Wednesday, March 18, please thank our rolling and floating “ambassadors” as we celebrate Transit Operator Appreciation Day. Then next week we will celebrate March 22-28 as Transit Appreciation Week, which acknowledges and celebrates everyone who contributes to the operation of the best transit systems in America: King County Metro!

These two holidays give you the opportunity to say thank you to anyone and everyone at Metro.

• Use this transit-appreciation themed Canva template and post a shout out to Metro employees on social media, tagging @KingCountyMetro on X, @kcmetrobus on Instagram, and @KCMetro on Facebook. Use #ThanksMetro
• Thank your driver! File a commendation (note the 4-digit coach number, route, and time) or use the hashtag #ThanksMetro and give them a shout-out on social media.
• Download this sign and customize it to wave at your bus stop or take a photo and tag Metro.
• Visit our Transit Appreciation page to learn more.

And we thank the growing number of people riding our services. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reported in October 2025 that for the second year in a row, Metro had the second-largest rider increase in the country!

Our regional transit system has more than 6,100 people working to get you where you need to go comfortably and safely every day. The most visible faces you see every day are the operators—bus drivers, light rail and streetcar operators, Access, DART, and Metro Flex drivers and Water Taxi captains and crew—but it’s a collaborative effort. Whether you ride daily or use one of our transit options for a trip to the store, a medical appointment, or a night on the town, all Metro employees work together to get you where you need to go.

Transit Appreciation Week is an opportunity to acknowledge the transit employees who keep us moving. We want to introduce, recognize and thank all the Metro staff that you might not see, but who are vital to the smooth operation of your trip.

This is a week to give a big thank you to all Metro staff, including:

The Vehicle Maintenance staff who maintain our vehicles, trains and vessels. This is the team responsible for daily cleaning, disinfecting, maintenance, and repair of our fleet. And when we get snow, the Vehicle Maintenance team is out chaining up buses!

The employees in Transit Facilities who tirelessly work to keep bus shelters, transit bases, and transit offices clean and safe. Transit Facilities staff begin their job when many of us are done for the day. Crews work around the clock to pressure wash bus shelters and empty trash cans throughout the region, clean offices and disinfect workstations. They also keep the trolley wires in good operating order and maintain the radio and electrical systems for all of our transit services.    

Our Bus Operations staff that’s responsible for the daily management of all our coaches across Metro’s seven bus bases and roughly 135 routes throughout King County.

The employees in the Transit Control Center for providing 24/7 support, and who monitor and answer operator calls and manage Metro’s response to events throughout the system.

The Service Development team members who are responsible for analyzing and helping prepare Metro for changes in our service, such as the spring service change which starts on March 28.  

Our System Impacts members who prepare for events that can affect Metro’s regularly planned service: everything from weather to construction to civic celebration events.

Our Marine staff who keep Metro’s water-based services afloat! The team is responsible for the operation of Metro’s Water Taxi, including the moorage and maintenance of the ships that provide passenger-only ferry services from Pier 50 in downtown Seattle to Vashon and West Seattle.

The Rail team for operating Link light rail, along with the South Lake Union and First Hill Streetcar lines. From Federal Way to Lynnwood, from downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill to the shores of Lake Union—and starting March 28, across Lake Washington to the Eastside— the rail staff maintain and manage miles of track along with the facilities and grounds. 

The staff of Contracted Services who provide services that reduce the number of cars on the road and provide transit options for geographic areas where our buses can’t reach. They work on the vanpool system that brings neighbors together for rides to work, our on-demand programs such as Metro Flex, Community Vans, the DART (Dial-A-Ride Transit) program and Access, which provide needed transportation options for seniors and those with mobility challenges.

Our Customer Communications and Services staff who are Metro’s “voice,” providing customers with information in so many areas, including trip planning and options for paying their fares. 

Metro Transit Police who keep our passengers and operators safe. Their duties cover several areas off the buses, too, from investigating crimes that occur at transit facilities to quickly responding to threats such as human trafficking. They also assist as part of the local and regional network to identify and prevent potential terrorist activity.

Metro’s Safety, Security, and Quality Assurance team members who help keep riders and staff safe throughout the entire system, including on buses, trains, streetcars and Water Taxis, along with our transit bases and facilities.

And the many employees in our General Manager’s Office and Capital, Mobility, Employee Services and Finance & Administration Divisions that do all the great behind-the-scenes work at Metro to support our front-line workforce, from managing our data and analytics to processing invoices and payroll – and every task in between.

Metro’s employees make our nationally recognized regional transit system great, and our goal never changes: When you get on bus, train, water taxi, streetcar Access, DART or Metro Flex vehicle, all of us at Metro want you to have a safe, clean, reliable and enjoyable trip.

Thank you for riding with us, and for being part of a transit system we are proud to provide every day! Happy Transit Appreciation Week!

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