Philadelphia traditionally has not gone for flash and glitz. We prefer modesty and simplicity over showiness and elaborateness. Must be that Quaker influence all the historians talk about.

So maybe it should come as no surprise that our mass transit system lacks such touches as the whimsical artwork one finds in Boston, or New York's elaborate mosaics, or the monumentality of Washington's much newer Metro. Function comes first here, and the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines, as well as the suburban light rail lines and buses throughout the region, reflect that in their appearance.

But plain-Jane transit is one thing, and ugly is another. And lately, whenever SEPTA has had the opportunity, it seems to have gone for the least attractive option when rebuilding stations or purchasing vehicles.

For starters, consider the buses, the workhorses of the system. The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates they have certain features that allow access for all, and as a result, SEPTA now has a fleet of low-floor buses that are easy to enter and exit. But nowhere does the act state that the buses must resemble refrigerators with windows. A quick survey of the Web sites of several North American bus manufacturers reveals several that produce vehicles that are not only functional but attractively styled—and all of them meet ADA requirements.

Or take the light rail cars that ply the Route 100 Norristown Line. Some of you out there may recall the sleek "Brill Bullet" cars that sped along this line for nearly six decades. The current fleet, built in the mid-1990s, may be every bit as fast as the Bullets, but they sure don't look it. Their boxy, angular shape and hulking size recall all the things we hated about 1970s automobile design.

So do the Kawasaki light rail vehicles that made their debut here in 1982. And yet the most handsome transit vehicles currently running in the city—the Broad Street Subway fleet—were made by the same company in the same year. Similarly, the same firm is responsible for both the clunky Norristown railcars and the far more attractive M-4 Market-Frankford Line fleet, which, while not as quirkily charming as the "Almond Joy" cars they replaced, are very sleek and stylish.

Which brings us to a paradox: SEPTA can come up with attractive vehicles and facilities when it so chooses. When the agency renovates historic rail stations, for instance, it generally does a very good job. DeKalb Street Station in Norristown, 69th Street Terminal and the turn-of-the-century station in downtown Chester have all gotten historically sensitive, attractive face-lifts, and the current rebuild of Suburban Station continues in this tradition, respecting its Art Deco pedigree while making it brighter and easier to navigate.

And throughout the 1970s and '80s, SEPTA embarked on a major subway station renovation program that produced dozens of handsome yet functional stations, including every station on the system's oldest leg, the 1907 Market Street Subway, and most of the stations on the Broad Street Subway. Yet more recent work—including projects on many of the very stations renovated in that last reconstruction binge—looks as if it has the goal of restoring the basement aesthetic to these stations. Metal-slat ceilings have been removed in favor of exposed support beams, pipes and conduits, and bright but harsh and boxy fluorescent lights have replaced more visually pleasing fixtures. Meanwhile, a few stations on the Broad Street Line remain virtually untouched since the day they opened in 1927.

There may be good reasons why SEPTA does all of these things the way it does. Leaks are a problem in many subway stations thanks to aging water lines, and those dropped ceilings suffer damage as a result even as they make the problem leaks harder to get at. Riders are as concerned about safety as they are about getting where they're going, and brighter lighting increases their sense of security. And the contracting rules under which the agency operates require that orders go to the lowest bidder that meets the specifications.

But I suspect that just as many riders would appreciate buses, trains and subways that not only get them from point A to point B quickly but do so while delighting the eye. Attention to minor details, like the design of light fixtures and wall tiles, can make a huge difference, as the recent renovation of the Walnut-Locust station demonstrates. Surely the agency could work design and aesthetic considerations into its bid specifications along with the technical and performance requirements.

Sure, money is tight at SEPTA, and its first priority ought to be keeping everything in good running order. But good design doesn't cost that much more, and it could go a long way toward making the daily commute a lot more tolerable.

Sandy Smith is a freelance writer.