If you try to bring up the Metro trip planner, you are greeted with this table of new domains.

Also, the trip planner now has it's own sub-domain. Here is the link:

http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/cgi-bin/itin_page.pl?resptype=U

Regional transit programs are now accepting the Orca card. This card is designed to replace passes, cash, and transfers, on buses, rail, and ferries. When boarding, just tap your Orca and go. If you register your card online, you can use the Autoload feature, which will automatically add a predetermined amount from a debit or credit card.

The details are on www.orcacard.com

Here are the two closest locations to get one in person:

Westlake Customer Stop
Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel
Westlake Station (west end on the Mezzanine near Macy’s)
Seattle, WA 98101

King Country Metro Transit
King Street Center
201 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104

Orphan Road tells about a new feature from OneBusAway.org where you can search for businesses and locations that are literally "one bus away" from your current location. Story here.

And here's a sample search.

www.onebusaway.org

This service has been extremely useful to me over the past month and since I hear no one talking about it, I want to pass the word along. Have you ever been standing at the bus stop and wondered how long before your bus arrives? If anyone has ever travelled to other major cities you may have seen this information available on a ticker LED display right on the bus stop shelter.

Metro may be a little behind in offering these lighted signs to Seattle bus riders, but believe it or not, the technology is there. You now have access to accurate real-time bus arrival information for ANY stop in King County on multiple platforms. From your phone, call 206-456-0609 and select from the menu to locate your stop number. You will then hear the next few busses that are scheduled to arrive at your stop. You can also access this info via web for an easy to read timetable that is updated every minute. It's great for having on your screen while you're getting ready before you leave your house. SMS and iPhone-optimized...

because Capitol Hill is the real center of the Universe (not Fremont) and all maps should be designed accordingly...

via Oran in the comments at Seattle Transit Blog;

It's in the Times.

This sums up my frustration over the last several days...

I'm not too sure - but this street art has been up for a while at the bus stop in front of the gay starbucks(pace City Limits)

Do you find Seattle bus maps confusing? I sure do. I mean, I'm no Massimo Vignelli, but neither are the Metro map designers, you know?

So I spent a little time with Illustrator making the map you see below. I don't know if it will be very useful for long-time Cap Hill residents, but new people might like it.  I'll make another post soon about how to use the cool "Mybus.org" site from your cell phone, but for now, let me know if you have any suggestions on the map.