METRO: Here’s what else is changing for West Seattle buses, besides return to high bridge

On ~~Sunday~~ Monday*, Metro buses – along with other vehicles – return to the West Seattle Bridge after 2 1/2 years. But that’s not the only change for West Seattle Metro riders starting this weekend. Saturday (September 17th) brings the almost-fall twice-annual service change, when schedules are revised system-wide. This time, dozens of West Seattle trips will be cut, as Metro continues struggling with staffing. Here are the planned changes:

ROUTES 21/21X, 50, 55, 56, 57, 120, 125, RAPIDRIDE C LINE: Moving back to the high bridge Sunday. This also means the buses on these routes that served the Spokane/11th stops east of the low bridge will no longer be doing that.

All the other changes are in effect as of Saturday:

C LINE: “Nineteen weekday trips will be deleted to address workforce shortages.” See the timetable here.

ROUTE 21X: “Seven weekday trips will be deleted to address workforce shortages.” See the timetable here.

ROUTE 22: “Two weekday trips will be deleted to address workforce shortages.” See the timetable here.

ROUTE 55: “Three weekday trips will be deleted to address workforce shortages.” See the timetable here.

ROUTE 56: “Four weekday trips will be deleted to address workforce shortages.” See the timetable here.

ROUTE 120: “Five weekday trips will be deleted to address workforce shortages.” See the timetable here.

ROUTE 131: “One weekday trip will be deleted to address workforce shortages.” See the timetable here.

You can see the full system-wide list of changes here.

*3:04 PM UPDATE: We’ve just learned from Metro that they plan to start the high-bridge routing Monday, not Sunday.

Bus rider September 12, 2022 (12:03 pm)

There is a typo on the 56/57 timetable. It shows the 56 and 57 leaving downtown at 4:41 pm.

WSREZZZ September 12, 2022 (3:32 pm)

Is that not feasibly possible that they leave DT at the same time?
Jeff Switzer, Metro September 13, 2022 (8:34 am)

We confirmed with our scheduling team, it’s rare, but yes both trips are scheduled to leave downtown at 4:41 p.m., heading for Alki and Genesee.

Herongrrrl September 12, 2022 (12:35 pm)

Will we ever get route 37 back?

WSB September 12, 2022 (12:55 pm)

I knew somebody would ask that so I have that question out to Metro.
- Al King September 12, 2022 (1:04 pm)
  
  WSB. Can you also ask if Genesee Hill will ever get a bus back.
  - WSB September 12, 2022 (2:28 pm)
    
    My inquiry is about the review process for suspended routes in general.
    - Herongrrrl September 12, 2022 (10:06 pm)
      
      Thanks for asking, WSB!
    - WSB September 12, 2022 (10:44 pm)
      
      I’m going to write a separate story tomorrow as there’s a lot of background to look up but short version, no route is outright dead without having had to get approved by the King County Council. So you might consider contacting the council (Joe McDermott represents WS and lives here) to urge reinstatement….

Kyle September 12, 2022 (12:53 pm)

Since Metro can’t hire enough people to provide service we should get a refund on taxes

Kt September 12, 2022 (1:31 pm)

???

Al King September 12, 2022 (12:54 pm)

Metro offer any reason for not being able to attract drivers?? Kinda hard to get people out of their cars if there’s no bus to catch.

East Coast Cynic September 12, 2022 (1:09 pm)

Also difficult to get remote workers back to the office if they can’t depend on a bus showing up, not to mention the persistence of covid-19.
- newnative September 12, 2022 (3:01 pm)
  
  As someone working a hybrid schedule, partly at home and a few days in town, I’m frustrated with the lack of consistency in notices. I get to relying on the Metro Alerts so when they miss a bus or two, it’s impossible to plan ahead.
  - Dustin Z. Wind September 18, 2022 (5:21 pm)
    
    And FSM help you if you have to transfer. For even a single transfer, you have to plan on being as much as an hour early. Try to arrive right on time, and you’ll frequently be anywhere from a little late to sometimes almost an hour late because “Bus 1 runs every 15 minutes – but the one I was going to catch was 10 minutes early*. This caused the next one to be 15 minutes late** (picking up all the people who missed Bus 1), not to mention godawfully overcrowded and slower. Bus 2 runs every 30 minutes, and the one I just missed was 5 minutes early.. Luckily, the next was on time.”
    * – Because it had no one to pick up, being behind one that was 10 minutes late. To anyone who thinks this sounds improbable, get the OneBusAway app and you can watch this resonance phenomenon repeat itself over and over (because Metro won’t require drivers to pause when they get way ahead of schedule).
    ** – Probably with the one that was scheduled for that time only a few minutes behind it, and the one scheduled for the next run a few minutes behind the others (and thus 10 minutes early). And so the cycle continues.
Kt September 12, 2022 (1:36 pm)

They have 62 full time positions vacant per article in Seattle Times. This is the same throughout the country post pandemic. Part of it is older drivers retired during the pandemic and they left a lot of empty positions
Insertname September 12, 2022 (5:22 pm)

I’d imagine the assaults and regular drug use that’s occurring on most buses has a lot to do with it. There just seems to be a lack of support from Metro for the safety of its drivers and passengers.
- April September 13, 2022 (6:36 am)
  
  The drug use and assaults among many other unsafe issues can happen being a driver it’s really scary knowing my husband is driving and can get hurt at any given time. Not to mention the drug addicts that overdose on the bus. I voiced my concern with this and the next week my husband told me they have security on the busses again. He was happy about that. So was I. Metro has so many great people that work hard for the community. How would everyone else do dealing with what they have to say in and day out. Keep up the hard work just push through. Thank you king county metro

DRW September 12, 2022 (1:09 pm)

More bike lanes! Kidding.

WestSeattleBadTakes September 12, 2022 (3:17 pm)

Yeah, we can’t have any real solutions!

GetThemBack September 12, 2022 (2:27 pm)

Maybe now that governor is giving up his emergency powers and along with it the requirement for mandatory covid shots. Now we can rehire the people that got fired for not having the shots earlier. However, I don’t necessarily know if I would come back after the way the city/state treated them.

Eddie September 12, 2022 (3:05 pm)

All three if them?
Chuck U Out September 12, 2022 (3:36 pm)

Not sure we would want you back pal. If they don’t care about the health of the people on the bus they probably would not be good bus drivers.
- Watertowerjim September 13, 2022 (11:11 am)
  
  Ugh. How many times do we need to revisit this? The vaccine does nothing to slow the spread but it does keep YOU from getting as sick as you otherwise might have. An unvaccinated driver, or nurse, or policeman adds nothing to the spread of Covid now.
mariah September 12, 2022 (3:36 pm)

No. Plenty of safe and responsible potential bus drivers! This is a terrible option!
Al King September 12, 2022 (5:04 pm)

GetThemBack. I take it you don’t believe an employer should have any rules? I take it you can do anything you feel like at work??
WS Gal September 12, 2022 (5:24 pm)

I wonder if new employees in those jobs where “Covid immunization was mandated” are being required to have the Covid Vaccine before being hired?

bus_rider September 12, 2022 (2:30 pm)

Will we ever get the 116, 118, and 119 routes back?

HD September 12, 2022 (2:36 pm)

I miss the 118/119/116! (If anyone from a metro is reading this)

Claudia Williams September 12, 2022 (2:55 pm)

It would help if King County would offer new drivers a full-time jobs instead of part-time! Folks can’t afford to hire on as part-time

Jeff September 12, 2022 (7:18 pm)

Same thing with the ferry system. Once you begin to look into the hiring process, the shortage of labor is completely unsurprising.

WSB September 12, 2022 (3:06 pm)

Update – I’ve just added this above; just learned from Metro that they have decided to start the high-bridge routing Monday rather than Sunday. SDOT is still not saying (we asked again today) exactly when on Sunday they’re opening the high bridge, so that may be a factor. – TR

Seaview September 12, 2022 (4:19 pm)

+1 on really missing the 116/118/119 route.

Admiral September 12, 2022 (5:55 pm)

Sounds like we really need that gondola to supplement the lack of bus drivers.

Frustrated September 12, 2022 (9:13 pm)

The gondola itself was never the problem. The insistence that the gondola be a replacement for light rail was the problem. Por que no los dos?
- Delta September 14, 2022 (5:21 am)
  
  Because Seattle doesn’t need yet another form of transit with a distinct operations staff that competes for funding with King County Metro, Sound Transit (busses and rail), the monorail, the South Lake Union Trolley, and the ferry system. We’ve seen what happens when there city is allowed to neglect a critical piece of infrastructure that only serves West Seattle. Let’s not set up a gimmick system that won’t serve other parts of the city and can be similarly neglected.

Adam September 12, 2022 (6:33 pm)

This is hugely disappointing. Create infrastructure downtown to deter driving and parking years before light rail is complete and now reduce the only other commuter option for those of us that try not to drive. Do they know what it’s like to wait at the bus stop after midnight downtown? And now it’s once an hour getting back on the C line after 1am. I work at night and this is my only option. Such a bummer to see.

Sorry, comment time is over.