Week 2: letter to customers from Metro Transit general manager
Dear Metro customer,
It’s been two weeks of commutes since we made major changes to Metro Transit service, and while things are going more smoothly for many, we still are working on
several problems identified by our customers.
We’ve taken steps to address crowding on some routes, and are monitoring reports of missed stops on other routes. We also are working with bus drivers to make things go more smoothly on every trip – including directing riders to consistently exit at the back of the bus when able and encouraging riders to move to the back so passengers aren’t left at the curb.
We’re taking these steps in part because you reported them. While we may not be able to address every concern, we do consider all feedback and potential solutions as we work to serve as many riders as we can with the best system we can. Your feedback is appreciated and valued.
Thanks for riding Metro Transit and for your patience during this unusual period of
transition for so many.
Kevin Desmond, Metro Transit General Manager
I take either the 522, 312 or 306 home every day and the recent route changes have left me wanting to throw away my Orca card and reach for my car keys. What used to be a super fast and easy route from 3rd and Union and then straight to the express lanes with a quick stop on sixth has turned into a nightmare. Instead of the bus only clear route on third we are now forced to the bottleneck that is fourth and Pike/Pine. It seems that every North bound metro, sound transit and community transit bus is on fourth along with all the cars. From the stop on fourth and pike today I was able to see a line of buses at least ten deep waiting to pull up to the curb and inching through traffic. The 312 didn’t even make the stop today. It stopped about four buses back at the South end of the block and then blew past the stop. I never had a chance to catch it. Once I do finally manage to get a bus it had to spend about twenty minutes fighting through traffic trying to get to the express lanes. The old route took about three minutes. My commute time home has easily doubled with it sometimes taking an extra hour to get home. I live 8 miles from work. Seriously guys, this was terrible planning. Give me back my old route please!
And here I am, writing again. 7 Prentice over 20 minutes late. Two hours to get from the UDistrict to south Seattle.
It would be great if you could share the steps you are taking. Telling your drivers to stop at the stops they are supposed to seems pretty straight forward. I also would like to know why you chose to make the changes in the first place, for example why take the east side buses out of the tunnel? There is a direct onramp to i90 from the tunnel, seems like those buses using i90 east would be the buses that should use the tunnel.
I was a loyal 133 rider. The trip took 45 minutes door to door. But after 2 weeks of standing on the C line, transferring to a standing room only 73 (when I wasn’t getting passed by) to get to UW in 90 minutes with a similar trip home, I am off Metro and back in my car.
Just count me another satisfied customer!!
Here’s an issue – yet again, I’m stuck on Rainier waiting for a 7 Prentice that isn’t showing up. The one that should have been here at 5:06 didn’t arrive, and the one that should have been here at 5:18 didn’t arrive. The regular 7’s are coming through no problem, so it’s not a traffic issue. Seriously, the 7P is a problem. You try getting to work on time when your bus fails to show up in the morning. You try getting home at a reasonable time when you may have anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes added to your commute because the bus just doesn’t show up…. The drivers are all great, but I’ve got to say this *never* happened in the 7 years I lived in neighborhoods farther north.