Joseph Rueter

Bus as Car Replacement Transportation? Not quite yet, but it could be.

I got on a Metro Transit (Minneapolis and Saint Paul) bus not knowing where it was going or how to use it a number of times in the last month. I have never ever had the problems I have had in my own city while using transit in other cities (NYC, London, Paris, Milan, Florence, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco). This could be different… it could be better.

Insight
We educate people to transport themselves in cars! Learning to use the bus is not part of the class (drivers ed). Going to work and back does not encompass the emotional or the realistic demands people have for a preferred transportation device.

The bus is not helping itself by educating users on the full picture. Rather they toss silly ad campains at us. It is not enough to say “replace your car,” “save on gas.”

Further people don’t want to risk social embarrassment that can be inflicted when faced with screwing up while using the bus wrong or not knowing the system. It is not unlike ordering at Starbucks the first couple times. I think graphic design and strategic thinking can minimize social risk for people and build easy ways to actually use the bus for more than point to point transportation (like we use our cars).

Problems — but not all of them… just some of them.
The information provided for the bus system is not organized well, to the point where every person using it could easily access the information. A couple examples included, one, Fares are posted inside the Bus not at the stops. Two, routes are found in pamphlets organized with stop times as the highest priority. They are not located at the stops or in an easy access macro paper map or quick download file for mobile devices.

Implication
The Bus can replace the car but only if the users are educated and helped along the process and it is made clear that the bus can be used for more than point to point but for the pre-duringand post work transportation demands.

Think of the volume increase in ridership if most people were one, comfortable they understand the bus gig and two, know the risk of social embarrassment is minimal.

Solutions… but not all of them:
One) Build a macro map for all routes that is small and portable and easily accessed on mobile devices. Think about a map that looks like directions to a graduation party.
Two) Post the route(s) map with weather resistant application methods to the back of each BUS stop sign and in each shelter.
Three) Post the fares and the transit help telephone number at all stops.
Four) Promote the use of a skateboard vs a bike for transit extensions. You don’t have to lock up a skateboard, you can easily bring it on the bus and into wherever your destination is.

I think that if these changes were made I could see myself as well as a mass of others start to swap their cars for the bus.