King County Metro and health officials continue to call on customers to reserve transit only for first-responders, medical personnel, other essential workers, and people who rely on Metro for access to food, medicine, and similarly essential needs.

Preliminary data show ridership across our system remains substantially lower compared to this time a year ago. Metro analyzed preliminary extrapolations to create an unofficial estimate of ridership. From April 6-10, 2020, the average weekday bus ridership was about 106,000 compared to 390,000 in 2019, or a 73% drop.

Similarly, an estimated 68% fewer passengers used Metro’s Access paratransit service April 6-10. Water taxi routes also are seeing significantly reduced ridership, with 97% fewer riders.

Hovering just over 100,000 daily weekday rides for several consecutive weeks indicates the number of Metro customers who are most reliant on public transportation for essential travel ­– gaining access to food, medicine, and jobs – and can utilize the current reduced bus system schedule. In the absence of widespread teleworking and business closures, that figure would be significantly higher than 100,000.

Please help support the health of our frontline essential staff – the operators and crews, supervisors, and maintenance staff—by:

  • Traveling only when necessary,
  • Staying home if you are sick,
  • Wearing a face covering when traveling,
  • Washing your hands often and using sanitizer,
  • Covering your cough or sneeze, and
  • Staying as far apart as possible from other people.

Our commitment is to the safety of our employees, customers, and community and we appreciate your support as you follow the guidance to take only essential trips and to “Stay Home, Stay Healthy.”

COVID-preliminary ridership estimates March-April 10, 2020, decreasing ridership line graph compared to 2019

King County Metro bus ridership

*Unofficial ridership estimates are preliminary and based on samples and extrapolations

Date Baseline (2019) Current (2020) Change
3/2/2020 416,885 389,103 -7%
3/3/2020 430,822 396,544 -8%
3/4/2020 425,431 381,634 -10%
3/5/2020 411,763 344,562 -16%
3/6/2020 399,641 301,111 -25%
3/9/2020 408,494 283,259 -31%
3/10/2020 417,616 275,642 -34%
3/11/2020 424,583 269,362 -37%
3/12/2020 415,904 230,570 -45%
3/13/2020 397,707 207,253 -48%
3/16/2020 404,158 181,732 -55%
3/17/2020 410,204 163,519 -60%
3/18/2020 413,908 159,033 -62%
3/19/2020 403,555 149,350 -63%
3/20/2020 384,736 146,983 -62%
3/23/2020 377,285 131,543 -65%
3/24/2020 394,904 117,852 -70%
3/25/2020 394,545 115,874 -69%
3/26/2020 391,104 109,210 -72%
3/27/2020 376,578 109,633 -71%
3/30/2020 412,936 108,418 -74%
3/31/2020 426,257 109,490 -74%
4/1/2020 429,250 117,709 -73%
4/2/2020 426,229 108,079 -75%
4/3/2020 396,491 113,640 -71%
4/6/2020 386,962 109,611 -72%
4/7/2020 399,581 102,590 -74%
4/8/2020 396,974 105,624 -73%
4/9/2020 388,329 106,453 -73%
4/10/2020 377,581 107,688 -71%

 

Key affected King County Metro routes –
Average weekday ridership

*Unofficial ridership estimates are preliminary and based on samples and extrapolations
Week Route Baseline (2019) Current (2020) Change
April 6-10 7 10,857 5,400 -50%
April 6-10 36 9,072 3,208 -65%
April 6-10 40 12,483 2,970 -76%
April 6-10 44 8,732 2,232 -74%
April 6-10 70 8,784 2,012 -77%
April 6-10 120 8,443 3,509 -58%
April 6-10 RapidRide A Line 9,354 5,079 -46%
April 6-10 RapidRide C Line 11,219 2,684 -76%
April 6-10 RapidRide D Line 13,218 4,520 -66%
April 6-10 RapidRide E Line 16,551 7,077 -57%

 

King County Metro Water Taxi ridership (2020)
Feb. 24 1,910
Feb. 25 1,982
Feb. 26 1,962
Feb. 27 2,043
Feb. 28 1,540
March 2 1,778
March 3 1,892
March 4 1,739
March 5 1,383
March 6 838
March 9 958
March 10 936
March 11 845
March 12 686
March 13 452
March 16 370
March 17 274
March 18 271
March 19 262
March 20 208
March 23 183
March 24 212
March 25 208
March 26 145
March 27 115
March 30 147
March 31 136
April 1 156
April 2 144
April 3 125
April 6 80
April 7 102
April 8 71
April 9 81
April 10 85