#65 Grand Bus

I like the route and need it to get to work. Sometimes I get a good operator that gets me to work early enough but unfortunately most of the time I’m closer to late.
I called to complain and didn’t get a response for about a week.
It’s a nice route but you need to leave earlier to arrive at your destination on time.

I live in Ukrainian Village directly in between the Grand and Chicago (66) routes.
I always go for the Grand bus to get downtown because it never takes more than 15 min. to get from Western to State.
It just sucks because I have to take the nasty #66 bus home because this stops running around 10 pm.
Still five stars for cleanliness and efficiency of the bus.

Living on the West Side it took me a while to learn about the wonders of the #65 Grand Bus. While the Division and Chicago busses make all too many stops and run into traffic, Grand Ave. is easy-​breezy and this bus trucks along!
The other night I was making my way to the bus stop and I could hear the familiar brakes, beeps, huffs and puffs of a stopping CTA beast just around the corner. *pssshhhhh. You all know what I’m talkin’ ’bout. So I started running for it just as the light turned green on Grand and it huffed right past me.
Now if you ask me, there’s nothing worse than someone running late that is taking their own sweet time (and ours as well) once they successfully flag down a bus. So I hoofed it like Usaine Bolt, nose over kneecaps, here I come 65! Crossing traffic, I tucked my messenger bag like a football, and may or may not have done the Heisman pose to stop traffic. ZOOM!
And the bus driver waited patiently for me. It’s been mentioned in other reviews that the #65 drivers are sweet, and I agree. I thanked the driver for waiting and she acted as if I was a normal stop on her School Bus route, like a Mother Hen herding her chicks.
Taking the bus back home at night, I was surprised when the driver told me to get off at Chicago Ave. (the end of the line for the night). That’s the only drawback, they stop early in the evening. I think it was around 8pm. I know there are CTA cutbacks, but at least have the last bus leave downtown around 9 or 10pm.
Otherwise, this bus can take you to the Blue Line stop, to Michigan Ave., all the way to Navy Pier (and back to the West Siiide) all in one fell swoop. Be kind to your driver and they’ll take care of you!

First off I do the reverse commute on the #65 than the typical rider… West bound in the mornings and East in the evenings… I have been taking this route for just under 5 years too. So with that said here is what you should expect…
–The buses are newer and typically very clean
–You will always have a seat and never stand
–Runs quite frequently during peak hours about 10 min apart. However outside from that you can expect to wait up to 30 min
–90% of the drivers are positively responsive when you say hello or goodbye.
–The route goes til 9 o’clock unlike some older reviews say
–Even with the service cuts from a few weeks back, this route still feels the same.
Enjoy a good ride!

I don’t believe this bus actually exists. I have waited for it several times to take it west to Kedzie from Ogden. I have waited and waited and still have never seen one going either direction.
Why is this?

I’ve made better time from the Grand Blue Line stop to downtown on a skateboard. Take a cab.

Oh, #65, you are like a virgin compared to that whore #66. I only have to walk a few blocks further to appreciate your cleaner, more reliable, less congested buses. You even smell better than most bus lines. And now that daddy gave you a later curfew, we can go to the river east theaters well into the evening. I love you #65.

I just moved to West Town and switched bus routes from the maddening #156 to the comparatively heavenly #65, which takes me from home to work in 15 flat. The stop is a 5 minute walk from my new apartment, and all the morning bus drivers are so sweet — if they see me coming from a block away, they wait for me! When you’re perpetually running late to work, a bus driver who will wait for you, holding everybody else up, is amazing.
I also heard that the Grand Bus is running later now.
Of course, it’s the CTA and it’s not perfect; timing is everything and I’ve occasionally been screwed waiting interminably for this bus. Pre-7:45 am, it’s not crowded and you can usually snag a seat. 8 am and after, you’re looking at possibly getting passed by because the bus is too crammed. Just encouragement to fulfill that New Year’s resolution of punctuality.

what i like about the #65:
it stops right outside my door. like, right outside!
i can get to work in 15 minutes when all the planets are aligned.
it’s a fast way to get downtown.
it connects to other bus/​train lines most conveniently.
it takes me right to my favorite grocery store and movie theater.
what i don’t like about the #65:
can we please run the buses later, now that more people are moving into these neighborhoods? please? i mean, what — we’re only supposed to be connected to the westside via the #66 Chicago?
jeebus.

This is another bus that would be great if it ran later at night. It’s a bus that connects a lot of neighborhoods to the Mag Mile and Streeterville, so there’s plenty of shopping and restaurants along the way. Unfortunately, you’d better wrap up whatever it is you’re doing by about 6:30 or 7 unless you have another way to get home.

The Grand bus allegedly stops right near my work but I wouldn’t know because it is never there. The only times I see it is when I’m waiting for another bus. It also stops running at 7ish.