King County Metro is continuing our work on the Safety, Security, and Fare Enforcement (SaFE) Reform Initiative to reimagine transit safety and security policies and practices.
This summer, more than 5,600 riders, community members, and Metro employees participated in the second of the four phases of public engagement. Thank you for taking our survey and telling us what it means to be safe on transit, at bus stops, and at our other transit facilities.
These survey results, from employees, community stakeholders, and focus group discussions, helped form the following vision statement for a safe and welcoming Metro. That Metro’s vision is to be “Safe, accessible, and equitable transit that is co-created to support community well-being.”
Definitions of key terms in this vision statement are as follows:
Safe: Well-being that is supported through recognition of everyone’s dignity.
Accessible: Transit that is easy for community members of all backgrounds and abilities to use and provide.
Equitable: Fair, complete, and equal access to transit environments that support the ability to thrive.
Community: An interconnected collective of people, places, and things that make transit work as it should.
Co-created: Shared ownership of creation with the understanding that the process and relationship with community is continuous.
The third phase of engagement invites the public and employees to look at Metro’s existing policies and practices related to safety and security and see how well they align with this community vision statement and definition of safety.
Starting September 24 through October 3, please go to the survey to read the policies and provide your comments. The survey is available in English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (traditional), Dari, French, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. Tell us how well current policies support the vision statement, and how you would change these policies and practices and your ideas to make Metro safer.
Your responses will form a list of recommendations and priorities for discussions with community and employees.
This process will result in a report submitted to King County Council this fall and permanent improvements to safety on and near transit. We continue this process with an open heart and mind. You have our commitment to be transparent and accountable with the information and comments we receive.
Thank you for your role in making sure that all voices are heard as we make our mobility system safer and more equitable.
In appreciation of community,
Terry White
Terry White is the General Manager of King County Metro
I pay my fare ,and the homeless just hop on and dare any one to challenge them ..I dread having to take the E line to down town..just hate it
I stopped riding the A line buses because of the violence toward me and other senior citizens.
It’s way too dangerous to ride, especially at night. Operators should allow passengers to exit the
bus during violent fights by pulling over and opening the exit doors. Currently, operators hold passengers hostage during violent incidences.
I have no choice but to use public transit. Lately, I have been seeing more and more people get on WITHOUT WEARING A MASK, or pulling the mask below their nose, going to sit way in the back of the bus. The drivers do not challenge them at all. I think you should have some plainclothes people to ride frequently-used routes and challenge scofflaws / put them off if they refuse to comply. I am challenging people myself. I am 65, in the higher-risk category (even though I am fully vaxed). Things are getting sloppy. The crisis is not yet over. Can anything be done about this? I have no real authority to do what I am doing, but I am doing it because DRIVERS FOR THE MOST PART ARE SAYING AND DOING NOTHING WHATSOEVER.