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King County Metro is making enhancements to its buses to ensure bus operator and rider safety.
Following the murder of King County Metro bus driver Shawn Yim last December, the department has fast-tracked efforts to install operator safety partitions.
In a committee meeting on Tuesday, King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison briefed county council members on the work the department has done to improve safety on its transit services.
This year, Metro began partnering with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 to discuss these partitions. The department is now revising the county’s order of 89 battery-electric buses scheduled to begin arriving in 2026.
“We will now be pivoting to retrofit plans for the rest of our fleet,” Allison said during the King County Transportation, Economy, and Environment Committee meeting on Tuesday. “The order of 89 [buses] will be the first to feature larger, stronger, and unlockable operator safety partitions.”
The prototype bus includes laminated tempered glass and a heavy metal door that locks in place from the driver-side. Allison added that the prototype also provides far greater coverage toward the ceiling and the front of the bus, which operators noted as important during conversations with the department.
The Center Square previously reported on bus drivers voicing frustration with Metro, saying that the department prioritizes service over operator safety. During a King County Council meeting, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 President Greg Woodfill suggested the county move funding dedicated to making Metro’s bus fleet 100% electric to transit safety measures instead in order to address rider and operator concerns.
The details of the partnership between the union and Metro on operator safety partitions were not revealed. However, Allison’s briefing to the committee reveals that the discussions between the two parties has led to safety upgrades on planned and current buses.
According to Allison, King County Metro has established a broad goal of retrofitting 1,200 coaches from its fleet. The rollout of these retrofitted buses will come in phases.