As an added bonus, the NextBus maps will finally be able to listen to Muni's own (antique) system, so the estimates will be more reliable. Of course, they'll still be located down by the track, rather than at the entrance to the station -- a security precaution, according to a Muni spokesman. Muni was apparently concerned that the expensive flatscreens would suffer vandalism, which sounds like a reasonable fear to us. (For example, we've seen how nicely our property is treated when it's in Hunters Point.)

If you're standing outside the subway, trying to decide whether to wait or walk, Muni recommends calling 311 to find out when the next train is coming (not to be confused with the useless 511, which still doesn't understand NextBus). But what about putting scrolling LED signs up near the subway entrances? They've got those hanging in bus stops all over the city, and they seem pretty vandal-resistant (except when they're not). Well, Muni says they might "consider various options." When our parents told us that, it usually meant "I'm busy enough already, kid" -- so we're guessing that having arrival times near the entrance is too much to hope for in the near future.