Behind the scenes, he’s called the hub that keeps the wheels turning at King County Metro. A positive go-getter who can always be relied on.
And he didn’t expect the spotlight to be on him when it came time for the Vehicle Maintenance team to honor one of its own.
In a surprise ceremony, Troy McDowell was named the Vehicle Maintenance Employee of the Year for King County Metro. Previous winners selected McDowell from among 680 vehicle maintenance employees who make sure buses are safe and reliable each day.
McDowell is devoted father and a third-generation Metro employee, whose dad and grandfather both had decades-long careers as mechanics. Troy has worked for Metro since 1998, including 15 years on graveyard shifts and stints at Central, East and Bellevue bases.
Supervisors praised McDowell for being “ready and willing to do any task asked of him to keep Vehicle Maintenance moving.”
As an Equipment Service Worker in Metro’s Component Supply Center in Tukwila, he picks up and delivers essential parts from vendors. That also included the parts for new automated plexiglass safety partitions needed to keep drivers safe during the pandemic.
“In a challenging year, Troy McDowell helped keep Vehicle Maintenance—and Metro—moving,” said Metro’s Deputy General Manager Michelle Allison.
“While all of us have been asked to do more, Troy was already doing it. I’m proud to honor his hard work, his optimism, and his commitment to colleagues, customers, and our entire agency.”
The honor was a huge surprise, delivered as McDowell was surrounded by colleagues and his dad. As he does his part to keep buses moving for the public each day, he is grateful for the good-paying job and how it allows him to be a rock of support for his kids.
“They’re my fuel in the tank to push on,” McDowell said. 