Learning from Seattle: Transit

Before attending the Livable Cities conference in Portland, I am visiting Seattle for a few days.  As in Salt Lake City, there are some things I like and some I don't.

Seattle seems to have an extensive bus system.  Ideally, a bus system would give riders a way to pay without having to fumble for dollar bills and quarters- New York's metro card system comes to mind. 

Seattle has such a system; however, to get a metrocard you have to pay a $5 start-up fee- not exactly a tempting option for visitors and occasional users.

On the other hand, Seattle seems to do well in giving riders information.  Most bus stops have a list of times that the bus will leave a particular stop.  A few "Rapid" lines even list frequencies and list every stop that a route will make.