September 2023 Transit Service Changes Bring Mix of Cuts and Additions Across Puget Sound

The fall service changes are coming to Puget Sound transit agencies as soon as Saturday. Most transit agencies will be adding back service, but King County Metro is taking a big leap backward with further cuts.

King County Metro

In King County, King County Metro continues to struggle with service delivery and will further cut trips in September. The agency has seen a dramatic exodus of transit operators and mechanics over the past few years, and recent data shows that this trend isn’t turning around fast enough.

However, a three-year contract agreement will give transit workers a big pay increase, making Metro a more attractive place to work. Transit agencies that have raised wages have seen success in getting more applicants and staffing back up.

Metro’s planned service cuts are about right-sizing the overall network schedule to match available staffing and equipment levels. The agency intends to reduce service another 4%, but that’s likely not to be sufficient in attaining real systemwide reliability since Metro is routinely canceling as much as 8% of its service.

Many of the suspended routes in the following list have seen trips routinely suspended in recent month, but they will be moving to official suspension status.

Routes	Changes
3	Trip times adjusted to provide hourly Night Owl service
4	Trip times adjusted to provide hourly Night Owl service
7	On weekdays, trips will be adjusted
8	On weekdays, trips will be adjusted
10	Trips will be removed
15	Indefinitely suspended
16	Indefinitely suspended
18	Indefinitely suspended
20	Trips will be removed, reducing service to half-hourly during off-peak hours
28	Trips will be removed, reducing service to hourly during weekday off-peak hours and weekends
29	Indefinitely suspended
31	On weekdays, trips will be adjusted
32	On weekdays, trips will be adjusted
36	Trips will be removed
44	On Sundays, trips will be adjusted
55	Indefinitely suspended
64	Indefinitely suspended
73	Trips will be removed, reducing service to half-hourly during weekday peak hours and hourly otherwise
79	Trips will be removed, reducing service to hourly on weekdays
107	On weekdays, one trip will be added in each direction
114	Indefinitely suspended
121	Indefinitely suspended
167	Indefinitely suspended
190	Indefinitely suspended
208	On weekdays, one trip will be added in the morning
214	Indefinitely suspended
216	Indefinitely suspended
217	Indefinitely suspended
225	Trips will be removed, reducing service to hourly on weekdays
230	Trips will be removed, reducing service to hourly
231	Trips will be removed, reducing service to hourly
232	Indefinitely suspended
237	Indefinitely suspended
255	Trips will be removed, reducing service to half-hourly on weekday evenings
268	Indefinitely suspended
301	Indefinitely suspended
304	Indefinitely suspended
320	Indefinitely suspended
342	Indefinitely suspended
345	Trips will be removed, reducing to hourly in the evenings

Metro’s service changes go into effect on Saturday, September 2.

Sound Transit

Sound Transit won’t see substantive service changes beyond small trip time adjustments and minor route and stop modifications. That’s because agency partners that operate bus and train services are not in a position to offer more trips at this time, except that Route 574 will get one additional daily roundtrip. However, Sound Transit will be launching service on the Tacoma Link T Line extension on September 16. Service will be extended between Commerce Street station and St Joseph station in the Hilltop area. During most hours, the T Line will operate every 10 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays and every 20 minutes on Sundays.

Community Transit

In Snohomish County, Community Transit is adjusting service levels on five routes and making schedule adjustments for most routes on weekends for better connections.

Routes	Changes
113	New trips
130	New trips
196	Improve frequency to every 30 minutes during peak weekday times
220	New trips
240	New trips

Community Transit’s service changes go into effect on Sunday, September 3.

Pierce Transit

In Pierce County, Pierce Transit is making small improvements to routes with new Sunday trips. The agency also an open survey to assist in development of a service recovery plan.

Routes	Changes
28	Several Sunday trips are added
48	One new Sunday trip
57	The route is adjusted in the Hilltop area
100	Several Sunday trips are added
212	One new Sunday trip
497	Trip times on weekdays are adjusted to better serve Sounder S Line trips

Pierce Transit’s service changes go into effect on Sunday, September 3.

Intercity Transit

In Thurston County, Intercity Transit is restoring some evening service on a dozen or so bus routes. This continues a service growth trend for the agency.

Routes	Changes
12	One new evening trip from Olympia Transit Center on weekdays and weekends
13	Two new evening roundtrips on weekdays and weekends
21	Improve frequency to every 30 minutes on weekdays
41	One new evening roundtrip on weekdays and weekends
45	Improve frequency to every 30 minutes on weekdays
47	Improve frequency to every 30 minutes on weekdays
48	Two new evening roundtrips on weekdays and weekends
60	Improve frequency to every 30 minutes on weekdays
62A	One new evening trip from Orion and Willamette Dr on weekdays and weekends
62B	One new evening roundtrip on weekdays and weekends
65	One new evening trip from Lacey Transit Center on weekdays and weekends
66	One new evening roundtrip on weekdays and weekends
68	Two new evening roundtrips on weekdays and weekends

Intercity Transit’s service changes go into effect on Sunday, September 3.

Everett Transit and Kitsap Transit

In June, Everett Transit launched a suite of service improvements that adjusted routes and increased service levels. Earlier this month, Kitsap Transit restored service to Route 184, a shuttle between the Southworth Ferry Terminal and Harper Church Park & Ride. The agency hopes to provide more Sunday bus service in the winter.

King County Metro Plans Dramatic Schedule Cuts This Fall