RapidRide test bus helps troubleshoot signs

As soon as Monday, Dec. 10, riders may see a test RapidRide bus traveling the C/D lines between Ballard, downtown Seattle, and West Seattle. Instead of stopping to pick up riders, the bus will travel the corridor with Metro staff members aboard to compare actual bus arrival times with what the real-time information signs say.

We’ll collect data for a few days and analyze it as part of our ongoing effort to improve the performance and accuracy of real-time bus arrival signs at RapidRide stops.
Behind the scenes, we continue to troubleshoot the software, hardware, and communications that feed the signs – a dynamic system that tracks buses, reports their locations, and predicts and reports when they’ll arrive at upcoming stops.

This key feature is integral to RapidRide service, something riders remind us of daily – especially when traffic congestion delays our otherwise frequent service. We’re working on improving the system with the goal of providing good information more consistently.

We’ll keep you posted on our progress.