If you’re interested in simple ideas that can improve the transit experience (likely if you’re reading Headway), the Permanent Campaigns Consulting blog is a great resource. Permanent Campaigns’ business is helping agencies communicate better with their riders (with the intent of increasing ridership), and their keen understanding of the landscape shows through in their consistently insightful posts. For instance, their New Year’s post has some great ideas on how to improve the new rider’s comfort and dignity:

Consider a new rider venturing onto a bus for the first time. She is unsure of the route. Perhaps she’s unsure of the fare. The bus driver, who after all is driving a bus, doesn’t have much time to hand-hold and guide the new rider. She feels a little bit like she just got on a roller coaster and hopes that it goes the right way.

How can we give her more control?

We can make sure that every single bus has a route map. Without exception.

We can include a first-time riders sheet to distribute on every single bus. Without exception.

We can distribute a new rider hotline number with specially trained call intake personnel who can guide a new rider and talk them through the experience of a new bus ride while they are on their mobile phone (”I don’t know where I am or where I am going! Will this bus go to X?”)

We can cultivate a volunteer organization of frequent riders to help new riders. These volunteers can wear buttons or T-shirts and when they see new riders, offer to help. Maybe the volunteers get a free pass or some other recognition for their efforts.

Keep up the good work, guys–hope the agencies are listening!

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