‘Ghost Buses’ haunting King County Metro riders, Council vows to fix it

In hopes of improving the reliability of King County’s public transportation system, the King County Council has approved legislation aimed at addressing “ghost buses,” or unplanned trip cancellations. This move is designed to boost transparency and ensure that commuters receive timely information when buses fail to arrive as scheduled.

Councilmember Claudia Balducci, who sponsored the legislation, highlighted the frustration caused by these cancellations.

“Nothing is more frustrating than standing at a bus stop, waiting for a bus that is never going to come — maybe in the rain, in the dark, maybe now you’re late to work, missed a doctor’s appointment, or lost time that you could have been doing something important,” Balducci noted in a press release.

‘Ghost buses’ plaguing King County Metro riders

The motion requires Metro to provide better reporting on these cancellations and to explore ways to inform riders in real-time, either directly or through third-party apps. Additionally, Metro will need to incorporate metrics on unplanned trip cancellations into both the 2025 System Evaluation Report and the next update of Metro Transit’s Service Guidelines.

This effort aligns with broader initiatives by King County to improve its transit services. Recently, the county formed a task force to address violence on public transportation.

By focusing on transparency and data-driven improvements, King County aims to enhance the overall transit experience for its residents, aligning with broader goals of environmental sustainability and community service.

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