With hundreds of buses out of service and a mechanic shortage delaying repairs and maintenance, Seattle area bus riders will see significantly reduced service this summer.
With more than 40 percent of its bus fleet out of service for maintenance, King County Metro will be forced to cut routes and reduce service for months, reports David Kroman in The Seattle Times. “Metro has begun shaving routes and stops off its schedule months ahead of a planned September rollout of a pared-back network. And while the schedule now looks slimmer, in reality it’s only reflecting what riders have felt for months now in the form of last-minute cancellations or buses that never show up.”
According to Maggie Brubaker, deputy division director of vehicle maintenance, “Two hundred buses are sitting idle because they don’t have parts,” while the agency faces a shortage of mechanics and an aging fleet.
“An estimated 35% of Metro’s fleet is considered eligible for retirement, according to the agency’s long-range fleet planning. The federal government recently awarded Metro $33.5 million to buy new electric buses.” But the agency will still need to resolve labor disputes and recruit new hires to begin to reduce it staffing shortage.
FULL STORY: So many King County Metro buses are out of service, routes will be cut for months
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