Recognizing all the employees who get you from a place to a place as we celebrate Transit Appreciation Week!
March 17-23 is Transit Appreciation Week, which recognizes and celebrates everyone who contributes to the operation of one of the best transit systems in America: Metro! A highlight of the week is Transit Operator Appreciation Day on Monday, March 18.
Our operators—bus drivers, light rail and streetcar operators, Metro Flex drivers and Water Taxi captains and crew—are the most visible faces you see every day, but our regional mobility system has more than 5,200 people working to get you where you need to go comfortably and safely, 24/7. Whether you ride daily or use one of our mobility options for a trip to the store, a medical appointment, or a night on the town, all of Metro’s employees work together to get you where you need to go.
Transit Appreciation Week is an opportunity to acknowledge all the transit employees who keep our fleets moving. We want to introduce, recognize and thank all the Metro staff that you might not see, but who are vital to the smooth operation of your trip.
Transit Appreciation week is also your opportunity to say thank you to anyone and everyone at Metro.
- Thank your bus operator, Access driver, rail operator, streetcar operator or Water Taxi crew member! Use the hashtag #ThanksMetro and give them a shout-out on social media.
- Download this sign and wave it at your bus stop or take a photo and tag Metro’s X feed @KingCountyMetro.
- Visit our Transit Appreciation page to learn more.
This is a week to give a big thank you to all Metro staff, including:
The Vehicle Maintenance staff who maintain our vehicles, trains and vessels. This is the team responsible for daily cleaning, disinfecting, maintenance, and repair of our fleet. And when we get snow, the Vehicle Maintenance team is out chaining up buses!
The employees in Facilities who tirelessly work to keep bus shelters, transit bases, and transit offices clean and safe. Facilities staff begin their job when most of us are done with our work; crews work at night to pressure wash bus shelters and empty trash cans throughout the region, clean offices and disinfect workstations. They keep the trolley wires in good operating order and maintain radio and electrical systems, as well as the Water Taxi dock at Pier 50.
Our Bus Operations staff responsible for the daily management of all our coaches across Metro’s seven bus bases and roughly 150 routes throughout King County.
The employees in the Transit Control Center for providing 24/7 support, and who monitor and answer operator calls, and manage Metro’s response to events throughout the system.
The Service Development team members responsible for analyzing and helping prepare Metro for changes in our service, such as this month’s coming service change.
Our System Impacts members who prepare for events that can affect Metro’s regularly planned service: Everything from weather to construction to civic celebration events.
Our Marine staff who keep Metro’s water-based services afloat! The team is responsible for the operation of Metro’s Water Taxi Fleet, including the moorage and maintenance of the ships that provide passenger-only ferry services from Pier 50 in downtown Seattle to Vashon and West Seattle. And when needed, they save the waterfront!
The Rail team operates Link light rail, along with the South Lake Union and First Hill Streetcar lines. From Angle Lake to Northgate, and soon on the Eastside and Lynnwood, from downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill to the shores of Lake Union, the rail staff maintain and manage miles of rail along with the facilities and grounds.
The staff of Mobility and Contracted Services provides services that reduce the number of cars on the road and provide mobility options for geographic areas where our buses can’t reach. They work on the vanpool system that brings neighbors together for rides to work, our on-demand programs such as Metro Flex, Community Vans, the DART (Dial-A-Ride Transit) program and Access, which provide needed transportation options for seniors and those with mobility challenges.
Our Customer Communications and Services staff who are Metro’s “voice,” providing customers with information in so many areas, including trip planning and options for paying their fares.
Metro Transit Police keep our passengers and operators safe. Their duties cover several areas off the buses, too, from investigating crimes that occur at transit facilities to quickly responding to threats such as human trafficking. They also assist as part of the local and regional network to identify and prevent potential terrorist activity.
Metro’s Security team members help keep riders and staff safe throughout the entire system, including on buses, trains, streetcars and Water Taxis, along with our transit bases and facilities.
Metro’s employees make our nationally recognized regional mobility system great, and our goal never changes: When you get on bus, train, water taxi, streetcar, Metro Flex or light rail, all of us at Metro want you to have a safe and enjoyable trip.
Thank you for riding with us, and for being part of a mobility system we are proud to provide every day!