Further Metro Transit service reductions begin this Saturday

As the region continues to respond to COVID-19, King County Metro announced that it will reduce weekend bus service beginning this Saturday, April 18, and further reduce weekday bus service starting Monday, April 20.

Water Taxi and First Hill Streetcar will continue to operate on previously reduced schedules.

This revised Reduced Schedule provides a core network of public transportation services to maintain access to critical supplies, services, and worksites across the region. Details about weekend changes will be posted online Thursday; canceled trip details weekday service will be revised and updated online Saturday.

Overall, Metro will operate with approximately 42% fewer buses, 36% fewer transit operators, and 27% fewer service trips than typical weekday service. Weekend trips will be reduced by 15% on Saturdays and 4% on Sundays.

“To reserve transit for those who need it most, we’re calling on riders to travel only if absolutely necessary and to wear a face covering to help limit the spread of COVID-19,” said King County Metro General Manager Rob Gannon. “Adjusting our weekend and weekday service allows us to continue to operate a reliable network of service for essential travel needs – for food, medicine, and work – while responding to decreased ridership demands and to the overall availability of Metro’s workforce. Our goal is to continue to serve the community, and we’re grateful for and commend our frontline staff.”

The upcoming April 18 Reduced Schedule is among the latest steps in Metro’s response to COVID-19. Previous reductions in service took place March 23 and April 6. Those reductions helped maintain a sustainable transit agency amid ridership that has now dropped by about 70% compared to a year ago.

Supporting our community and workforce
Metro’s service adjustments are designed to provide a viable transit network and service level in the face of lower ridership, and to prepare Metro for continued workforce availability challenges.

An estimated 66% of Metro’s transit and rail operators are available to report to work in support of service, which represents a slight decrease compared to before COVID-19’s emergence. Some drivers, mechanics, and front-line staff are temporarily not available to work either due to personal or family health reasons. King County has several paid leave resources in place to support employees who are not available to work at this time.

In response to COVID-19, Metro:

• Disinfects buses and other transit vehicles/vessels daily;
• Supports social distancing by implementing rear-door boarding, suspending fare collection, installing “safety straps” to reserve the front of the bus for passengers requiring priority seating, and encouraging passengers to stay apart from others while using transit;
• Reminds passengers of public health guidance—such as staying home except for essential travel, not using transit when sick, frequently washing hands, avoiding touching the face, covering coughs and sneezes, and wearing a face covering.

UPDATED REDUCED WEEKEND SCHEDULES
(Transit service is provided in partnership with the City of Seattle.)

SATURDAY

Routes with most or all trips operating on Saturday

• RapidRide A Line, D line, E Line, and F Line
• Routes 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 24, 27, 28, 31, 33, 45, 49, 60, 62, 71, 73, 101, 105, 107, 120, 124, 148, 156, 164, 168, 180, 182, 183, 187, 225, 230, 231, 240, 245, 271, ST 522, ST 545, ST 554, 635 (Des Moines Community Shuttle), 901, 903, 906, 908, 914, 915, 916, 917

Routes with fewer trips and/or reduced hours of operation on Saturday

• RapidRide B Line and C Line
• Routes 1, 2, 5, 12, 13, 14, 21, 26, 32, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44, 48, 50, 65, 67, 70, 75, 106, 128, 131, 132, 150, 166, 169, 181, 239, 250, 255, 269, 331, 345, 346, 347, 348, 372, ST 542, ST 550,
• First Hill Streetcar
• Sound Transit Link light rail

Routes, services, and programs fully cut or not operating on Saturday

• Routes 22, 47, 118, 125, 208, 221, 226, 241, 249, 910
• South Lake Union Streetcar
• Water Taxi West Seattle and Vashon routes
• Via to Transit
• Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Community Ride, Normandy Park Community Ride, Sammamish Community Ride, Bothell/Woodinville Community Ride

SUNDAY

Routes with most or all Sunday trips operating

• RapidRide A Line, B Line, C Line, D Line, E Line, and F Line
• Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 60, 62, 65, 67, 70, 73, 75, 101, 105, 106, 107, 120, 124, 128, 131, 132, 148, 150, 156, 166, 168, 169, 180, 181, 182, 187, 225, 230, 231, 239, 240, 245, 250, 255, 271, 331, 346, 347, 348, 372, ST 522, ST 542, ST 545, ST 550, ST 554, 901, 903

Routes with fewer trips and/or reduced hours of operation on Sunday

• First Hill Streetcar
• Sound Transit Link Light Rail

Routes, services, and programs fully cut or not operating on Sunday

• Routes 22, 47, 118, 125, 221, 226, 241, 249
• South Lake Union Streetcar
• Water Taxi West Seattle and Vashon routes
• Via to Transit
• Shoreline/Lake Forest Community Ride, Bothell/Woodinville Community Ride

UPDATED REDUCED WEEKDAY SCHEDULE
Routes with most or all trips operating (22 routes with 2 or fewer trips cut)

• A Line, 60, 71, 73, 105, 106, 131, 164, 166, 193, 269, 303, 309, ST 554, 628 (Snoqualmie Community Shuttle), 631 (Burien Community Shuttle), 901, 903, 906, 908, 914, 916

Routes with fewer trips and/or reduced hours of operation (86 routes and services)

• RapidRide B, C, D, E and F lines
• Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Local, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21 Local, 24, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 36, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 70, 75, 101, 107, 120, 124, 128, 132, 148, 150, 153, 156, 168, 169, 180, 181, 182, 183, 187, 204, 225, 230, 231, 239, 240, 245, 250, 255, 271, 331, 345, 346, 347, 348,  372, 373, ST 522, ST 542, ST 545, ST 550, 635 (Des Moines Community Shuttle), 915, 917,
• Water Taxi West Seattle and Vashon routes
• First Hill Streetcar
• Sound Transit Link light rail

Routes, services, and programs fully cut (111 routes and services)

• 5 Express, 9, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21 Express, 22, 29, 37, 47, 55, 56, 57, 74, 76, 77, 78, 102, 111, 113, 114, 116, 118, 119, 121, 122, 123, 125, 143, 154, 157, 158, 159, 167, 177, 178, 179, 186, 190, 192, 197, 200, 208, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 221, 224, 226, 232, 237, 241, 246, 249, 252, 257, 268, 301, 304, 308, 311, 312, 316, 330, 342, 355, ST 541, ST 555, ST 556, 630 (Mercer Island Community Shuttle),  773, 775, 823, 824, 886, 887, 888, 889, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 907, 910, 913, 930, 931, 952, 980, 981, 982, 984, 986, 987, 988, 989, 994, 995
• South Lake Union Streetcar
• Via to Transit
• Black Diamond/Enumclaw Community Ride, Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Community Ride, Normandy Park Community Ride, Sammamish Community Ride, Juanita Area Community Ride, Bothell/Woodinville Community Ride

These services will continue to operate as reduced effective April 6

Water taxi crews continue to operate one vessel for six roundtrip sailings per weekday; service on shuttles 773 and 775 remain temporarily canceled.

Seattle Streetcar continues to operate on a reduced schedule

• First Hill Streetcar operates with 15-minute headways Monday to Saturday during reduced service hours, 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. There are no changes to service hours on Sundays and holidays: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• South Lake Union Streetcar temporarily discontinued service beginning March 23 and until further notice.

Community Van trips for essential needs such as foodbank runs will continue as long as it is feasible and there are volunteer drivers available and willing to drive in the following communities:

• Bothell / Woodinville / UW Bothell
• Duvall
• Kenmore / Kirkland
• Lake Forest Park / Shoreline
• Sammamish
• Vashon

Access paratransit program continues normal operations and follows its enhanced daily sanitization procedures. During Reduced Schedule, Access is available to all customers with disabilities who are unable to make essential trips on the traditional transit network. This includes customers with disabilities who are not certified to use the Access program.

Relevant links

• Reduced Schedule webpage
• COVID-19 updates on the Metro Matters blog