King County Metro Bus – Image Credit: S. S. Sol Duc (CC by SA-3.0)
Starting in September, some of the most popular bus routes operated by King County Metro will experience more frequent service. More than 50 routes will receive additional 88,000 hours of service. While much of the funding comes directly from Metro, part of the expansion is due to a measure passed earlier this summer by the Seattle City Council that allow the bus service to receive more Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD) funds, which are paid for by a voter-approved sales tax and car-tab fee.
Private investment is also playing a role, with Amazon agreeing to fund 12,000 service hours on routes bringing commuters to South Lake Union. The online retail company’s investment comes soon after the city council rejected a program that would have provided funding for private buses and vans, a transportation strategy that Amazon has attempted to use in the past. Amazon is not the first company to invest in King County Metro: Microsoft already funds 9,000 service hours a year, though largely at the cost of the bus service.
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