KING COUNTY, Wash. — Bus drivers throughout King County are left waiting for justice and change.
It’s been three days since King County Metro driver Shawn Yim was stabbed and killed, while on duty.
The man suspected in his murder, Robert Sitzlack, is still evading police.
Metro bus drivers tell KIRO 7, they don’t feel safe doing their jobs.
“We need to do more. And we need to do it now,” says Greg Woodfill, President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587. The union represents King County Metro drivers.
Woodfill is leading the charge for more safety protections.
Currently, drivers have access to a panic button, which notifies emergency dispatch to respond. Though Woodfill says dispatch times vary.
Drivers also have plexiglass barriers, put in place during 2020 and 2021.
“Let’s call it what it is- it’s a sneeze guard,” says Woodfill. He says current barriers do not protect drivers from physical violence. That’s why he’s calling on county and city leaders to sign off on funding and installing floor-to-ceiling barriers, separating drivers from passengers who can turn violent.
KIRO 7 reached out to manufacturer ‘AROWGuard’ which creates transit shields. A company spokesperson says they are in contact with King County Metro about their products.
“Our product is a is an engineered metal, steel, laminated tempered glass, sort of a product. So, it’s definitely a different category of functionality and protection,” says Tim Klos, with AROWGuard.
Klos says that even if an order were placed today, production and shipping of their transit shields would likely take three to four months. Based on Klos’s price quotes, the cost could be up to $21 million to install transit shields within King County’s full Metro fleet.
“It’s not an easy fix, but we can’t afford to do nothing,” says Woodfill.
King County Metro worked with AROGuard nearly seven years ago about installing barriers. At the time, local drivers were opposed. They wanted to interact with the passengers they served and felt shields would hinder that.
“I drove for 13 years, and I was one of the biggest people against that,” says Woodfill. “We love dealing with the public. I didn’t think I’d need or want a shield. But we’re well beyond that now.”
He says Yim’s murder adds to the urgency for action, to keep other drivers alive.
“We’ll get there. But I can’t have another member of mine murdered as we’re waiting for that,” says Woodfill.
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