What some might consider a winter wonderland has proved to be quite challenging for commuters across the region today. The National Weather Service reports that up to 10 inches of snow fell in certain parts of the area, creating difficult traveling conditions across the Puget Sound region.
In preparation for today’s snowfall, Metro prechained its fleet of 1,500 buses, most of which were in service today. Snow routes have been in effect since 5 a.m. Our operations team staffed up and we activated our Department Operations Center in order to be as responsive as possible and keep people moving.
That said, the volume of snow we’ve experienced has proven to be challenging. We’re tracking and working to retrieve stuck buses and working to address service delays. The coast is far from clear.
If you must leave your house today, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Be patient. Delays are being seen across the board and you should prepare to wait outside. Wear layers, gloves and bring a bottle of water.
- Keep an eye on MetroWinter.com and, in particular, the Snow, Ice & Floods alert page for the most current reroute information.
- Mind the hills. If you typically catch a bus on a hill, or did this morning, all bets are off. The best move is to travel to the bottom of the hill to help the driver get to you. We’re also hearing that several hilly roads have been closed as conditions have developed.
- Thank your driver! It takes people to keep people moving and we’ve got some outstanding operators navigating tricky roads today.
Looking ahead to the evening commute, we are monitoring conditions and preparing for potentially freezing roads as temperatures drop.
Riders should expect that Tuesday’s commute could be just as difficult, so please monitor weather forecasts, state and city travel warnings, and sign up to receive transit alerts for the routes you use most.