The CTA has taken almost 200 articulated buses out of service as a safety precaution due to serious cracks found in the chassis of one vehicle, transit officials said today.

The CTA has been cleared to switch an $8.1 million federal grant for 26 hybrid, articulated buses to 27 standard-sized electric buses under a plan approved Jan. 7 by the Chicago Metropolitan ...

The articulated buses can carry up to about 125 passengers — 61 people seated and 64 standing. The capacity of the CTA’s 40-foot buses range from 81 to 84 passengers, officials said.

The CTA does utilize articulated buses by another manufacturer, New Flyer of America, Inc. Those will remain in service. There have been no accidents or injuries related to the problem, the CTA said.

In February, CTA sidelined 226 articulated buses manufactured by Alabama-based North American Bus Industries after a structural crack was found in one bus. A CTA spokeswoman said those buses ...

The CTA is using a guideline of 15 passengers on a standard 40-foot bus, and 22 passengers on a 60-foot articulated bus.

When officials spot higher than normal ridership levels, the CTA can either deploy 60-foot articulated buses or add extra standard 40-foot buses to a route to increase service.

The Allstate CTA Holiday Train and Bus fleet is returning for a 33rd year, with Holiday Bus service beginning Tuesday. Holiday Train service is slated to begin Friday.

Six years ago this month, the CTA proudly displayed the first of its newly purchased fleet of articulated buses. Made by North American Bus Industries, the CTA bought 226 of them at over $400,000 ...

The Chicago Transit Authority is idling its entire fleet of 226 articulated buses after a structural crack was found in one of the expanded vehicles.