Starting March 28, King County Metro is rolling out a series of major updates designed to make public transit faster, more frequent, and easier to navigate across the region. The changes center on a significant service expansion and the launch of systemwide all-door boarding.
More Frequent Service and Better Connections The transit agency is adding hundreds of new weekly bus trips, specifically targeting south King County and the Eastside. These improvements include earlier morning starts, later evening options, and expanded weekend service. A primary goal of the expansion is to strengthen the link between bus routes and Sound Transit’s growing light rail network, including the new 2 Line “Crosslake Connection” between Seattle and the Eastside.
All-Door Boarding Goes Live In a move to decrease delays and speed up travel times, Metro is officially moving to all-door boarding on all buses. Riders with ORCA cards, mobile wallets, or credit/debit cards can now tap and enter through any door. This change, supported by a $5 million investment from Amazon for onboard card readers, is expected to reduce “dwell time”—the period a bus spends sitting at a stop while passengers queue at the front.
Prioritizing Safety and Accessibility The update also brings benefits for riders with mobility needs. All-door boarding allows those using wheelchairs or other mobility devices to more easily access the front door for operator assistance while other passengers board elsewhere.
Additionally, the new service coincides with the continued rollout of upgraded safety features across the fleet, including reinforced glass and steel partitions for drivers. These security measures, along with the increased presence of “SaFE Ambassadors” and transit officers, are part of a broader $26 million investment into making the system feel more welcoming and secure for both staff and commuters.
These changes arrive just ahead of a busy summer season for the region, which includes hosting matches for the FIFA World Cup. Officials say the goal is to provide a world-class transit system that can reliably move the anticipated surge of local and international visitors.
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