The Idea On April 29 this year, two recent college grads approached Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), whose rapid transit trains are colloquially known as the T, with an eye-catching request: Place big googly eyes on the front of the system’s trains. The organizers of the idea, Arielle Lok and John Sanchez, proposed that the MBTA add “two, giant, glorious, googly eyes glued onto the front of the train.” Their rationale: “Your day immediately becomes 10 times better. The T train is your friend. It has PERSONALITY. It cares about you. It sees you.” The concept was inspired by Vancouver’s Reindeer Buses, which are festooned with their own big eyes—along with reindeer antlers and giant red noses—out front during the holiday season. Of the Vancouver buses, they wrote, “There’s an active Twitter community of people celebrating the joy it brings into their lives.” For the MBTA, the decision was quick and easy. By June, five of its trains—four light rail vehicles and one commuter train—were outfitted with googly-eyed decals (but ones with pupils in fixed positions, in part out of concern that traditional roving plastic eyes might fall off). The eyes were such a hit that they drew coverage in publications like People  magazine and The New York Times. One Instagrammer in June posted, “This cost probably $0 and is adorable. … It helps brighten up our mornings.”  Here in our region, Sacramento Regional Transit has certainly had some fun with its vehicles, ranging from art wraps to the annual Holiday Bus that’s free in the month of December and collects optional contributions for a local nonprofit. We would love to see them and other transit systems in the region try some googly eyes on for size and brighten up our mornings too. The Players Sacramento Regional Transit is the biggest transportation player in the region, and CEO Henry Li has proven himself to be an out-of-the-box thinker when it comes to customer service. And imagine Davis’ fleet of bright-red double-decker buses—operated by Unitrans—with big googly eyes out front, giving off instant Elmo vibes. The Bottom Line In Boston, the MBTA told The New York Times  that the decals cost a “couple of dollars each.” So let’s get on board with this inexpensive and easy way to bring a bit of whimsy to both passengers and passersby alike. Public transportation isn’t always perceived as visionary. Maybe these eyes are just what we need to help change that.   Courtesy of The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority   Courtesy of The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Want to Learn About More Inspiring Ideas? Flower Power – Solar panel smartflowers that follow the sun A Window to the World – Urban portals from one country to another Art for Earth’s Sake – Upcycled public art