Cooler? Perhaps not. But competition is good, right? That’s why we think something like San Francisco’s new LEAP express buses would be an interesting fit for Vancouver. It would be controversially expensive at $6 (USD) per ride, but that includes access to wi-fi, USB ports, laptop stations, local snacks, blue bottle coffee and pressed juices. Plus you can track LEAP buses via GPS and know in advance how many (if any) seats are available. Oh, and for the creeps out there, you can download the company’s free app and read the profiles of the people who are on the bus with you. As SFGate notes, let’s hope “their hobbies do not include intercourse with train cushions and public urination.” As for the interior:
The bus itself is a twee fantasy, complete with unfinished wood interior and pressed juices for sale. Predictably but hilariously, there is no one who appears to be over the age of 35 in any of the publicity photos or video.
It’s ridiculous, of course, but only to the extent that the market decides it’s ridiculous. There are currently only four LEAP buses in operation in San Francisco, so it’s not like it has taken the city by storm, but they’ve already raised a few million dollars in start-up capital. In any event, the “Hipster Bus” (as dubbed by The Guardian) is nevertheless an express alternative on a busy conduit (from the Marina neighbourhood to Downtown), and that’s never a bad thing. What’s more, it might get a few more cars off the road, and it sets a new bar for amenities in public transit.
This is a great idea. I could go my entire commute without seeing a single poor person.
This will be irrelevant with self driving cars + buses. Stay tuned.