theUNSCHOOL

reflecting on the unschool /

Most designers are given a task, we do our work, we turn in something great, are commended for what we’ve done, then move on to the next assignment. It is an effective way to use our skill. And in an advertising agency large enough there is probably someone who has already done the research, and your client probably already knows what they want. However, this is tough because what if the client doesn’t really know what they want? What if they find it hard to communicate, and what if their intentions aren’t good? Most importantly the designer ends up spending countless hours fixing those minor details the client does not feel too great about.

I think our journey last summer took us out of that cycle we are used to. We had to go out and seek a client and make it our own. Then we had to explain to people why it was important, and why our advertising could change our community. Riding the bus was an experience, and it made us think how important public transportation is for our city. We found ourselves building a brand out of something no one asked us for at all. We made a poster because we thought it could change our culture, even if we only printed 50 of them, those 50 handouts are floating around somewhere, maybe making someone want to conserve gas. Maybe changing the reputation of our city buses. This is the kind of perspective that I now see everything through. It’s important that I design because it’s what I love, but it’s more important that I have my eyes open to the culture around me and what it needs. That’s where I will find a new project. Maybe I will reprint some of those posters, leave them around Charleston. After all, the city bus passes me when I’m biking home every day.

-laura b

RIDE THE BUS.

I have lived in the Midlands my entire life, I have always seen the buses, I have read about them in the news, but for some reason, I have never stepped foot onto one. Until now.

The bus system in Columbia has a strange stigma attached to it, perhaps it because when you drive by and see a dozen people huddled together at a bus stop, exposed in the pouring rain or triple-digit heat, you’re simply glad that you are not there with them. Or maybe it’s the fact that Columbia is such a car-dependent city, compared to most other cities of comparable size it is fairly easy to drive in Columbia. With pretty abundant parking and wide 5 lane roads straight through downtown, one needs not worry about public transportation when private transportation is so easy and convenient.

Despite this, the CMRTA is still a hidden gem of Columbia, although not without its problems, overall it is a well-functioning system that serves its purpose pretty well - getting you from point a to point b quickly and in relative comfort. Here is how I rate my first experience riding the bus.

CMRTA WEBSITE: 3

The website was layed out well and pretty easy to navigate. The only issues I have with the website were that to view any map you had to open it in pdf form. This not only makes it a pain in the ass to look at each route to figure out which one you need to take, but also makes it difficult to see maps on mobile and other non-pdf compatible devices. The other problem was that the website told you a lot about the CMRTA, but little about how to actually ride it, It explained some, but we didn’t even know how to pay for our ride until we were on the bus (cash/change/cmrta card.)

MAPS: 2

The maps themselves were extremely helpful, I would consider them the key to unlocking all of the wonders of the CMRTA, however finding a map is a bit like tracking down some lost artifact, and then figuring out which map you need is a whole other debacle. We only got a map because of our computer access, if one does not have a computer how does one see a map for the first time? The maps were available on the bus, but why would you get on a bus without knowing where that bus went? I give the maps high marks for design and ease of use, and low marks for accessibility to the information.

BUS STOPS: 1.5

For me the bus stops were the low-point of the experience, they have little information on them, only a sign denoting that the patch of sidewalk you are standing on is indeed a bus stop. A map, or several maps, or a sign telling you which routes this stop serviced would be extremely helpful at the stops. Also not all of the stops are covered or even have benches. Need to get to your job but its pouring rain and windy? Too bad, you have to stand out there and wait.

ATMOSPHERE: 5

The actual ride is definitely the high point of the experience. The buses we rode were clean, comfortable, and pretty much empty. It kind of felt like we were in a limo being chauffeured around town. The seats are comfortable and they all face inward so you have plenty of leg room, and the AC is ice cold and blows right on your neck, pretty incredible after waiting for the bus for 15 minutes in 106 degree heat. The drivers were friendly and answered any questions we had, and all of the people that we met were nice. Based on the actual bus ride alone I know I am going to be riding the bus again, for the comfort/relaxation factor, and also for how much I enjoyed talking to the people that I met on the bus (people I would normally never get a chance to meet or talk to.)

OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 3.5

Once you get over that hump and start riding the bus, it all comes together. Now that I know how to ride and where to ride, I will most definitely be riding the bus again. I think that the thing stopping many people from riding the bus is the same thing that was stopping me - ignorance to the bus system. I just did not know how simple it was to ride, or where the bus went. It may sound disingenuous for me, a graphic design student, to be critiquing the bus system when thousands of people ride it every day without a hitch, but the fact is that there are thousands of students just like me who have never ridden the bus, and no doubt would be riding it if the knew just how convenient and nice it can actually be. The fact is that the CMRTA is a really well run system with a few flaws which could be easily fixed to attract a whole new segment of the population to ride. We should not ride the bus out of necessity, we should ride it because it is convenient, it is cheap, and it is actually pretty damn relaxing. See you on the bus.

-NATE

bus experience…

the rundown: with ratings 1-5

CMRTA WEBSITE:

finding out information that would lead to an unproblematic bus ride was not easy. we found that it was $1.50 but didn’t know if they accepted cash. didn’t know if they would take the money when we got on the bus or got off. website was not visually interesting, did not get me excited to jump on the bus later that day. all of the information was somewhere on the site, just not easy to find. website rating: 3

MAPS:

thank goodness i had access to a computer. the website was the only place to find route pick up times and maps. where do people who need to ride the bus somewhere, without a computer, find a route map to know what bus to jump on? maybe at the transit station. but i am not venturing out to the transit station by myself. there are 36 routes total on the cmrta lines. for each of these routes there is an 11x17 double-sided pamphlet giving the bus stop locations and times for both weekdays and weekends. they are designed well, easy to read and understand, there’s just so much information, maybe it should be condensed. maybe we can fit all of the routes onto one map spread? all of the times on the back of the map layout? and let’s put these pamphlets at the bus stops throughout columbia. map rating: 3

BUS STOPS:

how often would someone call the bus system? probably never. the signs at the bus stop just say a code where you can find out if the bus is running on time. it would be more important to have signs marking what bus stop you are at and what times buses come through going where. the signs need to be more informative. they didn’t help us on our journey. sitting at the bench was significantly warmer than standing outside of it. there were no ads. some marking other than a tiny sign that this is in fact a bus stop would be nice. rating: 2

ATMOSPHERE:

once the confusion ended and we were comfortable in the seats of the cmrta, heading to the destination, we were surrounded by a cool, refreshing, spacious and quiet type of place. there was no stress of the traffic, there was no hassle of adjusting the seat, fastening your seat belt, making sure others in the vehicle were safely belted, always using your turn signals, adjusting rear view mirrors, turning down the radio, and a general paranoia that comes along with having your oh so dear to you vehicle which you and your friends named and befriended the day you bought it a year and a half ago. transportation simply is transportation as a means to a destination, not as a means to a further identity in something physical that will eventually die out like every vehicle and man made machine in which our individuality feeds off of.

in the 15 minutes we sat in this vehicle, we conversed with people just like us, ones that have to get from point a to point b. they were ordinary. we were ordinary. it was so evident in this type of place that you meet people where they are, at the pivotal moments of their day. you’re most vulnerable to conversations when it’s people you don’t know. and those conversations were the most interesting ones i have been a part of, ever.

the bus was simple. there was air blowing on the back of your neck, standing and sitting place for plenty. with so few columbians taking the cmrta, there was enough space to move around. with such a cool temperature all you could smell was a hint of antifreeze mixed with the smell of clean aluminum and roughly carpeted seats. throw some headphones on and you’ve got 15 - 30 minutes for yourself to take a breather before you go to work.

there’s practically no advertisements yelling at you inside the bus. as soon as the bus becomes more popular advertisers will be all over that space. for now though, it’s a nice break from the billboards and commercials. the bus atmosphere: 5

THE OVERALL:

a ride on the central midlands regional transit authority (yes, that’s what it stands for) was confusing at first, but makes so much sense at the core of what it is. it saves our city a whole lot of fuel consumption and gas emissions. if you sit at the corner or blossom st + assembly st, or gervais st + huger st, or rosewood + garner’s ferry, you’ll see hundreds of cars driving by during rush hour. you’ll also see a few empty buses. with a couple of students who did a research project on how empty our buses are, and how convenient it is to slip $1.50 into a machine and get across town on a hot day when you don’t want to pay for parking meters or ride your bike.

overall rating: 4 (with room for improvement)

-laura