King County Metro will be changing several bus route schedules throughout the region this fall, with the intention of improving the reliability of trips while also working to better match staffing and fleet availability.
Snoqualmie Valley Transportation (SVT) has taken the same approach by temporarily suspending some of its services. “I understand why Metro needs to make these kinds of changes. We’ve had to do the same thing,” commented SVT Director Amy Biggs. “And even though it’s on a much smaller scale, it’s painful both to us and to our community. But we’d rather be smaller and totally reliable than have more routes that are unreliable. Getting people to their destinations is way too important to make mistakes.”
Suspended: The Metro Route 214, which connects Valley residents between the Issaquah Transit Center and Eastgate, then Downtown Seattle, will be suspended as of Saturday, September 2, 2023. Commuters are encouraged to review the schedules for Sound Transit route 554 as an alternative.
Continuing: SVT, the Valley’s local nonprofit bus company, provides transportation in North Bend, Snoqualmie, Fall City, Preston, Carnation, Duvall, and Monroe for $1 per trip. The entire system, including door-to-door, circulator routes, and the Metro-contracted fixed route service, is available to everyone, with youth aged 18 and younger riding free.
SVT connects riders to Metro bus stops that connect to the regional system as well as to any local destination. SVT services are available Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. All buses are wheelchair accessible and have bike racks. Learn about SVT by visiting www.svtbus.org or calling (425) 888-7001.
Learn more about Metro’s fall schedule changes by visiting the King County Metro blog. Metro customers affected by service reductions may want to explore the Vanpool Program, the Access transportation service, and other options by visiting www.kingcounty.gov/en/dept/metro.
Both Metro and SVT are currently hiring! View open positions by visiting SVT’s career page and Metro’s career page.
