Noticed something odd about the public transit signs in Seattle this week

I was waiting for the 44 bus near the U District last Tuesday and realized the digital arrival boards show the next bus time but not the route number until the bus is like a block away. First time I almost missed my ride because I kept glancing at the board and saw a 2 minute countdown, but had no clue if that was my bus or the 372. The sign above it lists all the routes that stop there, but the display only shows minutes. So I stood there doing mental math on which bus could even be coming, and honestly it felt like a guessing game. Has anyone else dealt with this weird setup in other cities, or is Seattle just doing its own thing here?

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andrew6931mo ago

Reminds me of how every app now shows you a notification but hides the actual info until you tap through three screens. It's like we're all being trained to accept less clarity in exchange for something that looks streamlined on the surface. The real problem is nobody stops to question whether the design actually helps people or just looks good on a slide in a meeting. You'd think a bus sign would be held to a higher standard since people are literally running to catch things based on it. But nah, we just adapt to the confusion and blame ourselves for not guessing right.

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