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Metro keeping up with continued growth in transit
ridership
From January through March of 2005, Metro averaged 317,000 boardings on weekdays. This year, preliminary estimates indicate the average daily number has leaped to 376,000 – an 18.6 percent increase in three years. “Metro’s ridership has actually been on the rise since 2002,” said General Manager Kevin Desmond, “and, it’s not just on our buses. In 2007, our VanPool/Van Share program set new records that look to continue this year. Total participation in the RideshareOnline database shows a 14 percent increase over the same period last year. We've also had a 10 percent increase in the start-up of new commuter vans with a 20 percent increase in overall van ridership.” The ridership increases have been steady, but over time have added to crowding and slowed travel times on some popular routes. “Existing bus routes have had to absorb most of this increase in riders, and we know many trips on many routes are crowded,” said Desmond. “When you have more people riding the bus, it can take longer to board passengers and travel times can increase. Addressing overcrowding and improving schedule reliability is a big goal for us in 2008.” Desmond said Metro is making adjustments to accommodate the ridership growth in several ways. Transit Now - a 10-year plan approved by voters in 2006 to expand Metro service by up to 20 percent – is paying for new service, which frees up some of Metro’s operating budget to address crowding and scheduling issues. In 2007, for the first time in about four years, Metro was able to add some bus trips to existing routes to help reduce passenger loads and to help keep the buses on schedule despite traffic congestion and more boardings. Later this year, 22 new buses will be added to the fleet to help with these efforts. The recent 25-cent fare increase is also helping Metro enhance service reliability, dependability, and performance. The reopening of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel last September not only benefitted the schedules of routes assigned to the tunnel, but also allowed re-structuring of bus service on downtown streets. That particularly helped relieve bus congestion for routes on Second and Fourth avenues. Technology also plays a role. In many congested urban areas, Metro partners with cities to install bus lanes and traffic signals that are primed to give buses extra green light time or get jump on traffic. And, Metro will be installing a new on-board radio system that uses GPS to monitor bus trips. This will give Metro’s schedulers better data on traffic patterns and other factors that can affect bus travel times so that they can adjust bus routes as necessary. Construction projects disrupting travel on local streets and highways also affect bus travel. Some large projects that had been slowing Metro travel through the Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, and near Harborview Hospital are completed to the point where they are no longer as much of a problem. But as those projects end, others are springing up. Desmond said while construction projects are always something Metro has to deal with, some cause more delays than others, particularly when they stretch over extended periods of time and impact corridors with a large number of bus trips. Some upcoming projects – such as Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement, State Route 522 corridor work, and the University District light rail extension – will begin soon and are expected to impact bus service. Desmond said Metro’s focus on improving performance is paying off. Over the past seven months, the on time performance for the bus system has been improving. Metro defines “on-time” as being less than five minutes late and no more than one minute early. Overall, Metro buses met that definition 76 percent of the time last month in March. It’s a constant effort to strike a balance between operating cost-efficient service and offering our customers a comfortable, reliable trip,” said Desmond. “But, it is important to us that we continue to attract new riders and serve our existing passengers well.”
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