Recruiting and training new bus operators allows our region’s transit network to continue to grow. On June 21, King County Metro celebrated the graduation of 54 part-time operators to full-time status. June also marked Metro’s highest number of full-time operators since 2021, although we still need to add many more to meet the high demand for transit service in the coming years. In addition, we recently began training our first class of external candidates seeking to become full-time bus operators.
Metro has historically hired part-time operators who can later apply for full-time status. We’ve switched to hiring external candidates, which is a proven approach used by many transit agencies. While a part-time operator hiring model fit our system when more riders were traveling during commuting hours, full-time operators better fit Metro’s current workforce needs in delivering reliable all-day service. Metro plans to hire and train both part-time and full-time operators in the years ahead to meet the varied needs of our riders.
With great pay, fantastic benefits and a pension along with the opportunity to build a career in public service, Metro bus operator has always been a highly desirable job. Nearly 1,000 people applied in just one week to our latest job posting. Every few weeks, a new class of selected qualified candidates will begin a six-week paid course at our Training and Safety Center.
We’re proud to have recently made a number of enhancements to our training to increase safety, better support our operators and increase the number of graduates while maintaining high standards.
- Benefits: Prospective operators are paid during their training and receive a pay increase upon graduation. We’ve started offering benefits during training, too. Metro’s comprehensive package includes dental, disability and life insurance, flexible spending accounts, health, pension, pharmacy, retirement (deferred compensation) and vision.
- Content checklists: We’ve refined our day-by-day checklists of topics covered. This ensures consistency across classes, and sets up new operators for success in passing their tests and in delivering excellent transit service.
- Data: We’re using daily quizzes, trainee and trainer surveys, and other tools to see where additional instruction or a shift in approach or curriculum would be beneficial.
- Expanded radio communications preparation: We’ve added more training related to radio communications between bus operators and our Transit Control Center. This will increase coordination and information sharing during both regular service and unexpected developments, such as emergencies, street closures or severe weather.
- Immersive technology: In addition to time on the road and on the training track, Metro has a virtual reality driving experience to strengthen confidence and skills.
- Improved training materials: As well as practical, verbal and written instruction and materials, we have added videos that can be viewed at any time. We’ve received positive feedback that the videos were particularly helpful for building confidence on more challenging areas.
- In-service training: After prospective operators complete their six-week training course and pass required tests, we’ve added four weeks of in-service work. During this time, new operators gain additional experience and skills, and earn their qualifications to drive specific buses and routes, with one-on-one support from experienced operators. There are also training refreshers and ride-checks after 30 days and 60 days.
- Language access: While being able to communicate in English is an expectation of all operators per federal law, we made our materials easier to understand and are developing additional in-language support for our linguistically diverse classes of future operators.
- Mentorships: Earlier this year, Metro and labor partner ATU-587 kicked off “Mentors Moving Metro,” which pairs many of our new operators with an experienced operator. In addition to sharing expertise, programs like this have been shown to increase employee retention and job satisfaction. We hope to expand this pilot program and to introduce it to other Metro divisions.
- More learning time: Based on feedback from students, we’ve increased the amount of time students have to learn—with class length doubled from four hours per day to eight hours per day. This gives students more time operating the bus, practicing their skills and receiving instruction from training staff.
- Onboarding training: In addition to an existing “Welcome to Metro” training, trainees now receive three additional courses: “De-escalation methods,” “The Way We Work Together” and “We are Racially Just.” These trainings can now be completed via an electronic tablet that is provided.
- Continuous improvement: As students graduate, training staff are meeting regularly to assess what is going well, and what can be improved. For example, we recently amended the training schedule to provide more support to students when they first arrive at the bus base.
Congratulations to the June class of full-time operator graduates and best wishes to the current and future classes of prospective operators! We’re eager for you to join the thousands of our employees who turned a job opportunity at Metro into a multi-decade career in serving the people of King County.