King County Metro to temporarily reduce transit services beginning Monday; driver tests positive for coronavirus

KING COUNTY, Wash. — KING COUNTY, Wash. — Starting Monday, March 23, King County Metro riders will see significant schedule changes, transitioning to a “reduced schedule”. In a statement, King County Metro announced they will temporarily reduce transit services. The changes are in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has triggered drastic drops in daily ridership numbers. Since Wednesday, March 18, ridership has been down 60%-roughly 250,000 passengers from this time last year.

As part of the regularly planned spring service change starting Sunday, March 21, further changes to routes are still expected in addition to the new reduced route changes. The spring service change program will also act as a baseline for the reduced schedule program.

Under the reduced schedule, most Metro routes will see individual trip cancellations. Some routes will not operate, primarily during commute times and when options on other routes exist.

On March 28, King County Metro announced that a driver tested positive for the coronavirus. The employee had not worked since March 16 and is at home recovering.

Reduced Schedule:

Routes without changes: 22, 105, 118, 119, 154

Routes with fewer bus trips and/or reduced hours of operation: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 101, 102, 106, 107, 111, 113, 114, 116, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 128, 131, 132, 143, 148, 150, 153, 156, 157, 158, 159, 164, 166, 167, 168, 169, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 186, 187, 190, 192, 193, 197, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 221, 225, 226, 230, 231, 232, 239, 240, 241, 245, 246, 249, 252, 250, 255, 257, 268, 269, 271, 301, 303, 304, 311, 312, 316, 331, 342, 345, 346, 347, 348, 355, 372, 373, A Line, B Line, C Line, D Line, E Line, F Line, ST 522, ST 541, ST 542, ST 545, ST 550, ST 554, ST 555, ST 556, 907, 913, 931, 952, Des Moines Community Shuttle (635)

Routes fully cut: 9, 29, 47, 78, 125, 200, 208, 237, 308, 309, 330, 541, Black Diamond/Enumclaw Community Ride, Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Community Ride, Normandy Park Community Ride, Sammamish Community Ride, Juanita Community Ride, Bothell/Woodinville Community Ride, Mercer Island Community Shuttle (630).

Under the new reduced schedule, buses will run fewer trips per day, affecting late-morning rides and ending early evenings. Starting Monday, services and programs that will not operate include Community Ride and Via to Transit services. The Access paratransit program is planned to continue normal operations and will continue to follow its enhanced daily sanitation procedures.

Water Taxi and its routes, 773 and 775 will continue its normal winter schedule through at least April 20. The Seattle Streetcar will also operate on a reduced schedule starting Monday.

First Hill Streetcar: Operates with 15 minute headway, Monday through Saturday during reduced service hours of 5:30 a.m.- 8:30 p.m.

South Lake Union Streetcar: Will not operate starting Monday until further notice.

Community Van services will continue per usual, providing transportation for riders needing access to food banks, grocery stores, pharmacies and other essential services to: Bothell, Woodinville, UW Bothell, Duvall, Sammamish, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline and Vashon.

Starting Saturday, March 21, there will be implemented long-term changes for the planned spring service change.

Metro expects these changes to be temporary, and to increase once COVID-19 concerns decrease. Riders should also be cautions that online services such as the phone app and online planning tools may be inaccurate during these service chances for Metro and Sound Transit.

These changes have taken into consideration the need for public transportation for those who heavily rely on it for necessities such as medical care, trips to grocery stores and other essential needs. Metro plans to offer mobility needs for those with accessibility challenges during these changes to scheduling.

In the last several weeks, Metro has implemented several public safety actions as a result of COVID-19, including the daily disinfection of buses. In addition, Metro has moved customer-facing sales and service operations to phone and online services, implemented a Department Operations Center to guide speedy responses for travel needs, and temporarily suspended in-person fare enforcement inspections. Metro will continue to work reevaluate any necessary further changes based on public health official guidelines and community needs.

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