I’m really diggin’ Spotbus, a cool website that’s built on top of Metro’s Trip Planner. Because the site uses Trip Planner as its back end, the data is accurate, but its interface is much friendlier, and there are some cool enhancements, such as:

• You can plan a trip by location instead of by address. (I tried planning one from Douglass-Truth Library to Seattle Center and one from Benaroya Hall to Leschi Park. Both worked perfectly.) The database of locations is pretty comprehensive and includes most parks, libraries, community centers, theaters, etc.
• The interface “remembers” locations you have entered before. The “from” field always contains the last location or address you entered.

Some features I’d like to see:

• The ability for users to add their own locations to the site (for example, home, work, etc.).
• Information about businesses as well as public places. (I hear this is in the works.)
• A mapping feature. Maybe, after Google Transit starts to actually work, Spotbus could integrate with it, too.

The goal of Spotbus is to enable “spontaneous” bus travel, and it does a pretty good job. Unfortunately, unless Seattle gets ubiquitous wireless access (very likely) and universal portable device ownership (not very likely) bus riders can be only so spontaneous.

I’d love to explore ways to get trip planning kiosks placed strategically throughout the city: the airport, shopping malls, libraries, major bus stops/intersections, etc. Everett’s train station has one that is funded by paid Internet usage. Has anyone seen one in Seattle?