Our bus network should be easy to understand even if you aren't from Philadelphia and don't speak English. SEPTA needs to do a better job using visuals to communicate information, and the place to start is with the bus map. Not all bus lines have equally good service, and SEPTA should clarify which lines run most frequently by showing them on the transit map it displays at stations alongside the subways, trolleys, and Regional Rail lines. SEPTA's existing bus maps are hidden on its website, and they only show individual lines—not how the network fits together. SEPTA should also install countdown clocks on their new bus shelters showing when the next bus will arrive. The new shelters have been a good step toward creating a dignified customer experience for bus riders, but these should also tell people where the bus goes, and when the next one will arrive.

The bus network redesign conversation is coming at an important time. SEPTA Key will soon be in place across the system, creating opportunities for policy changes and service quality improvements that weren't available with tokens.