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Can't Miss It: Weekend Edition Nov 20-22
Now that it's really summer, tourists are showing up at SeaTac from all over. And they're taking a Metro bus into town. With gas at $4.50, even locals returning to Seattle are taking the bus. And the 194 should be perfect: service every 15 minutes for a 30-minute, two-buck ride.
But what happens? Even when the bus (one of the double-length, articulated models) shows up on time, it takes almost half an hour to load. The driver has to explain the rules and the routes while each and every newbie, armed with a list of addresses and dragging cumbersme luggage, tries to come up with exact fare. "Do you go to Pike's Market? How about the Space Needle, then? Isn't Seattle Center downtown? And where should I have lunch?" Locals aren't much better. "How do I get to Greenwood?"
C'mon, guys. The folks at SeaTac and Metro need to get their act together and put an information booth out at the bus stop. Schedules, maps, tickets, and a dispatcher to get the buses loaded and keep traffic moving. Like every other big city in the world.
More Metro frustrations at SeattleTransitBlog.
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This is why light rail will be so great. A cold, impersonal people mover that goes from point A to point B with unquestionable certainty.
This also argues for creation of a paid zone, so that fares are paid *before* people board, reducing load time.
Oh, sorry, that would probably require actually building something, and we simply can't do that in Seattle.
Light rail will take LONGER to go from SeaTac to the bus tunnel than off-peak drive-time along I-5. However, you're right: at least people will just get on the goddamn train.
Yeah I had to deal with the bus to and from Seatac this weekend too...allI can do is sit there at the bus stop and think "why are subjecting our tourists to this?" It was sad watching their disappointed selves..had to hang my head in shame for my city. And also "why are there so many meth heads at the airport bus stop?" Well...welcome to Seattle. The bus is for "teh poors" and we love crackheads.
Agreed, all around. Fully. Completely. It's a fucking mess.