Supervisor Spotlight: Highlighting those behind the scenes who keep us moving

It takes a lot of people to keep a transit system running smoothly across 150 routes and over 300,000 boardings a day.

Bus drivers are the most visible part of any transit system, and there are people behind the scenes who are just as vital in the day-to-day operation of King County Metro.

Their responsibilities include training operators, planning the routes that run throughout the region, and literally being the “traffic controllers” who keep track of the buses on their daily runs.

They’re also the former bus drivers who use their knowledge to guide current drivers. Some were interested in transit from a young age and who put their backgrounds from other fields into good use.

And sometimes, they’re invisible co-pilots that help you get where you need to go when you ride with Metro.

We’d like to introduce you to the staff that help keep the wheels on the bus going “round and round” every day.

 Aaron M Lewis Base Dispatcher/Planner  

During Aaron’s two-plus decades with Metro he has worn many hats, from working in scheduling to serving as an acting chief of bus operations.

Since becoming a supervisor in 2013, Aaron has worked in all classifications of first-line supervisors. Much of that time was spent in Training and Base Operations. Currently, he is assisting at Ryerson Base as an acting chief. His normal “home” is as a dispatcher at North Base, where he’s served for about five service changes.

Aaron has always had a passion for the environment and was interested in figuring out ways to protect or improve it. He studied bioengineering and chemistry at the University of Washington, where he conducted research the Center for Nanotechnology Research. During his education, Aaron also worked part-time at Metro to make ends meet.

When his son was two years old, Aaron wanted a career change, one where he did not have to take work home with him. Simultaneously – while retaining his passion for the sciences – he radically switched majors and graduated with a degree in sculpture and a minor in dance. With family as the priority, Aaron pivoted his career path to Metro.

Having grown up in New York and lived in Vienna, Austria, Aaron has always used, loved and believed in public transportation. In addition, he likes interacting with people and driving, so becoming a full-time operator with Metro was a great career choice.

As an operator, he has driven out of every base except South Base. He loved trolleys because “trolleys make you a better driver. You have to drive the way you are taught. Otherwise, you lose your poles.”

Aaron enjoyed the days when he’d get on the bus and hear all kinds of random conversations, unlike current times in which people seem to always be on their devices and hardly acknowledging one another.

One thing Aaron enjoys about being a dispatcher is that he gets to build a relationship with operators. He likes to show them that he truly cares and that they matter. It is important to him that he treats everyone with respect and dignity. He truly values the service we provide to the public.

Aaron has two kids, one each at the University of Washington and Lakeside. In his spare time, he works on his “slow moving project:” building an acoustic guitar. He hopes to build more guitars when he retires.

Reflecting on our vision statement, Aaron shared:

“We are all just people. Treat each other with respect. Remember, at all times, in our interactions at work, we are the face of Metro. Our passengers are people too. The vast majority of them are just trying to get somewhere. The ones who have problems and are acting out are deserving of our empathy. Don’t take it personally; it’s not about you. I believe that when we treat each other with kindness, it comes back to us. Be the change you want to see.”

Fun facts about Aaron:

• He speaks German and is learning Chinese.
• He is passionate about martial arts.
• He has stage acting experience.

 Carlos Womack Service Supervisor

Carlos and his family moved from New Mexico to Seattle when he was two years old. Carlos started driving for Metro in March 2000 and has worked at all seven bases. His favorite route is Route 56 to Alki. Carlos convinced his son to bring his skills from Audi to Metro and he is also now part of the team, working as a mechanic.

Before joining Metro, Carlos worked in different jobs, including driving armored trucks. Some of the experience and knowledge gained from these jobs has proved useful in his current career with Metro.

After driving for 12 years, Carlos applied to become a first-line supervisor and has worked in Base Operations, Training, and Service Quality. His longest stint has been in Service Quality which is his  current work group.

Carlos covers District 43 on the Eastside. One of the things he enjoys about being a first-line supervisor is helping operators and customers and problem solving. As a supervisor, he sometimes has to work with outside contractors and agencies when there are projects that might disrupt bus service. He relishes the process of coming up with solutions to mitigate project impacts to both operators and customers. Carlos has also worked in scheduling and was involved in providing special shuttle bus service on and off the 520 Bridge during its grand re-opening.

Carlos shares that there are certainly challenging aspects of the job, one of which is security calls. These include reports of operator assaults, disturbances on coaches, collisions, etc. “You never know what you will encounter when responding to such calls,” he said.

For Carlos, the safety of operators and customers is always a priority, as well as getting everyone through a difficult or dangerous situation.

Outside of work, Carlos plays for a pool league in Renton Highlands. His team has made it to the district playoffs for the greater Seattle area. He also enjoys photography and drawing. At one time, he used to perform standup comedy.

Interested in becoming a part of Metro? Visit “Start your Metro career” to explore well-paying positions with full benefits and a pension in transit operations, trades, rail operations, customer information and countless other fields.