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The Valley Metro bus system consists of 16 municipalities and hundreds of routes, which are inconsistently marked using varying types of bus stop signage. Currently, signs at bus stops don't give passengers much indication of where that route goes, which routes pick up from that stop, or which routes will connect to the bus they are about to board.

In many cities, routes are color-coded to indicate that they serve a particular district or region. The Valley -- including City of Phoenix -- could benefit from such a system that consistently uses colors or icons to help riders understand just how far they can travel on a particular route -- before they board from the curb.

Because the City of Phoenix holds a weighted vote as part of the Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority, I would like to see Phoenix champion the idea of investing in better (uniform and more informative) signage at bus stops across the public transportation grid. Consistent signage helps riders understand that Valley Metro is an integrated system across multiple municipalities, and it would help improve rider understanding of and confidence in the system as a whole.