Why King County Metro buses are driving past some passengers at stops

If you’re still riding King County Metro buses, you should expect to be passed by at your stop from time to time. The agency has issued new guidelines to help keep passengers and drivers safe.

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Metro is now limiting the total number of passengers on buses, with only 12 riders allowed at a time on 40-foot buses. Only 18 riders will be allowed on 60-foot buses.

That means your bus might pass you by if it’s already at capacity. When the limits have been reached, bus drivers will change their destination signs to read “Essential Trips Only” or “Coach is Full, Sorry.”

There are exceptions to these limitations. If the bus is under capacity and stops to pick up passengers, it can still do so even if the new passengers put the bus over the limit. If the bus stops to drop off passengers, it will also pick up anyone who is waiting at the same stop, even if it puts the bus over the limit.

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Metro has also changed the vanpool rules to make it easier to use as an option right now for essential workers. Existing vanpools only need two people now for a minivan. You only need three people for one of the larger vans.

If you think a vanpool might make sense for you, you are encouraged to apply, but it usually takes about seven to ten days to process applications.

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