King County Metro faces a cumulative deficit of more than $1 billion over the next five years, which means nearly 20 percent of all bus service could be eliminated, according to a recent audit.
As a result, a Regional Transit Task Force (RTTF) was formed to develop recommendations on how to deal with this.
"Deep transit cuts will be in our future, and we can link arms in an united fashion to prevent it as much as possible," said King County Councilmember Larry Phillips at a meeting held Nov. 9 at Seattle University.
The 28-member task force was selected from diverse backgrounds. It has met 13 times since March and developed recommendations based on land use, social equity and environmental justice, financial sustainability, geographic equity, economic development, productivity and efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
John Howell, a RTTF facilitator, presented the recommendations, the first being to adopt new performance measures.
Task force member and Seattle City Councilor, Tom Rasmussen, added, "The type of vehicle and type of service provided to the community is based on the need of that community. ... The kinds of service may be changed; perhaps vans instead of buses - we are recommending flexibility." Cost-cutting measures include reduced-week service reductions citywide. Queen Anne's routes 2, 3, 4 and 13 are being reduced. Visit www.metrokingcounty.gov for more details.
The task force also recommended controlling operating costs by following up on the 2009 audit and possibly changing the forms of service to be more efficient.
Howell said the process of future Metro decisions must not be based on a policy but a formula: to maximize productivity, ensure social equity and provide geographic values.
Howell acknowledged the importance of public transit as a social equity and said, "It is a key to so many elements life has to offer, an access to social services that many take for granted."
Lastly, the task force wants to create clear and transparent guidelines for making service allocation decisions, as well as create a new, long-term and sustainable funding base to prevent an even greater deficit.
Some community members expressed doubt. A woman asked where the task force plans on finding this "new long-term and sustainable funding base."
Phillips replied, "First, we're laying out the need and then we will develop a discussion of finding our source."
Max Chan, of International Community Health Services, said, "I would like to see services restored and I'm really not sure how they're going to come up with the money."
One bus driver brought forward the issue of declining on-time service. County Councilmember Larry Gossett said the county doesn't have a solution there yet, but plans on receiving input from management and bus riders to make necessary adjustments.
Chan added that "my elderly mother called me one day and said, 'My bus is gone.' I didn't really know what to say."
RTTF's recommendations will now go before the County Council and the community for approval. To learn more about the task force, its recommendations, or to leave a comment, visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/transittaskforce.aspx.[[In-content Ad]]
