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Transit Control Center: The bus ride starts here
Sometimes, the most important parts of a well-oiled machine are the
parts you can’t see. The Metro Transit Control Center (TCC) is a lot
like the pistons, crankshafts, and fuel injectors that keep
Metro buses rolling –
hidden from sight, yet essential in getting people where they need to
go.
Within Metro, the “first-liners” are recruited from the ranks of Metro’s 2,600 bus drivers, and serve in four key areas: Service Communications; Base Operations; Training; and Service Quality. Nancy Wilson leads the Service Communications group, with the assistance of chiefs Charlie Weeks, Doug Beatty and David Magidman. They oversee 20 coordinators who work around the clock to keep Metro buses operating safely and efficiently. “Almost all the actions and activities that are taken to respond to issues that affect in-service buses come through here,” said Wilson. “The coordinators who staff our control center are the first ones bus drivers contact when there is an emergency, or any kind of a problem. The minute-to-minute management of our bus system really does fall to our coordinators.” During the busiest times – weekday morning and afternoon commutes – the coordinators staff five radio channels. Approximately 300 individual buses are assigned to communicate with a single coordinator at one of the four main radio channels. A fifth coordinator monitors the other four channels, and communicates with other Metro groups such as Vehicle Maintenance, Service Quality, Safety, and Metro Transit Police as needed.
“The only set part of this job is what time you’ve got to show up for your shift,” said Hartman. “It’s a lot like playing poker, you don’t know what the next card – in this case the next radio call – will bring.” Hartman and Wilson describe the job as “crisis management.” Sometimes the problems are small and simply solved – a bus driver needs to know the correct time to maintain schedule. But other times, they can be significant issues or weather conditions that affect the safety of the driver, the bus passengers, and even other motorists on the road. Because the buses are always on the move and problems can travel between jurisdictions, each coordinator has a direct line to the major 9-1-1 centers in King County to provide the fastest emergency response possible. “This job isn’t for everyone,” said Wilson. “You have to multi-task, be good under pressure, and be able to take quick, decisive action.” The TCC recently moved from leased space in an historic downtown office building, to its own building specifically designed to accommodate a modern communications center. It is built for the newest communications technology, and will be able to house the new radio system coming to Metro in the next few years. And, in the event of a major regional emergency, the new TCC building can be self-sustaining for up to 72 hours. |
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