Bus a no-show? Metro staff reductions leading to missed trips

None of the Metro routes scheduled for service cuts or deletions starting this Saturday are in this area. But you might have experienced some related, if temporary, effects of Metro getting ready for reductions. WSB reader Holly did: “I thought I’d pass this along since I wasn’t aware it was happening, until it happened to me. The 56 bus route from Admiral didn’t come last week and this is the response I got from Metro – basically that routes here and there are being canceled due to driver shortages.” Ahead, the reply Holly received after e-mailing a comment to Metro, and the results of our followup:

Holly filed a report last Friday and received a reply this past Monday from a customer-service rep:

Thank you for contacting Metro Transit’s Customer Information Office. We appreciate your use of public transportation and regret the circumstances that made it necessary for you to write us. Our research shows that the #56 due at California and Admiral at 8:01 AM was cancelled on September 19th due to a shortage of operators available to driver the route.

I want to assure you that Metro Transit values its customers and we strive to provide reliable service. However, despite best efforts, we find ourselves currently having to cancel some trips at each of our bases. The problem is an unprecedented shortage of available transit operators; the results of a hiring freeze due to budget concerns. Until our manpower shortages are resolved, there will be occasions where some trips may be cancelled. We will do everything possible to minimize cancellations.

Our Operations Base staff has been reminded of the need to be especially attentive in their daily planning and to not cancel first trips of the day or consecutive trips on the same route – – and never cancel the same trip on consecutive days! Hopefully, these actions will alleviate some of the problem described in your email. Our communications technology section is currently working with Transit Operations staff to implement a customer alerting program for cancelled trips. Their goal is to have a system in-place by the beginning of our Fall Service Change.

We didn’t recall hearing about the personnel shortage either, so we asked about it. Metro spokesperson Jeff Switzer explained:

We’re a few days away from Sept. 27 service cuts and – without any layoffs – Metro has achieved operator staff reductions necessary for the unprecedented September service reductions.

Metro estimated it needed to reduce about 100 positions and stopped hiring part-time operators in May and full-time operators in June.

On May 30, there were 2,648 active operators. As of Sept. 19, there are 90 fewer operators: 2,558 active operators, of which 1,630 are full-time drivers and 928 are part-time drivers.

The goal was through attrition to establish the size of workforce needed for service levels after Sept. 27 service cuts.

The challenge of canceled trips is expected to rectify itself Sept. 27 when the amount of bus service is reduced.

A recent tally showed 115 canceled trips during the week of Sept. 13-19. Metro provides 12,000 daily trips. Metro works hard each day and fill needed route assignments as openings emerge, meeting its target of providing 99.9 percent of scheduled trips daily. The effort to provide electronic notifications of canceled trips is still in development.

Again, the routes to be cut/deleted starting this Saturday are all outside West Seattle.

cj September 23, 2014 (10:04 pm)

A lot of people in Seattle depend on Metro for their livelihood. We can not afford to let our city sink into weak transit so I hope the situation is remedied soon.

Beth September 23, 2014 (10:10 pm)

I wonder if this is why two #113 buses in a row were no-shows yesterday morning.

Colleen September 23, 2014 (10:53 pm)

I’m also impressed she got a response back, they haven’t responded back to things reporting missing buses. Then again, the last time I called when a C line was 25 mins late, the response I got on the phone was “So?”

AmandaKH September 23, 2014 (10:58 pm)

That is Completely Unacceptable. This is ridiculous.

KV September 23, 2014 (11:09 pm)

It makes me laugh that they spend all this money on bus lanes and painting the bus lanes and then they don’t have enough money for the buses to drive in them. Ha.

Mike September 23, 2014 (11:17 pm)

Welcome to poor money management and overpaid ‘consultants’ for decades. No worries, everyone rides a bike now, right?

Diane September 23, 2014 (11:58 pm)

infuriating; and somehow they think it’s better to just cancel buses and hope no one will notice or complain?

Oakley34 September 23, 2014 (11:59 pm)

Sad. I really hope we can fix this.

JanS September 24, 2014 (12:36 am)

maybe they need to form a committee to study that :-\

Fauntleroy guy September 24, 2014 (6:24 am)

I work for Metro and am VERY close to this situation. This is not a money issue per se, it is not an issue with painting bus lanes, it is very simply NOT ENOUGH DRIVERS to cover service. Many drivers are driving 2-3 extra trips each day, coming in on their days off and coming in early. If there ain’t a body to put in the drivers seat, the bus won’t drive itself! It makes no sense to hire drivers, train them for 40 days, get them their CDLs, then turn around and lay them off 2 months later. Add in the summer vacations…

WS resident September 24, 2014 (6:36 am)

I know where your buses were… They were all sitting along Westwood village yesterday having a coffee break…
Well at least six of them were…and those pesky drivers keep running across the street in front of traffic to get to shopping…and no they do not cross at a proper crosswalk either.

RDF September 24, 2014 (6:46 am)

My older son can’t catch the first bus to get to high school because it never stops. He has to catch the second one which barely gets him to school on time. I guess the school system didn’t take into account Metro funding when it decided to stop having a bus system of their own.

AG September 24, 2014 (7:20 am)

Right, since none of us have JOBS to get to who don’t accept “the bus didn’t show” as an acceptable excuse for lateness.

I had jury duty a few weeks ago and the 21 at the top of the hour was running 5 min early, so I missed it by less than a minute. The next one didn’t show up. It was showing as parked in the Wall of Buses, and I watched it on the app as it went from 3 minutes behind schedule to 23 minutes behind schedule, progressively. Meanwhile, the 21 behind it “lapped” it and that driver (bless him) hauled butt to get us all downtown only 5 minutes after the sitting bus would have gotten us there.

I get that buses break down and things happen, but it shouldn’t happen every single day, and certainly not without communication. Metro can easily put a notice out via the apps or text the mobile users who sign up for alerts, and those of us who receive it could let others at the stop know. I’ve tried commuting by bus for two weeks at a stretch, a few separate times, because I love the idea of being able to jump on the bus and not think about driving. However, the number of late, missing, or otherwise problematic buses made it unreliable. It’s disappointing, as I’d LOVE to take the bus to and from work rather than carpooling.

AmandaKH September 24, 2014 (7:39 am)

It’s time for Kevin Desmond to go. In what industry is this kind of behavior and mismanagement acceptable? I am just livid!

Peter September 24, 2014 (8:09 am)

It’s like this: it costs money to operate busses. A lot of people have been in denial if that for years, but it’s a fact. The state gutted transit funding years ago, intentionally creating permanent budget shortfalls. Metro has made ENORMOUS gains in efficiency in that time, but no amount of efficiency can make up for the legislature’s refusal to find transit and the suburbs’ refusal to fund transit. No matter how much the conservatives cry “wastefraudandabuse!” they’re never going to be satisfied with any gains in efficiency. We can’t keep ignoring the fact that it costs money to operate busses. Vote yes on Proposition One.

Pibal September 24, 2014 (8:32 am)

I hate to be critical when Metro actually responds to a complaint. Nonetheless, the first written Metro apply above really grabbed my attention:
– New verbs (“to driver?”)
– Incomplete sentences
– Use of exclamation points (should we be that impressed that the same bus isn’t canceled two days in a row?)
– Lack of ownership (“their goal” as opposed to “our goal”).

I know I’m nit-picking, but this is not a stellar example of Public Communications 101. Had to mention it…

carlton September 24, 2014 (8:37 am)

I’ll keep voting NO. 60% of the money goes to outrageous salaries and pensions for a job NOT done well.

KelWel September 24, 2014 (8:46 am)

This isn’t new. It’s been happening all summer with the 124. I truly believe that Metro has been setup to fail. Most metropolitan areas have state funding to operate. WA needs to stop being some backwater. The state needs to allocate more funds to transit. Not only that, I believe if our public schools are going to use Metro to get our students there, they need to also send funds Metro’s way. Getting to school is just as important as the education provided. I

Anon September 24, 2014 (9:10 am)

What I don’t understand is why they can’t send out a text message alert or something similar when they cancel routes. I get text alerts from Metro all the time about reroutes, would it be that hard to send out a text saying a route has been canceled? I take the 37 on Alki in the morning. It runs FOUR (count ’em, four) times in the morning every 30 minutes, and that’s it. Recently there has been a bunch of no-shows, and it’s just ridiculous when they’re 30 minutes apart to begin with, only runs 4 times, and there are absolutely no alerts that go out, so you just end up standing at the bus stop for 20 minutes before you give up. Ridiculous. There is no excuse.

Gene September 24, 2014 (9:29 am)

Yes it costs money to run busses-but we have a right to expect better management of that money. Lets have period of poor service-not enough drivers-whatever-people will complain-see what happens when there’s not enough money???? Bet that puts big smiles on Metros face!
Vote NO!

sam-c September 24, 2014 (9:30 am)

and people always ask why others drive instead of taking the bus. the buses are un-reliable, obviously.

junctioneer September 24, 2014 (9:55 am)

I understand there’s a lot of reasons behind this. The outcome for me, however, is that I simply take the bus left often. I’m glad/hopeful I can rely on consistency after the cuts, though.

steve September 24, 2014 (9:55 am)

Sorry for all those that missed their bus, Not sorry for Metro. If stuck at a bus stop, hold up a sign where you’re going,,, if my way, I’ll give you a ride. Most important, a safe pull-over area.
Twice I’ve seen metro drive right past a person waiting at a bus stop. I picked them up and got them to the next stop in time. I think the latest “no drivers” from Metro is just a stunt. Not a fan.

blaughw September 24, 2014 (9:56 am)

AG – I’m not sure I appreciate the “assurance” that they will make the outages random, and “never cancel the same trip on consecutive days!”

I’m currently a rt 37 rider, where such service interruption means 1 hour between trips rather than 30 mins!

Luckily for me, I’m soon to move back to the Junction and (literally, from what I understand) rub elbows with Rapid Ride C passengers.

Tony September 24, 2014 (9:58 am)

It may be “money”, but it’s not the money the commenters think. The bus FARES cover less than 30% of the bus costs, and yet they don’t raise fares to meet the costs. It costs less to take a bus across 520 than it does to pay the bridge toll!

Meanwhile, the cuts focused on commuter runs – that is, runs that take working folk to their jobs. During the committee meetings, the reasoning was that the poor would be disproportionately impacted if their routes were cut, because they don’t have alternatives. But you see, now the trouble is you’ve forced the middle class OFF the bus routes because their time is money. And then they don’t support more taxes for buses because, well, the buses don’t come for them.

So the system is self-defeating. Want a good transit system? Don’t focus on the poor; focus on people who really have to be somewhere. Don’t make it a socialist venture; have it come closer to paying its own way. We’re doing it the Seattle way, which is to say, don’t do it at all until we can do it spectacularly badly as designed by consensus.

WSB September 24, 2014 (10:13 am)

Someone mentioned “this isn’t new” – we didn’t say that it was, but I do want to note that it has been pointed out to us that The Times reported it last month, and if that had come up in my websearch before framing the question to Metro, I would have included the link: http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/08/september-bus-cuts-causing-pain-early

JanS September 24, 2014 (10:30 am)

Tony…so…”the poor” don’t really have to he anywhere? why? because their lazy, shiftless arses don’t work? What world do you live in? “The poor” often don’t have cars, and do work, and need to get “there” just like you do. But let’s just effing ignore them because they don’t count? WOW! JUST WOW!

DW September 24, 2014 (10:44 am)

I think Tony’s comment was meant to imply that by focusing on middle class commuters who use transit to get to work, you stand a better chance of increasing paid ridership and therefore, revenue. I have to agree that much of the rhetoric from Metro is focused on how to best serve the poor or those who have no other option. However, If you beefed up routes and service to Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon, you’d end up with better ridership AND revenue for other initiatives.

Timing September 24, 2014 (11:05 am)

Fauntleroy guy, thanks for letting the public know that Metro cannot manage itself! In the private sector we work with these identical situation, with hard work and ability to adapt we are able to delver consistent service levels. Perhaps some of the rapid ride and metro drivers strolling the aisles of target in Westwood continually can pick up the slack?

miws September 24, 2014 (11:39 am)

OMG!!!! Bus Drivers taking their mandated (PDF): http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/files/policies/esc6.pdf and well earned Breaks!

And screw ’em, if the Break is cut short, or eliminated, by running extremely late due to a stupid Mariner’s afternoon Game that dumps Fans out into into traffic at the peak of the afternoon Commute!

Mike

Kathy September 24, 2014 (11:42 am)

But if fares go up to exceed the perceived cost of driving, ridership will definitely go down. I do believe a fare increase is planned – http://metro.kingcounty.gov/fares/fare-change-effective-03-01-15.html – along with some fare relief for the poor in March. What’s that quote? “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transportation”. Seattle not there yet….

Donovan September 24, 2014 (11:46 am)

WS resident beat me to it. Looking for a missing C bus? It’s probably waiting at Westwood Village on Barton. What a waste of resources.

AG September 24, 2014 (11:54 am)

blaughw – huh? I’m not sure if you were addressing your comment to me. It didn’t reference anything I was saying. Maybe you meant to address someone else.

Tony September 24, 2014 (11:58 am)

Jan, your breathless hyperbole is definitely an impediment to a mature discussion. People with jobs need to be places on a schedule. Metro’s FAQ covers how they cut routes; first up were commuter routes – those running during peak hours – because they are empty when not actually on the run. In other words, and they’re very clear about this, if the route is over-full going over 520 (for example), from 7am to 9am, on every run during that two hour peak, it will be subject to cutting because it’s only 1/2 full at peak – it’s empty returning to the terminal on the non-route portion – and because it keeps running past the downtown exits that most people exit at.

If you want tax payers to support the bus system, it really has to support them. But their current metrics – and again, they’re open about this – are antagonistic to the working class.

cj September 24, 2014 (12:10 pm)

I was wondering if the downloadable metro map included the new cuts to service? The ones that are dated to take effect at the end of this week.

Fauntleroy guy September 24, 2014 (12:30 pm)

To Timing – “In the private sector we work with these identical situation with hard work and ability to adapt we are able to delver consistent service levels” So when you need 60 workers to make widgets, but you only have 45, you keep production going on time. When you need 3 cooks and 6 waiters to staff on Friday night, but you only have 2 cooks and 4 waiters, no problem, the customer won’t notice the difference. When you walk into a store that usually has 10 sales clerks, but only 7 today, it is service as usual. Please come work for Metro, we could use you! You do not know the hoops we jumped through to keep cancellations down to the level they have been, it could have been worse. As to back to back trips being canceled, that has been addressed, it was an oversight that we should have caught. Typical bus route is around 1.5 hours long. There is scheduled time at the end for drivers breaks and time to account for delays such as traffic, blocking accidents, breakdowns, time spent with special needs passengers, you name it. When the driver gets to Westwood, they have the opportunity to use the bathroom – where? At Target. I understand dissatisfaction with government services, but to suggest a Metro plot to screw the public is ridiculous.

Chris September 24, 2014 (12:44 pm)

I ride the bus almost every day (125) to my job downtown and 99% of the it works great. I find it far more reliable and less stressful than driving (bus lanes on WS Bridge and Viaduct). Frankly, I am surprised how many people prefer sitting in traffic by themselves burning gas and then paying for parking. When I look around on my bus I see people from all walks of life so I don’t get the poor vs. rich argument.

JanS September 24, 2014 (12:49 pm)

@Tony…again with the “people with jobs”? “The poor” have jobs, too…..maybe you mean well, but it comes across differently. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. EVERYONE needs good/better bus service…not just the middle class, the upper class (who would rather die than take public transportation at times). I, myself, do not take public transpo, due to disability and time constraints on the occasional time I have to go for an appointment on First Hill. I also work at home, so don’t have that commute others have.

I understand everything that you said in both your posts. I do follow these things. I simply disagreed with the way you said it.

Kelly September 24, 2014 (1:16 pm)

The Sept. 27 cuts require a reduction in the driver force — there’s a shortage now because they are choosing to handle these cuts through natural attrition. Metro has some fantastic drivers — this is a kinder, more sensitive alternative to involuntary layoffs, and I for one appreciate the foresight and am willing to manage the inconvenience.

MJ September 24, 2014 (1:25 pm)

Had two 33’s and a 24 no show downtown yesterday with 3 buses that went by that had “To Terminal” on them.

Timing September 24, 2014 (2:10 pm)

Fauntleroy guy, your argument is weak, wordy and off the mark. Spend an hour at Target at almost anytime of day, there are almost always two drivers just strolling the isles and I assume not on a “break” for well over an hour. I’m guessing I’m not the only one to see that? Love seeing my tax money disrespected , easy to vote no with anything Metro is attached too!

WSB September 24, 2014 (2:44 pm)

“Timing,” so you have spent more than an hour following apparent Metro drivers around Target? Or maybe you work there? And what happened when you reported this suspected wrongdoing to Metro?

datamuse September 24, 2014 (2:58 pm)

I was just in Target. Didn’t see any Metro drivers.
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Maybe they’re ninjas.

JanS September 24, 2014 (3:50 pm)

or maybe they’re security persons in disguise ;-)

West Seattle Hipster September 24, 2014 (4:20 pm)

I agree with many of the other commenters, the wall of buses at Westwood Village fosters a perception of a inefficient organization.

In regards to the “To Terminal” buses that go from West Seattle back to base, couldn’t they be better utilized to shuttle riders to a stop near the base?

I also agree with the sentiment of getting new leadership. Kevin Desmond has tried and failed to fix what is broken. The only solution he and Metro can come up with is to raise our taxes. How about studying other transit systems to find out what Metro can improve upon? Or, how about letting Sound Transit expand bus service in Seattle?

Raising taxes is easy for local government, finding creative solutions seems to be difficult.

AmandaKH September 24, 2014 (4:29 pm)

Okay People! The Wall Of Buses. When the Rapid Ride C was started, Metro turned WWV/Roxhill Park into a Transit Hub. Meaning that it is a center point for 5 different lines. Center – meaning that routes end and start at the Hub. So, drivers end their routes at WWV/Roxhill Park – stretch their legs, eat something, go to the bathroom. Take their 30 minute lunch – before they start their route again. So PLEASE, stop giving the Metro drivers on their break a hard time. The real issue is the mismanagement of Metro how it is run and overseen.

Community Member September 24, 2014 (6:38 pm)

At 8:46, KelWel said, “I believe if our public schools are going to use Metro to get our students there, they need to also send funds Metro’s way. Getting to school is just as important as the education provided.”

The schools ARE paying for bus service. See http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/school%20board/13-14%20agendas/070214agenda/20140702_Action_Report_ORCA.pdf

That document mentions a price for service that was negotiated just this past summer; it should have been sufficient.

My student keeps missing first period at the high school, and has had to switch to an earlier and earlier bus to get to school. I’d rather not put another teen driver on the roads of Seattle, but I don’t think there’s any other option.

djmalo September 24, 2014 (6:41 pm)

I’m not a math genius, but this must be ‘new’ math. 99.9% of 12,000 rides = 11,988
12,000 – 115 missed= 11,985
Achieved 11,985< 11,988 goal
Which looks like less than the efficiency they were striving for. Which might also be an indication as to why they can't seem to get the funding right. If you're going to use math to prove your theorem statement, make sure the numbers back it up. Just sayin'.

Drives Alone September 24, 2014 (6:55 pm)

The bus drivers rejected a contract earlier this month that would have saved $8 million in the Metro budget. Their own union was in favor of the contract.

Annoyed Rider September 24, 2014 (7:24 pm)

@ RDF I am a high school student that takes the first 128 bus every morning. I catch it by Highland Park and have to be lucky to get a seat sometimes. I’m guessing Madison cut their buses because the bus is almost packed with both Madison and WSHS students and the driver refuses to pick up anyone after high point therefore no one is getting picked up on California. It’s ridiculous and there are many kids on the bus who refuse to scoot back and make room for the bus to pick up other people. A lot of mornings, there is enough room on the bus for another 5-7 people but the driver wouldn’t know because many students stand in the aisle to chit chat with their friends.

michael ford September 24, 2014 (7:41 pm)

This is nothing new as the C line or better known as the crapy line with the reroutes over and over and metro not making sure the drivers are following them i’ve been left in downtown seattle more than once waiting where metro posted the c line was to pick up which is more than 1 1/2 blocks away from the regualar stop being disabled and being assulted while waiting for my bus home from work at 12:00 midnight at 2nd and columbia to come home here in west seattle only to be told that king county was not going to pay for my taxi ride home i could just wait for the next bus if it was doing the right reroute i personally feel all of metro’s management needs to be replaced as well as dow and anyone else that seems to think that metro should not be held acountable for not doing the job we as tax payers are paying for also metro needs to change the “we’ll get you there ” to maybe we’ll get you there or maybe we’ll get you there someday!!!!!!

jwright September 24, 2014 (8:57 pm)

I’ve never understood why the public sector is held to a gold standard when plenty of otherwise successful private sector companies have their issues. I just want to share two points as food for thought.
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I used to work for a transportation company. The conveyances required operators. Sometimes we got caught short and there were not enough operators due to illness, training, vacations, etc. Hire more operators, right? Well then we would have been overstaffed, i.e. inefficient. For everyone clamoring for Metro to get more efficient, here you go. They are trying to run the operation with the minimum staff to be efficient. Maximizing efficiency may effect operational reliability sometimes. You cannot maximize both.
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Successful businesses have hiccups, too. Microsoft has Vista and Windows 8; Boeing has the 787. Neither company is being written off just yet. I’m sure your business has its share of missteps, too, but they aren’t getting flogged on WSB.
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I drive, Ms. jwright takes the bus. We are very grateful for the flexibility Seattle’s transit system offers us.
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And a couple final asides. Chances are, people riding the bus are people not driving. If Ms. jwright were not taking the bus, I would drive from West Seattle to downtown and drop her off in the morning and do the same in the afternoon to pick her up. That’s two round trips during prime time. Funding Metro is a lot cheaper than expanding 5/99/West Seattle Bridge. And I am not sure where all the spitefulness comes from. Perhaps it is part and parcel with the angry crank personality type that seems to be a frequent online poster. However if you have issues with the system now, I am not sure how eviscerating it is going to improve it.
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P.S. We will be voting YES.

datamuse September 24, 2014 (11:01 pm)

There’s a comparison report on Metro’s website between Metro and other transit systems in other U.S. cities (keeping in mind that Metro really covers all of King County, which is pretty different from serving San Francisco or D.C.).
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One thing I noticed when reading that report is that cities where I personally have been very impressed with the transit system (Boston, New York, and San Francisco, specifically) *all* have higher costs to operate, per transit vehicle, than Metro. So I’m wondering what people’s evidence basis is for other cities doing it better, cheaper. Got data?

Tony September 25, 2014 (11:19 am)

datamuse, there are several reasons those comparisons don’t make sense.

First, all three of those cities have massive subway systems.

Second, everything has higher costs in those cities, including bagels and coffee, oyster dinners and rent.

Third, they built most of their infrastructure well before Seattle started, Boston’s Big Dig disaster being an outlier but an instructive one.

More interesting is that those cities also all charge much higher fares than Seattle.

Kelly The Driver September 25, 2014 (3:11 pm)

Just a note on “To Terminal” buses. They are buses going from the end of one trip to the next, and sometimes there is not exactly a demand to get from those two points. For example, my work starting next week goes from Issaquah Highlands to near the Costco in Issaquah. How many people need to go that way? Would you create a new route number so that people know what it is/where it is going? Who will be pay for making the new information available to people?

There are a couple areas where To Terminal/To Base buses pick up passengers. The biggest one being along the 520 bridge… When I was returning to base (Bellevue) from Seattle, I would often times pick up 2-3 bikes headed to Evergreen Point or towards the base.

WSB September 25, 2014 (3:15 pm)

Thank you for that info, Kelly.

Diane September 26, 2014 (11:49 am)

does anyone have information on how/why LA, which has higher COL than Seattle, just raised their bus fare to about half of what we pay here? LA bus fare is going up to ONLY $1.75; and datamuse, do you have info on how LA metro is funded? (I’m guessing CA state income tax may be part of it)
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http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2014/09/15/metro-bus-fares-increased.html?ana=fbk

Sorry, comment time is over.