now have the means to receive timely service information for any unplanned events and the agency now has the means to clarify what's really happening and to address any issues or concerns that are 'trending' across our system."
The launch also includes a feature, no doubt inspired by similar measures at a city and county level, that encourages users to submit suggestions for balancing the transit authority's overextended budget to an interactive "idea board." At present there's one submission, proposing that the purchase of new trains be subsidized by corporate sponsorship of individual rail cars.
The CTA hopes the new platforms will help the company connect with patrons, although they point out in their news release that the social media pages are not constantly maintained and that the "alerts" section of the agency's website remains the most up-to-date source of operating information.
"We understand it's important that our customers are informed and we want them to know that we're listening," Claypool said in a statement. "It's our hope that through these new online tools that we are able to gain a better picture of who our customers and also join in a conversation about what's working and what's not."
The CTA Twitter page is currently protected and accessible only to confirmed subscribers, but it will soon go public, at which point it will invariably be flooded with a new wave of targeted, angst-ridden commuter Tweets.
Flickr photo by afunkydamsel.