News Release

Release date: Jan. 3, 2001

Metro to celebrate 100 million passenger trips in 2000

For the first time in its 28-year history more than 100 million passenger trips were taken aboard King County Metro Transit in the year 2000. To commemorate this achievement, and to thank the customers who have been key to reaching the goal, more than 100 Metro employees will be out during the morning commute on January 4 to personally thank all King County residents for their continued support of public transportation.

Thursday, January 4, 2001
6 - 9 a.m. at 24 Metro locations
a complete list is attached

King County Executive Ron Sims will also make
a significant announcement about regional transit at a
NEWS CONFERENCE
University Street Station in the bus tunnel, North Mezzanine
8:30 a.m.

Metro street teams wearing teal-colored aprons expect to personally contact an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 commuters during the three-hour period, passing out special commemorative bookmarks, stickers and chocolates at 24 of the busiest Metro locations. The commemorative items are also being sent to 6,200 vanpool riders and 5,000 ACCESS Transportation riders. Banners, placards and bus ads will carry the message: "Thank you for 100 Million Trips in 2000." The 24 locations were selected to best capture the majority of riders coming into the major transit hubs from all parts of north, east and south King County; one banner will be stretched across the pedestrian overpass leading to the West Seattle Bridge.

The center of the live celebration will be at the University Street Station in the downtown bus tunnel, through which about 4000 commuters pass each morning. Performing at that station will be "The CBD Band," a jazz band composed of off-duty Metro bus operators; "CBD" is Metro shorthand for "central business district."

"This amazing milestone is a tribute to the quality and reliability of the service that Metro puts out on the streets day in and day out," says Sims. "To retain our current riders and keep on attracting new ones says we're doing something right to get the service out where customers want it, the way they want it. I also want to once again thank the voters for their ongoing commitment to keeping this one of the finest public transportation systems in the country."

"Every ride really does make a difference," added Sims, and the bookmarks to be handed out explain why "100 Million Trips in 2000" is significant, and why Metro Transit is a key player in solving our current transportation challenge:

"Fact #1 -- 57 million drive-alone trips saved.

Fact #2 -- 320 million miles of traffic congestion reduced.

Fact #3 -- 14 million gallons of fuel saved.

Fact #4 -- 3.5 million pounds of pollution kept out of our air.

Facts #5 thru 99,999,999 + YOU = 100,000,000 rides!"

Since its inception in 1973, Metro service has grown at more than three times the rate of population growth in King County. It is the 10th largest system in the United States, while the metropolitan Seattle area is ranked the 18th largest urban area in the country. Each weekday, Metro buses provide more than 300,000 rides -- equivalent to the number of vehicles crossing the I-5 ship canal bridge everyday. Metro's 100 million passenger trips ranks it 11^th among U.S. transit agencies for total ridership.

Metro also provides transit service at the lowest operating cost per passenger mile when measured against 13 comparable agencies, according to an independent audit performed last year. And overall satisfaction with Metro has remained high. In 1999, 92 percent of Metro passengers said they were satisfied with their service.

Members of "The CBD Band" are bus operators Walter Davis on keyboards, Darryl Estes on sax and Carl Jackson on drums. Each is an accomplished musician who drives full-time for Metro.

• Walter Davis has been playing keyboards since the age of 8. He is the musical director of Bethel Christian Church. He has been performing in his family's musical group, "The Davis Family," with his twelve brothers and sisters. Walter was born and raised in Seattle, and is 40 years old.

• Carl Jackson has been playing drums for 33 years, since he was 14 years old. Carl studied at Julliard and spent two years at the Manhattan Percussion Center. He spent 6 years as a studio musician, and is currently working in two bands, as well as a studio project. Carl is originally from Brooklyn, New York.

• Darryl Estes has been playing the saxophone since the age of 10. Originally from South Paris, Maine, Darryl was a music education major at the University of Maine. In his spare time, Darryl plays locally in the "Rococo Blues Band." Darryl finds time to practice when he gets to the end of the line on his bus route. He is 35 years old.

The following is a grid of the 24 locations where Metro street team volunteers will be greeting the public on Thursday, along with the hours of they are scheduled to be there and the typical number of passengers who get on or off a Metro Transit vehicle at that location during a typical morning commute.

Thanks for the Rides. See you in 2001.

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