Why is public transit upholstery so ugly?

[Kent Wang]

Berlin

More Berlin.

Austin

Behold this masterpiece on Austin buses:

New York

This is not so bad but the colors look rather out-dated, something out of the 60s-70s.

Why don't transit authorities just go with a navy or grey?

 

[LabelKing]

This would make a great shirt and tie. A lot of the US systems seem to have been last updated in the '70s and they've kept with that scheme ever since. The "updates" are usually quite offensive, something akin to that Austin scheme.

 

[N. McKay]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

Why don't transit authorities just go with a navy or grey?

Part of the reason might lie in how well the patterns hide stains.

 

[robbie]

I think public transit upholstery is similar to casino carpet.

 

[whacked]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

New York

This is not so bad but the colors look rather out-dated, something out of the 60s-70s.

Why don't transit authorities just go with a navy or grey?

I like this a lot actually.


As far as menswear is concerned, 60s-70s are all the rage these days.

 

[Gus]

I prefer that they get ride of the urine smell first, then work on coordinating a pleasant color scheme.

 

[edinatlanta]

They hide stains, cheap in extreme bulk, very tough fabrics, that's about it.

 

[romafan]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

[
New York

This is not so bad but the colors look rather out-dated, something out of the 60s-70s.

Why don't transit authorities just go with a navy or grey?

We have curtains like this....

 

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

I prefer that they get ride of the urine smell first, then work on coordinating a pleasant color scheme.

Please, this isn't the 80s, most western cities have somewhat cleaned their public transportation.

 

[Kent Wang]

A donegal or herringbone pattern would also hide stains quite well.

 

[Parker]

I like BART's aqua upholstery.

 

[briancl]

Same can be said for your typical business hotel. Where do they get these patterns?

 

[yerfdog]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

A donegal or herringbone pattern would also hide stains quite well.

Yeah, but donegal or herringbone patterns probably don't come in the outlandish colors they use (also to also hide stains).

 

[MetroStyles]

Originally Posted by edinatlanta

They hide stains, cheap in extreme bulk, very tough fabrics, that's about it.

This plus the 60s/70s/80s time period renovations pretty much cover it.

 

[Tarmac]

they have to pass the ***-resistance test and the ****-stain rebuff. Only then are they approved for public transit.