Summertime is sorry bus stop season here at Streetsblog.
To highlight the sad, decrepit, and outright dangerous state of our bus stops, each year we hold a 16-entry tournament to crown the Sorriest Bus Stop in America. Last year's contest featured some absolute stunners, with Seattle (above) taking home the honors.
Good bus stops are not a frill. The comfort of the waiting environment is one of the most important aspects of the transit experience to bus riders, right after the quality of service and the price of a fare, according to TransitCenter's "Who's on Board" survey [PDF]. If walking to the bus stop and waiting for the bus feels nasty and degrading, people won't want to ride the bus.
But too often, transportation departments and transit agencies -- and the politicians who oversee them -- treat the rider experience at bus stops as an afterthought. We run this contest every year to shame them into doing better.
If you live near a bus stop that screams "transit riders are second-class citizens," send a photo, a link to the location on Google Maps, and a brief description to angie at streetsblog dot org by August 7, or post that info in the comments. We accept bus stops of all stripes, but as we fill out the field of 16, extra weight will be given to entries in urban areas where more people count on the bus.
