Staff shortage causes Metro Transit to suspend six commuter routes next week
King County Metro Transit, which already announced September service trims, couldn’t hang on that long before suspending six lines next week due to a shortage of bus drivers, maintenance teams and supplies.
Routes 16, 232, 237, 301, 304 and 320, which are peak-only commuter lines, will not operate June 12-16, Metro announced. In addition, some weekday trips will be scrapped between June 12 and Sept. 1 for Routes 15, 16, 17, 18, 64, 212, 216, 217, 218, 301, 304, 311, 320 and 342.
“We’re still delivering 95% of the service. We want to ensure reliability throughout the system,” said Metro spokesperson Al Sanders. A leaner schedule improves Metro’s odds of providing all its daily runs.
Sanders said Route 162 in Kent, currently out of service, will resume Monday, because Metro was able to shift buses there. That line carries 200 daily riders, with 15 weekday runs to Lake Meridian, Kent’s East Hill, West Meeker Street and Downtown Seattle.
As of March, the six suspended lines totaled an average 790 weekday passengers in March, including as few as 13 on Woodinville-Bellevue Route 237. That’s less than 0.5% of Metro’s daily clientele.
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The routes generally serve corridors where other buses are available nearby, Metro says. The agency posted other travel options online at kingcountymetro.blog.
Metro carried 6.3 million riders in April 2023, which is 58% of April 2019 pre-pandemic ridership, according to the National Transit Database.
Commute travel is rapidly changing countywide, and growing on many local lines, as the COVID pandemic wanes and offices reopen.
Metro’s Route 320, established in October 2021 direct from Kenmore to South Lake Union, carried 358 daily riders this spring. It will be suspended both next week and again in the Sept. 2 countywide service shakeup. Metro suggests taking a different bus to Northgate or Roosevelt Station, then Sound Transit light rail to Capitol Hill Station, followed by Route 8 down Denny Way; or a train to Westlake Station, plus backtracking north with buses or the South Lake Union Streetcar. Or do a park-and-ride trip beginning at Northgate Station. In other words, replacing a one-seat SLU bus trip with a three-seat ride.
Metro general manager Michelle Allison has launched a recruiting campaign, including advertisements on buses. Mechanic pay ranges from $63,274 to $90,397 per year, while driver pay starts at $26.05 per hour after 33 days of paid training, topping out at $37.96 for experienced operators.
Meanwhile, Metro riders are bracing for the Sept. 2 round of indefinite cuts, which would suspend or reduce 32 routes.
Source: The Seattle Times
