BUS SURVEY: Metro asking for your opinions

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

In case you didn’t get this via a text alert or see it elsewhere: Metro has an online survey under way, asking you to agree/disagree with statements in categories including: Availability (including “The bus service is usually reliable”), accessibility (such as “It is easy to move around inside the bus”), information (“It is easy to get up to the minute information on when my bus will arrive”), time (“The bus gets me to my destination in good time”), customer care (“Staff are helpful”), comfort (“The bus is clean”), security, environmental impact, and more. It’s described as for everyone even if you seldom use the bus. If you have a few minutes to spare, go here.

NW April 9, 2019 (7:25 pm)

thanks for passing on the survey to fill out WSB and thank you KC Metro!

TS April 9, 2019 (7:58 pm)

They are going to get an earful.

Trickycoolj April 9, 2019 (8:17 pm)

Interesting that it’s a .co.uk website.

WSB April 9, 2019 (9:11 pm)

If you read the intro page (which I can’t reaccess as Survey Monkey cookied me for already going through the survey), I believe that’s explained by the fact that this is being conducted concurrently with surveys in multiple countries.

ARPigeonPoint April 9, 2019 (10:58 pm)

I had a little fun with that survey on Twitter today. Well, it started out as fun and became a thread that explained in detail my KC Metro experiences.

Out for a Walk. April 9, 2019 (11:12 pm)

Security and on time are the most important for me and many folks I know. Many folks tell me they will not EVER use Metro because of security concerns. I know folks who happen to be of the minority class and they are especially vocal about this saying that in no way would they take the bus given the predisposition of law enforcement and others to prejudge them if an illegal or disruptive event occurred. They feel like they would be signaled out even if they were not involved. Also, I never feel safe when I decide to venture out and ride the bus downtown. Thus, I am usually driving and paying to park; but I feel safer!

Raised in WS April 10, 2019 (1:08 am)

I think you’re blowing things a little out of proportion here…
NW April 10, 2019 (6:45 am)

It’s so unfortunate that individuals like yourself increasingly live with so much fear of people and situations. Get out there and ride the bus and overcome those fears and be driven to your destination.
Danny April 10, 2019 (7:51 am)

I ride the bus every week day, and I have seen a few fights and broken windows. Usually it’s just a few people having really bad days who escalate a small problem. I’m pretty confident that I can handle myself in a fight and that (as a white woman) the bus riders or police will side with me if stuff goes down, but I totally get avoiding a space where violence occasionally happens if you don’t think you could handle it or if you think you’ll get blamed or arrested for it unfairly. Just because I don’t feel threatened on the bus doesn’t mean other people’s fears are disproportionate or that safety isn’t a problem on our buses.
- newnative April 10, 2019 (9:19 am)
  
  The problem with that approach is that if everyone that could abandon the bus did, then only the very vulnerable and the troublemakers are left on the bus.
  - Danny April 10, 2019 (10:10 am)
    
    I have no obligation to ride the bus. My company would even pay for my parking if I decided I wanted to drive to work. I choose to take the bus because I hate driving and I’m confident that I could handle a situation if it happens. There are other situations that I avoid because I don’t think I could handle things if they go south. I have PTSD so I don’t want to shame anyone for avoiding situations they can’t handle.That said, I think buses are a public good and happily pay taxes to support our bus system. If I had things my way, we’d have fare free buses paid for with taxes and way more routes. The only people who would need to commute by car would be those who prefer it. But I’m an irresponsible hippie, so I’ll just settle for appreciating the bus system we have.

WS Rider April 10, 2019 (12:27 am)

This survey does not address issues such as the reader boards listing when the next bus will arrive can be wildly off. The C line should never read 26 minutes until the next bus arrives on a work day. (Reported to Metro numerous times). The NB bus stop at the WS Ferry on Fauntleroy does not have a sidewalk to access it. People must go down a steep flight of stairs to get to it or try and cross Fauntleroy. SDOT and Metro should work together so that pedestrian controlled crossing are placed at the bus stops rather than making riders walk a long distance just to cross the street. Already had one young person hit by a car trying to cross the street at one of these stops without the controlled crossing. We use the C line frequently and will continue to do so but I do think Metro should be open to updates to their process.

enid April 10, 2019 (6:57 am)

Metro needs to take a stand on the huge, non-folding strollers that take up one entire side of the senior/disabled area. On multiple trips within the last week, I’ve seen seniors bullied out of their seats to accommodate the equivalent of a baby mini-van. What’s worse is the attitude of the parents, one of which loudly and obscenely declared their “right” and “priority” to these seats. One senior refused to move and was cursed at and insulted for the remainder of the trip. It’s a disgusting and shameful commentary on both Metro and these parents. Not sure yet, but I believe this may be a violation of the ADA. There used to be a policy that required strollers to be folded and the child removed and held by the parent. Like so many ordinances and rules in Seattle, this is never enforced any more.

RT April 10, 2019 (8:38 am)

One reason I don’t take the bus (56/57) more frequently is because it is reported as not running…..at one pint I was getting daily alerts on this. The efficient options for North Admiral residents are very limited. If you run it (Metro) we will come.

Route 21 Hostage April 10, 2019 (11:28 am)

I wish there was a way to let them know that all my “Strongly Disagree” responses are specific to the 21. Oh well. They need to hear how terrible a job they’re doing and how filthy, uncomfortable and unreliable the buses are.

Junctionite April 10, 2019 (12:44 pm)

The C Line should be running more frequently in peak commute hours, particularly in the afternoon. I usually avoid it coming home in the evening, taking the 55 or 116 instead, because it is unpleasantly packed and sitting isn’t even close to being an option.

Jay Bradley April 10, 2019 (12:52 pm)

I ride the buses at least a dozen times a week and rarely, if ever, have felt any security concerns. Nearly all my rides are into downtown, and I also wait at 3rd/Pike, which is where the sketchy stuff is actually happening. I wonder what some folks are considering security concerns? Is it possible that maybe some of this is prejudice against certain groups, say homeless people, who have more frequently been using WS busses? I’ve never seen any fights break out, heard only a few verbal encounters, but nothing else.

anonyme April 10, 2019 (12:56 pm)

Metro delivers horrible service on some routes (such as the 21) and then when ridership declines due to unreliable service – they cut the service even more. This is what happened to the 21 local that used to serve Arbor Heights in the daytime. Many drivers would either skip the loop entirely, or cut it short by exiting out 102nd or other streets, thereby stranding folks waiting out here in the hinterlands. Some routes have so many cancellations that they can’t even really be considered public transportation any more. Most workers can’t rely on transportation that runs on a whim.

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