News from Metro's General Manager

RapidRide delivered as promised, under budget — and just look at the results

June 27, 2014

Metro’s RapidRide program crossed the finish line a winner this month as we rolled out our sixth and final line. With the launch of the F Line, we completed this big new program under budget, largely on schedule, and with all the great service features we had promised — especially faster, frequent service all day, every day.

The program more than fulfilled the pledge we made to voters who approved RapidRide as part of the 2006 Transit Now initiative. The initiative proposed five lines, and we later added the F Line to serve Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila and Renton.

Federal, state and local grants — to the tune of $121 million — were key to our success. Grantors recognized that RapidRide is a building block of the all-day transit network that will be a critical part of our growing region’s transportation system. The many enhanced features of RapidRide—including roadway transit priority features, stations with real-time bus arrival signs and off-board ORCA readers, fare inspectors who contribute to riders’ sense of security, WiFi for passengers, and of course frequent service around the clock—form what I consider to be the template for future development of the Metro bus system along major corridors.

RapidRide is not only giving riders faster, more frequent service to major destinations, it’s helping reduce traffic congestion on some of our region’s most-traveled roadways. RapidRide A-F lines are keeping cars off the road as they carry more than 50,000 rides a day — 12 percent of Metro’s 400,000 daily total passenger trips.

Ridership on the first five lines has grown faster than we expected. Our goal is a 50 percent increase in ridership within five years. The number of passenger trips on the A Line, started in 2010, has grown by 78 percent compared to the route it replaced. C Line ridership is up 70 percent. The others are on pace to exceed our goal.

Customer satisfaction also is high. Recent C and D line customer surveys found that about 83 percent of riders are satisfied or very satisfied with the service. Compared to past survey results, a greater proportion of riders say they are very satisfied.

Planning RapidRide and making it a reality was a huge job. It involved reaching out to community members to help us pick the best places for bus stops, and working with local jurisdictions to make improvements on the 62 miles of roadway in the RapidRide system. We installed the intelligent transportation systems that support many RapidRide features, and built 296 stations and stops with shelters, seating and lighting to enhance passenger safety and comfort. We designed new buses for fast boardings and exits, and put 113 of them on the road. Service is operating as promised—faster, more reliable and more convenient for our riders. We’re continuing to work with our partner cities to make these features even better.

I’m proud of the “can-do” Metro team that pulled it off, and very pleased that we have brought a new level of transit service to the people we serve.

Sincerely,

Kevin Desmond, General Manager
King County Metro Transit