HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

King County Metro, officially the King County Metro Transit Department and often shortened to Metro, is the
public transit Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of wh ...
authority of
King County, Washington King County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. The population was 2,269,675 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of counties in Washington, most populo ...
, which includes the city of
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
. It is the eighth-largest transit bus agency in the United States. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . Metro employs 2,477 full-time and part-time operators and operates 1,540
bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...
es. King County Metro formally began operations on January 1, 1973, but can trace its roots to the Seattle Transit System, founded in 1939, and Overlake Transit Service, a private operator founded in 1927 to serve the Eastside. Metro is also contracted to operate and maintain
Sound Transit Sound Transit (ST), officially the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, is a public transit agency serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It manages the Link light rail system in Se ...
's 1 Line Link light rail line and eight of the agency's
Sound Transit Express Sound Transit Express (ST Express) is a network of regional express buses, operated by the multi-county transit agency, Sound Transit. The routes connect major regional hubs throughout 53 cities in three counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish) ...
bus routes along with the
Seattle Streetcar The Seattle Streetcar is a system of two modern streetcar lines operating in the city of Seattle, Washington (state), Washington. The South Lake Union Streetcar, South Lake Union line opened first in 2007 and was followed by the First Hill Stre ...
lines owned by the City of Seattle. Metro's services include electric trolleybuses in Seattle, RapidRide enhanced buses on eight lines, commuter routes along the regional freeway system,
dial-a-ride Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...
routes,
paratransit Paratransit (also community transport in the United Kingdom, or intermediate public transport) is a type of public transport service that supplements fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. P ...
services, and overnight “owl” bus routes.


History

A horse-drawn streetcar rail system debuted in Seattle in 1884 as the Seattle Street Railway. In 1918, the city of Seattle bought many parts of the Seattle Street Railway, on terms which left the transit operation in financial trouble. In 1939, a new transportation agency, the Seattle Transit System, was formed, which refinanced the remaining debt and began replacing equipment with "trackless trolleys" (as they were known) and motor buses. The final streetcar ran on April 13, 1941. The Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle was created by a local referendum on September 9, 1958, as a regional authority tasked with management of
wastewater Wastewater (or waste water) is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of do ...
and
water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...
issues in King County. The authority was formed after civic leaders, including those in the
Municipal League A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the gov ...
, noted that solutions to regional issues were complicated by local boundaries and a plethora of existing special districts. The
state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...
approved the formation of a combined transportation, sewage, and planning authority in 1957, but the countywide referendum was rejected by a majority outside of Seattle. Metro, as the authority came to be called, was restricted to sewage management and given a smaller suburban jurisdiction ahead of the successful September referendum. By 1967, the agency had completed its $125 million sewage treatment system, which diverted 20 million gallons ( million liters) that had previously contaminated
Lake Washington Lake Washington () is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the largest lake in King County, Washington, King County and the second largest natural lake in the state of Washington (state), Was ...
. After two failed attempts to enable it to build a regional
rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separation, grade separated rapid transit line below ground su ...
system, it was authorized to operate a regional bus system in 1972. The bus system was known as Metro Transit and began operations on January 1, 1973. Its operations subsumed the Seattle Transit System, formerly under the purview of the City of Seattle and the Metropolitan Transit Corporation, a private company serving suburban cities in King County. In the early 1970s, the private Metropolitan faced
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...
because of low ridership. King County voters authorized Metro to buy Metropolitan and operate the county's mass transit bus system. Metro Transit introduced its new services in September 1973, including a ride-free area in downtown and express routes on freeways (known as "Flyer" routes), and a unified numbering scheme in 1977 that replaced named routes. The agency introduced its first
paratransit Paratransit (also community transport in the United Kingdom, or intermediate public transport) is a type of public transport service that supplements fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. P ...
service in 1979, which was followed by buses equipped with
wheelchair lift A wheelchair lift, also known as a platform lift, or vertical platform lift, is a fully powered device designed to raise a wheelchair and its occupant in order to overcome a step or similar vertical barrier. Wheelchair lifts can be installed in ...
s in 1980. To address bus congestion in Downtown Seattle and prepare for a regional rapid transit system, Metro Transit proposed the construction of the
Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT), formerly also known as the Metro Bus Tunnel, is a pair of public transit tunnels in Seattle, Washington, United States. The double-track tunnel and its four stations serve Link light rail trains ...
in the early 1980s. Excavation of the tunnel began in 1987 and was completed on September 15, 1990, with five stations under 3rd Avenue and
Pine Street Pine Street is a major east–west street in Seattle, Washington, United States. It travels parallel to Pike Street between Downtown Seattle and the retail core to Capitol Hill, the Central District, and Madrona. Street description Pine S ...
. The project cost $455million to construct and used a fleet of 236 dual-mode diesel–electric buses manufactured in Italy by
Breda Breda ( , , , ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. ...
. Buses on commuter routes would switch to electric trolleybus wires within the tunnel, which was also designed for future use by
light rail Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...
trains. The Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle was overseen by a federated board of elected officials, composed of elected officials from cities throughout the region. Its representation structure was ruled unconstitutional in 1990 on the grounds of "one person, one vote" following a similar ruling in ''
Board of Estimate of City of New York v. Morris ''Board of Estimate of City of New York v. Morris'', 489 U.S. 688 (1989), was a case argued before the United States Supreme Court regarding the structure of the New York City Board of Estimate. Background Under the charter of the City of Greater ...
''. In 1992, after gaining approval by popular vote, the municipality's roles and authorities were assumed by the government of King County. The municipality's transit operations was a stand-alone department within the county until 1996, when it became a division of the newly created King County Department of Transportation. In August 2018, the county council approved legislation to separate Metro from the Department of Transportation, creating the King County Metro Transit Department effective January 1, 2019. After completion of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel project in 1990, attention was drawn again to developing a regional rail system. This interest led to the formation of the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (more commonly known as
Sound Transit Sound Transit (ST), officially the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, is a public transit agency serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It manages the Link light rail system in Se ...
) which holds primary responsibility for planning and building high capacity transit in the counties of King, Pierce and Snohomish, in western
Washington state Washington, officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is often referred to as Washington State to distinguish it from the national capital, both named after George Washington ...
. Metro was contracted to operate Sound Transit's major
light rail Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...
line, now the 1 Line of the
Link light rail Link light rail is a light rail system with some rapid transit characteristics that serves the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It is managed by Sound Transit in partnership with local transit pro ...
system, and several routes on its
Sound Transit Express Sound Transit Express (ST Express) is a network of regional express buses, operated by the multi-county transit agency, Sound Transit. The routes connect major regional hubs throughout 53 cities in three counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish) ...
network. The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel would form a major part of the light rail line's route and required extensive renovations to support joint use between trains and buses. A two-year closure from 2005 to 2007 allowed for the installation of new rails and a lowered roadbed for level boarding. The dual-mode Breda buses were replaced by diesel-electric hybrid buses within the tunnel and retrofitted for use on the city's trolleybus network. Bus service in the tunnel ended on March 23, 2019, as part of the demolition of
Convention Place station Convention Place was a bus station in Seattle, Washington, United States. It served as the northern terminus of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel and was used by King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses. Link light rail, which stops ...
to prepare for an expansion of the
Washington State Convention Center The Seattle Convention Center (SCC), formerly the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC), is a convention center in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. It consists of two buildings in Downtown Seattle with exhibition hall ...
. The transit tunnel remained owned and operated by Metro until it was transferred to Sound Transit in 2022. Metro also operates two streetcar routes in Seattle under contract with
Seattle Streetcar The Seattle Streetcar is a system of two modern streetcar lines operating in the city of Seattle, Washington (state), Washington. The South Lake Union Streetcar, South Lake Union line opened first in 2007 and was followed by the First Hill Stre ...
.


Ride Free Area

For almost 40 years, until 2012, most of downtown Seattle was designated as a
zero-fare Free public transport, often called fare-free public transit or zero-fare public transport, is public transport which is fully funded by means other than collecting fares from passengers. It may be funded by national, regional or local governme ...
zone, an area in which all rides on Metro vehicles were free, known as the "Ride Free" Area. Intended to encourage transit usage, improve accessibility and encourage downtown shopping, the zone was created in September 1973 and was originally called the "Magic Carpet" zone. It was later renamed the Ride Free Area (RFA). The RFA extended from the north at Battery St. to S. Jackson St. on the south and east at 6th Avenue to the waterfront on the west. Until 1987, the zone was in effect 24 hours a day, but in October of that year Metro began requiring fare payment within the zone during night-time hours, between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m., to reduce fare-related conflicts that sometimes led to assaults on drivers;Sanger, S.L (August 21, 1987). "Metro puts the brakes on free rides at night". ''
Seattle Post-Intelligencer The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. Th ...
'', p. B1.
in February 1994, the RFA's hours were reduced further, with fare payment required between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.Foster, George (February 4, 1994). "Free downtown bus service to be cut in compliance with security plan". ''
Seattle Post-Intelligencer The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. Th ...
'', p. C1.
A King County Auditor's Office report released in September 2009 found that Metro "can neither fully explain nor provide backup documentation for the operating cost savings that offset the fare revenues in the calculation of the annual charges to the City of Seattle for the city's Ride Free Area" and that some assumptions in the methodology Metro used to calculate the amount of lost fares were "questionable" and have not been updated to reflect changes to the fare structure and fare collection methods. A 1975 study found that while the Ride Free Area generally reduced bus travel times within the RFA itself, buses that traveled through the Ride Free Area to other destinations generally did not benefit. It also found that unloading outbound coaches once outside the RFA took additional time, though not entirely quantified vis-à-vis time saved within the RFA. On September 29, 2012, the Ride Free Area was eliminated. All riders boarding in downtown must now pay as they board.


Operations


Routes

Metro has 139 bus routes that combine service patterns typical of both city and suburban bus networks, carrying over 280,000 daily passengers . The agency's ridership peaked at 425,000 daily passengers in October 2015. The city network was descended in large part from the Seattle Transit system of converted streetcar routes. Most service is operated in a hub-and-spoke pattern centered either on
downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...
or the
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...
, with lesser amounts of crosstown service. The suburban network typically operates on major streets between the regions employment and population centers. Routes in the city network are numbered from 1 to 99. Because of the scattershot evolution of the system, there is no easily discernible pattern to the route numbers, although there are clusters in certain neighborhoods. Suburban routes follow a numbering system: 100–199 for South King County, 200–299 for the Eastside, 300–399 for North King County, and 900–999 for dial-a-ride and custom routes. The in-city routes with the highest ridership are the RapidRide D Line from downtown to Crown Hill via Uptown/Seattle Center and Ballard; the 7, traveling from downtown through the International District to the Rainier Valley; the 40, traveling from downtown through South Lake Union, Fremont, and Ballard to Northgate; the RapidRide C Line from South Lake Union and downtown to West Seattle's Alaska Junction and Westwood Village; the 36, traveling from downtown through the International District to Beacon Hill; the 5 from downtown via the Woodland Park Zoo and Greenwood/Phinney Ridge to Shoreline Community College; the 44, a crosstown route connecting the University District and Ballard; the 8, a crosstown route connecting Uptown/Seattle Center and South Lake Union with Capitol Hill, the Central District and Mount Baker; and the 70, connecting downtown to South Lake Union, Eastlake, and the University District. The Metro-operated
Seattle Streetcar The Seattle Streetcar is a system of two modern streetcar lines operating in the city of Seattle, Washington (state), Washington. The South Lake Union Streetcar, South Lake Union line opened first in 2007 and was followed by the First Hill Stre ...
routes are numbered in the 90s, with the South Lake Union Streetcar numbered 98 and the former bus replacement for the Waterfront Streetcar numbered 99. The suburban system is more numerically organized. Roughly speaking, areas in South King County (from Burien and
Des Moines Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...
through Renton and Maple Valley) are served by routes numbered in the 100s, areas in East King County (from Renton to Bothell) are served by routes numbered in the
200s 200s may refer to: * The period from 200 to 299, almost synonymous with the 3rd century (201–300) * The period from 200 to 209, known as the 200s (decade) almost synonymous with the 21st decade (201-210) * Chrysler 200S, a trim of the Chrysler 2 ...
, areas in North King County (from Bothell to
Shoreline A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
) are served by routes numbered in the 300s. The Metro-operated
Sound Transit Express Sound Transit Express (ST Express) is a network of regional express buses, operated by the multi-county transit agency, Sound Transit. The routes connect major regional hubs throughout 53 cities in three counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish) ...
routes are numbered in the 500s. Route numbers in the lower 900s (901–931) are used for
Dial-a-Ride Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...
services, while shuttles connecting to the King County Water Taxi are numbered in the 700s. The dial-a-ride system is contracted to Hopelink, a non-profit organization. Since 2003, Metro has contracted with senior charities to operate the Hyde Shuttle system, which provides free rides to elderly or disabled passengers in Seattle and other cities. Metro formerly funded a shuttle system named Ride2 that served West Seattle and Eastgate using contracted private buses, which ended in 2019. A set of three shuttle van services contracted out to private operators, including
Via Via or VIA may refer to the following: Arts and entertainment * ''Via'' (Volumes album), 2011 * Via (Thalia Zedek album), 2013 * VIA (music), Soviet and Russian term for a music collective Businesses and organisations * Via Foundation, a Cz ...
in the Rainier Valley, Community Ride, and Ride Pingo in Kent, were launched starting in 2019. They were merged in 2023 under the "Metro Flex" brand with a shared livery. Metro is contracted to operate special custom buses. Custom routes that serve schools in Bellevue and on Mercer Island are numbered in the
800s 800s may refer to: * The period from 800 to 899, almost synonymous with the 9th century The 9th century was a period from 801 (represented by the Roman numerals DCCCI) through 900 (CM) in accordance with the Julian calendar. The Carolingian ...
(823, 824, 886–892) and routes serving the private Lakeside School and University Prep numbered in the higher 900s (980–995). Metro also operates custom routes to major employment sites (like Group Health Cooperative in Tukwila and the
Boeing Everett Factory The Boeing Everett Factory, officially the Everett Production Facility, is an airplane assembly facility operated by Boeing in Everett, Washington, United States. It sits on the north side of Paine Field and includes the largest building in th ...
). Custom routes are also occasionally established to serve as shuttles for large local events, including
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
and
Washington Huskies football The Washington Huskies football team represents the University of Washington in college football. Washington competed in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Big Ten Conference, after having been a charter membe ...
games. Since 2008, Metro has maintained an Emergency Snow Network plan to be implemented during major snowstorms and other periods of inclement weather. The network uses only 67 routes on high-frequency corridors with flat topography to compensate for a reduced number of drivers and workers. Several routes were also split between trunk routes using articulated buses and shuttles to serve hillier areas with smaller buses. The network plan was first implemented during the February 2019 snowstorm. In August 2019, the King County Council voted to waive transit fares during snow emergencies. An earlier plan from the 1980s replaced Seattle–Eastside commuter routes with a set of routes that exclusively served predetermined park and ride lots.


RapidRide

King County Metro operates RapidRide, a network of
limited-stop In public transit, particularly bus, tram, or train transportation, a limited-stop (or sometimes referred to as semi-fast) service is a trip pattern that stops less frequently than a local service. Many limited-stop or semi-fast services are a co ...
bus lines with some bus rapid transit features. All RapidRide routes have frequent service with frequencies of 10 minutes or better during peak commuting hours and 15 minutes during most off-peak hours and on weekends. Most lines (except the B and F lines) have late night and early morning service. Stops are placed farther apart than typical Metro service to increase speed and reliability. Stops with heavier ridership have "stations" with an awning, seating, lighting, real time information signs to communicate estimate arrival times of RapidRide buses. Most stations and some stops in Downtown Seattle have ORCA card readers that allow passengers to pay before the bus arrives and board at any of the buses' three doors. All lines use new, low-floor, articulated buses that are painted with a distinct red and yellow livery and have onboard Wi-Fi. The RapidRide corridors are: * A Line: TukwilaFederal Way * B Line: RedmondOverlake
Bellevue Bellevue means "beautiful view" in French. Bellevue or Belle Vue may refer to: Places Australia * Bellevue, Queensland * Bellevue, Western Australia * Bellevue Hill, New South Wales Canada * Bellevue, Alberta * Bellevue, Newfoundlan ...
* C Line:
West Seattle West Seattle is a conglomeration of List of neighborhoods in Seattle, neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington, United States. It comprises two of the List of neighborhoods in Seattle, thirteen districts, Delridge, Seattle, Delridge and Southwest, ...
Downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...
South Lake Union South Lake Union (sometimes SLU) is a neighborhood in central Seattle, Washington, so named because it is at the southern tip of Lake Union. The official boundaries of the City of Seattle Urban Center are Denny Way on the south, beyond which ...
* D Line: BallardUptown
Downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...
* E Line:
Shoreline A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
Downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...
* F Line: BurienSouthcenterRenton * G Line: Madison Valley
Downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...
* H Line: BurienWhite Center
West Seattle West Seattle is a conglomeration of List of neighborhoods in Seattle, neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington, United States. It comprises two of the List of neighborhoods in Seattle, thirteen districts, Delridge, Seattle, Delridge and Southwest, ...
Downtown Seattle Downtown is the central business district of Seattle, Washington. It is fairly compact compared with other city centers on the U.S. West Coast due to its geographical situation, being hemmed in on the north and east by hills, on the west by ...


Freeway express services

Metro operates many peak-hour commuter routes serving
park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail transport, r ...
s that use 244.52 miles of the region's network of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.Washington State Department of Transportation
Summary of Public Transportation - 2007
. November 2008.
This practice was pioneered at Seattle Transit as the '' Blue Streak'' express bus service running between Northgate Park & Ride and Downtown Seattle. Special stops called "freeway flyers" or freeway stations were constructed to allow efficient transfer between local and express buses. The first freeway flyer stop opened in 1975 at Montlake Boulevard and State Route 520.King County Metro
Transit Milestones 1970s
Metro also takes advantage of new HOV direct-access ramps and freeway stations constructed by Sound Transit to improve speed and reliability of its commuter routes.


Skip-stop spacing

Metro uses
skip-stop Skip-stop is a public transit service pattern which reduces travel times and increases capacity by having vehicles ''skip'' certain ''stops'' along a route. Originating in rapid transit systems, skip-stop may be also used in light rail and bus ...
spacing on 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Avenues in Downtown Seattle, whereby buses skip every other bus stop. On 3rd Avenue, each bus route is assigned to Blue, Yellow, Red or Green stop groups and each bus stop has two color designations; in the northbound direction, every other bus stop is a Red/Yellow or Green/Blue stop, while in the southbound direction they are Green/Yellow and Red/Blue. On 2nd and 4th Avenues, routes are grouped into Orange and White stops. The bus stop color groupings are identified by a colored plate installed above or on the side of the bus stop sign. On 3rd Avenue only, there are additional colored markers one block ahead of each bus stop on the trolley overhead wires, to help bus drivers identify the colors of the upcoming bus stop.


Night Owl services

Metro operates a network of 13 routes with late-night "Night Owl" service, which is defined as having regular service between midnight and 5 am. The Night Owl network is made up of some of Metro's most popular routes, and is designed to connect neighborhoods with major transportation hubs including downtown Seattle, Sea–Tac Airport, park & ride lots, transit centers, and Link stations (providing service during the hours when trains are not in service). The City of Seattle's transportation benefit district funds service on Night Owl routes that operate entirely within the city limits. Routes with Night Owl service include the 7, 36, 48, 49, 124, 160, 161, and the RapidRide A, C, D, E, G and H Lines.


Trailhead Direct

King County Metro contracts with Hopelink to operate a weekend express shuttle between Seattle and hiking areas in the Cascade foothills called Trailhead Direct from April to October. The service, operated in partnership with the county's park and recreation department and private companies, is intended to relieve parking issues at popular
trailhead A trailhead is the point where a trail begins or is accessed, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles. Modern trailheads often contain restrooms, maps, signposts, and distribution centers for ...
s at peak times. It debuted in 2017 and was expanded the following year to cover three routes: Capitol Hill station to Mount Si;
Mount Baker station Mount Baker station is a light rail Metro station, station located in Seattle, Washington. It is situated between the Columbia City station, Columbia City and Beacon Hill station (Sound Transit), Beacon Hill stations on the 1 Line (Sound Transi ...
to the Issaquah Alps; and a shuttle from North Bend to Mailbox Peak. A fourth route, between
Tukwila International Boulevard station Tukwila International Boulevard station is a light rail station in Tukwila, Washington, United States. It is located between SeaTac/Airport and Rainier Beach stations on the 1 Line from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport to Downto ...
, Renton, and
Cougar Mountain Cougar Mountain is a peak in the Issaquah Alps in King County, Washington. It is part of the highlands in the Eastside suburbs of Seattle, and at it is the lowest and westernmost of the Alps. About two-thirds of Cougar Mountain has experienc ...
, was added in 2019. The service was suspended in 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
and returned in 2021 with only two routes. Due to staffing issues, service to the Issaquah Alps was suspended for the 2022 and 2023 seasons but returned in 2024.


Fares

King County Metro has had a flat rate fare structure for all riders since July 2018. The flat rate of $2.75 for adults and $1 for senior, disabled and qualified low-income passengers replaced a previous system with two zones—divided between Seattle and the rest of the county—and peak period surcharges. A separate rate of $1.50 was levied for youth passengers and ORCA Lift low-income passholders until September 2022; the ORCA Lift rate was lowered to $1 and the youth fare was eliminated as part of a statewide program. Fares can be paid using cash, a paper transfer, the e-purse or passes on
ORCA card The ORCA card (standing for One Regional Card for All) is a contactless smart card, contactless, Stored-value card, stored-value smart card system for public transit in the Puget Sound region of Washington (state), Washington, United States. The ...
s, or the Transit Go smartphone app. Monthly and daily passes are available for ORCA cards, including the PugetPass and inter-agency regional passes. From 2020 to 2025, the inspection of fares by Metro personnel was suspended due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
and later changes in county policy to address racial bias. The fare inspection and enforcement program resumed in March 2025 and consists of uniformed inspectors who board buses and request identification from non-paying passengers; a previous
misdemeanor A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than admi ...
charge for four instances of non-payment was removed. The King County Metro fares as of September 1, 2022 are:


Fare history

Metro Transit initially had 38 fare zones that it inherited from its two predecessor operators, with a surcharge of 10 cents per zone crossing. The fare system was overhauled in 1977 and simplified to two zones: one within Seattle and one for the rest of the county. The fare change also introduced a one-hour pass for free transfers—either within the same hour or for a return trip on the same route—and monthly passes. One-way fare (Peak, 1 Zone), with year of rate change: *1973: 20¢ *1977: 30¢ *1979: 40¢ *1980: 50¢ *1982: 60¢ *1985: 65¢ *1989: 75¢ *1991: $1.00 *1993: $1.10 *1998: $1.25 *2001: $1.50 *2008: $1.75 *2009: $2.00 *2010: $2.25 *2012: $2.50 *2015: $2.75 *2018: $2.75


Facilities


Transit centers

While Downtown Seattle is Metro's main transit hub, transit centers act as smaller regional hubs and are served by many bus routes. Some transit centers also offer a
park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail transport, r ...
facility. Metro operates out of several transit centers located throughout King County, some of which are shared with
Sound Transit Sound Transit (ST), officially the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, is a public transit agency serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It manages the Link light rail system in Se ...
and other county agencies.


Park and ride lots

In King County, Metro has 132
park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail transport, r ...
facilities containing a total of 24,524 parking stalls . Half of the lots are leased from other property owners such as churches. Metro began developing its park and rides in the 1970s using various funding sources, including federal grants. By 1988, it had 37 lots across King County, mostly concentrated on the Eastside, and monitored property crimes with a team of four police officers and hired guards. In the 1980s, Metro proposed co-locating its park and rides with commercial developments to encourage
transit-oriented development In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of Real estate development, urban development that maximizes the amount of Residential area, residential, business and leisure space within Pedestrian, walking distance of public t ...
and attract more riders. In the 2000s, Metro opened its first park and ride garages as well as several lots that were integrated with housing and retail developments.


Operations bases and facilities

Metro stores and maintains buses at seven bases (garages), spread throughout its operating area. In addition to the bases, maintenance of the fleet and operation of the system are supported by several other facilities.


Security

The Metro Transit Police Department is a unit of the
King County Sheriff's Office The King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) is a local law enforcement agency in King County, Washington, United States. It is the primary law enforcement agency for all unincorporated areas of King County, as well as 13 cities and two transit agenci ...
that provides security and law enforcement onboard Metro buses and at the agency's facilities. , it has 65 officers out of 79 budgeted positions. Metro also contracts with private firms to provide uniformed
security guard A security guard (also known as a security inspector, security officer, factory guard, or protective agent) is a person employed by a government or private party to protect the employing party's assets (property, people, equipment, money, etc.) ...
s. Following the 2024 stabbing of an operator in the University District, Metro proposed the adoption of separate compartments for bus drivers in newer buses that are scheduled to arrive in 2026. The existing
sneeze guard A sneeze guard, sneezeguard, or cough shield is an Poly(methyl methacrylate), acrylic or glass screen designed to protect food or people from the exposure to respiratory droplets, which are dispensed when coughing, Sneeze, sneezing, or speaking. ...
s installed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic are planned to be replaced on most buses with a more solid barrier.


Funding

The adopted 2025 budget for King County allocated $2.12billion to Metro for operating and capital expenses related to its transit services. These include non-Metro services that the agency operates on behalf of other agencies. King County Metro is the sole metropolitan county transit agency in Washington and is authorized by the state legislature to collect a
sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...
of 0.9percent across King County. Prior to the 1999 approval of Initiative 695, the agency also collected a
motor vehicle excise tax Road tax, known by various names around the world, is a tax which has to be paid on, or included with, a motorised vehicle to use it on a public road. National implementations Australia All states and territories require an annual vehicle registr ...
from the state government. The sales tax is Metro's primary funding source, comprising 55.8percent of anticipated revenue in 2025, followed by payments from Sound Transit. The agency derives approximately 9percent of its revenue from fares.
Bus advertising In bus advertising, buses and their related infrastructure are a medium used by advertising, advertisers to reach the public with their message. Usually, this takes the form of promoting commercial brands, but it can also be used for public cam ...
, primarily in the form of vehicle wraps and banners, comprises a portion of Metro's revenue. The agency prohibits the sale of advertising space for political campaigns and public or social issues. The policy was challenged as a violation of
freedom of speech Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The rights, right to freedom of expression has been r ...
by organizations that had their requests to advertise on Metro buses rejected. A 2016 lawsuit from the American Freedom Defense Initiative was decided in Metro's favor by the Ninth Circuit of Appeals and was declined to be heard by the
United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...
.


Operating costs

The cost per boarding for Metro was $4.10 in 2005, compared to $2.50 among the country's 15 largest transit agencies and $2.97, the national average. Metro's cost per boarding is 38% above the national average.Review of Metro Transit, Municipal League of King County
(November 2008)
Metro's higher-than-average cost per boarding can be at least partially attributed to its high percentage of commuter routes, which run at peak hours only, and often only in one direction at a time. As of 2011, 100 of Metro's 223 routes are peak-only. These routes require significant deadheading (particularly on the one-way routes), as well as a very large part-time labor force, both of which drive up costs. Metro's lowest-cost route overall, route 4 (East Queen Anne to Judkins Park), had a cost per boarding of only $0.46 during peak hours in 2009. By way of contrast, Metro's peak-only route with the lowest cost per boarding was route 206 (Newport Hills to International School), at $2.04. Metro's highest cost route by this measure, route 149 (Renton Transit Center to Black Diamond), had a peak time cost of $34.47 per boarding. Route 149 serves the rural southeastern corner of King County. In 2007 it cost $3.64 per boarding to deliver service in the West (Seattle) subarea, $4.79 in the South subarea and $7.27 in the East subarea of King County. At the end of 2008, the systemwide cost per boarding was $3.70.


Transit Now

In April 2006, King County Executive
Ron Sims Ronald Cordell Sims (born July 5, 1948) is the former deputy secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, having served in the position from May 8, 2009 to July 2011. He is also a former King County executive. Sims r ...
announced a program entitled "Transit Now" that provided for a 20 percent increase in transit service by the end of 2016 over 2006 service levels, measured in annual operating hours. In order to realize this growth, Transit Now proposed an increase in the local option sales tax for transit of one-tenth of one percent. The Transit Now ordinance, passed by the King County Council on September 5, 2006, and signed by Executive Sims on September 11, 2006, forwarded the tax proposition to the voters and identified the programs to which operating revenue generated from the sales tax increase could be appropriated. The measure was approved by 56.62% of King County voters in the November 2007 general election. The service programs identified in the ordinance are as follows: # Implementation of RapidRide routes in five arterial corridors. # Increase service on high-ridership routes that provide frequent, two-way connections throughout the agency's service area. # Service for growing areas in outlying suburban/ xurbanareas. # Partnerships with cities and major employers to provide more service than could otherwise be provided through typical resources. # Additional improvements such as expanded ride-share and paratransit services in King County.


Seattle Proposition 1 (2014)

In November 2014, Seattle voters passed Proposition 1 with 59% support. It uses $45 million in new annual funds from a 0.1% sales tax raise and a $60 annual car-tab fee to add King County Metro bus service within the City of Seattle.


Technology

Collaborating with several local jurisdictions, Metro was an early adopter of
Transit Signal Priority Bus priority or transit signal priority (TSP) is a name for various techniques to improve service and reduce delay for mass transit vehicles at intersections (or junctions) controlled by traffic signals. TSP techniques are most commonly associa ...
(TSP), a system that can extend green lights to allow buses to get through. The system can boost average speeds as much as 8% and is in use on several of the city's busiest corridors, including Aurora Avenue North, Rainier Avenue S and Lake City Way NE. The system uses RFID tags that are read as buses approach a TSP equipped intersection. In 1998, the fleet was updated with an
Automatic Vehicle Location Automatic vehicle location (AVL or ~locating; telelocating in EU) is a means for automatically determining and transmitting the geographic location of a vehicle. This vehicle location data, from one or more vehicles, may then be collected by a ...
(AVL) system that utilizes battery-powered beacons that read the RFID tags and communicate the buses' location to Metro. In 2010, the AVL system was replaced with a GPS-based system as part of a system-wide radio update. As a part of the radio update Metro also added automated next stop signs and announcements to all buses. In 2010, Metro rolled out a new IP network based ITS infrastructure for its RapidRide service. Buses will communicate with roadside equipment using
802.11 IEEE 802.11 is part of the IEEE 802 set of local area network (LAN) technical standards, and specifies the set of medium access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) protocols for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer c ...
wireless technology on the 4.9
GHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or Cycle per second, cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in ter ...
public safety band. A
fiber optic An optical fiber, or optical fibre, is a flexible glass or plastic fiber that can transmit light from one end to the other. Such fibers find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at ...
backhaul connects access points and roadside equipment together to Metro's Communication Center. The system will extend the legacy RFID-based TSP system. It will also be used in conjunction with GPS technology to provide frequent and accurate location updates for next bus arrival signs at RapidRide stations. The extent of Metro's application of
intelligent transportation systems An intelligent transportation system (ITS) is an advanced application that aims to provide services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and 's ...
(ITS) for transit information available for customers has been limited to a few projects: * An early project called MyBus by the
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...
(UW) utilized the tracking data to provide real-time bus information. This is now hosted by Metro under the name Tracker. An improved version of MyBus called OneBusAway, developed by UW graduate students Brian Ferris and Kari Watkins, combines Tracker information with Google Maps. OneBusAway continued to be maintained by the University of Washington Department of Computer Science, until a new nonprofit organization was founded to house and administer it in 2019. * Transit Watch displays, like those found in airports and major train stations, are installed at some transit centers and transfer points to show real-time bus arrival information. *A pilot project provided bus information displays along a city arterial. Metro discontinued the project in 2005, citing the cost of maintenance and technical problems. * Metro has a regional trip planner that provides itineraries for transit trips within King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, including those on Sound Transit services, Washington State Ferries, the Seattle Center Monorail, and the Seattle Streetcar.
Google Maps Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panorama, interactive panoramic views of streets (Google Street View, Street View ...
also provides trip planning using schedule data as part of their Google Transit service.


ORCA Card

Metro is a participating agency in the regional smart card program called ORCA (One Regional Card for All). It was launched for public use on April 20, 2009, along with six other transit agencies in the region.


Bus stop technology

RapidRide stations as well as major bus stops in Downtown Seattle are also receiving what Metro calls a "Tech Pylon", a free standing wireless-capable kiosk, that has next bus arrival signs and an ORCA validator for off-board fare payment.


Fleet

As of 2017, King County Metro operates the 10th largest fleet of buses in the United States, with a total of 1,540 buses. The fleet includes a mix of electric trolleybuses, diesel-electric hybrids, and battery electric buses. Buses range in size from shuttles to
articulated bus An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, bendy bus, tandem bus, vestibule bus, stretch bus, or an accordion bus, is an articulated vehicle, typically a motor bus or trolleybus, used in public transportation. It is usually a ...
es on higher-demand routes. The buses are painted in separate colors based on their vehicle type and intended services, with purple reserved for electric trolleybuses and red for RapidRide. The current livery and color scheme was adopted in 2004 and is intended to be replaced in 2025 with the introduction of a larger battery electric fleet. In 1978, Metro was the first large transit agency to order high-capacity
articulated bus An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, bendy bus, tandem bus, vestibule bus, stretch bus, or an accordion bus, is an articulated vehicle, typically a motor bus or trolleybus, used in public transportation. It is usually a ...
es (buses with a rotating joint). Today, King County Metro has one of the largest articulated fleets in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
(second only to
MTA New York City Transit The New York City Transit Authority (also known as NYCTA, the TA, or simply Transit, and branded as MTA New York City Transit) is a New York state public-benefit corporations, public-benefit corporation in the U.S. state of New York (state), New ...
) and articulated buses account for about 42% of the agency's fleet. In 1979, the agency ordered some of the first
wheelchair lift A wheelchair lift, also known as a platform lift, or vertical platform lift, is a fully powered device designed to raise a wheelchair and its occupant in order to overcome a step or similar vertical barrier. Wheelchair lifts can be installed in ...
equipped coaches in the nation, promising a completely new level of independence for
disabled Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physica ...
residents. Early lifts were severely flawed, but by the mid-1980s the lifts were generally reliable and were ordered on all new buses. Metro's entire fleet has been wheelchair-accessible since 1999 and all new buses have been low-floor since their introduction in 2003. The final high-floor buses were retired in 2020.


References


External links

*
Metro Employees Historic Vehicle Association
(MEHVA) {{Authority control Sound Transit Bus transportation in Washington (state)
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
Transit authorities with alternative-fuel vehicles Transportation in King County, Washington Transportation in Seattle Government agencies established in 1973 1973 establishments in Washington (state) Transit agencies in Washington (state)