Public transportation

On the trip I used a lot of public transportation. Buses, streetcars, trains, light rail, subways, and trams. About the only things I didn't use were gondolas or funiculars. Here are my two cents on the various municipal public transportation systems I tried:

Atlanta: Unexpectedly good. The trains were fast and easy to navigate, and the one bus I took was both accessible and on time.

Asheville: Didn't take anything other than a guided tour trolley. I walked past a public bus plaza that looked acceptable, though.

Charlottesville: Very nice. There seemed to be plenty of routes, and they run a free bus between the UVA campus and the downtown.

DC: Fine, but man is it expensive. Residents of DC, you are being royally ripped off.

New York City: Undisputably comprehensive, if somewhat grubby. The one major drawback is that it only takes you to places in New York City.

Boston: This one took me a little longer than normal to puzzle out; why they have four different versions of the green line is beyond me. But once I got the hang of it, it was very easy to use.

Philadelphia: A little weird, with overlapping trains and trolleys. The regional rail also had some issues with on-time arrival. Also, this was the only system I saw that still takes tokens. But it got me where I needed to go.

Chicago: There was an unmarked change in the pickup location for the bus going to the Museum of Science and Industry, so points off there. I spent very little time on the L this trip, so no real basis to judge (although based on prior visits, it is perfectly ok).

Spokane: Very nice bus plaza, reasonably prompt bus service. I have no complaints.

Seattle: This is the gold standard for a bus system. Two thumbs way up, Seattle, even if you are getting rid of the downtown ride free zone.

Portland: Cute little downtown streetcar. I did not try any of the other trains. Another downtown free ride zone, which I think is a smashing idea.

San Francisco: Not a fan of the Muni system. The buses are old and decrepit, and the stops are marked with non-obvious paint on streetlights or curbs. The light rail is all right.