With hundreds of buses out of service and a mechanic shortage delaying repairs and maintenance, Seattle area bus riders will see significantly reduced service this summer.
With more than 40 percent of its bus fleet out of service for maintenance, King County Metro will be forced to cut routes and reduce service for months, reports David Kroman in The Seattle Times. “Metro has begun shaving routes and stops off its schedule months ahead of a planned September rollout of a pared-back network. And while the schedule now looks slimmer, in reality it’s only reflecting what riders have felt for months now in the form of last-minute cancellations or buses that never show up.”
According to Maggie Brubaker, deputy division director of vehicle maintenance, “Two hundred buses are sitting idle because they don’t have parts,” while the agency faces a shortage of mechanics and an aging fleet.
“An estimated 35% of Metro’s fleet is considered eligible for retirement, according to the agency’s long-range fleet planning. The federal government recently awarded Metro $33.5 million to buy new electric buses.” But the agency will still need to resolve labor disputes and recruit new hires to begin to reduce it staffing shortage.
FULL STORY: So many King County Metro buses are out of service, routes will be cut for months
Transit Service Restored in Seattle Area, With New Social Distancing Practices in Place
Seatback signage and reduced capacity will allow King County Metro to begin resuming bus service. In the wake of staff illness and depleted funding, the road to Metro's recovery could be quite long.
Sound Transit Reveals Early 2024 Service Plans
Seattle’s transit agency is looking to maximize its limited resources as it continues to grapple with staffing shortages and supply chain issues across the region.
SEPTA’s Strategy for Easing Its Staffing Shortage
The agency is taking multiple steps to recruit and retain more transit operators, but it likely won’t be enough to prevent the agency from having to cut service on some of its bus lines.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
