King County Metro to expand Access program with same-day reservations, additional contractors

King County, Wash., Executive Shannon Braddock and King County Metro announced updates to its Access paratransit service to improve the customer experience. The agency says that people with disabilities who live in rural communities and use Access will have an easier time making reservations and enjoy improved on-time arrivals as part of the upgrades to the service. 

King County Metro has also created pilot programs within the service that offer users options from grocery delivery to same-day reservations.  These services—alongside new in-person support for Access paratransit, Community Van and Hopelink—aim to offer more flexibility and independence, according to the agency.

“We’re always looking for smart, new ways to strengthen transit access—especially for riders with mobility challenges,” Braddock said. “These improvements, pilot programs and support services follow through on the commitment in my ‘200-Day Plan’ to expand the transportation options for our residents, with a focus on people who are elderly, have a disability, are lower-income or live in rural areas with fewer resources nearby.”

“Paratransit service is a vital part of our commitment to equitable and inclusive transportation,” said King County Metro Deputy General Manager Ernest Kandilige. “Every trip represents independence, access and opportunity for members of our community who rely on us most. I’m proud of the work the Access team is doing. As we look to the future, we’re focused on innovating — using technology, partnerships and customer feedback — to make paratransit more reliable, flexible and responsive.”

New and improved services include the following:

• Easier reservations and improved on-time service in rural areas and countywide: An additional transportation contractor will soon join Access paratransit service with new staff and vehicles to expand options for Access riders across King County, and in less-dense areas, to reserve their desired pick-up time. The move also aims to ensure that riders will also have greater confidence in on-time arrivals.
• Grocery deliveries: To further customers’ mobility and cut down on multiple rides, Access has launched a delivery pilot program for groceries and other essential items. The delivery pilot enrolled 100 Access riders, who will each receive a year of no-cost deliveries on groceries. The pilot launched in late October.
• Same-day reservations: The same-day reservations pilot program aims to provide more flexibility and requires less advanced planning than Access’ existing requirement to book at least a day beforehand. Access is hoping to expand same-day reservations to more customers later this fall. Community transportation coordinators: In October, King County Metro added community transportation coordinators for its Community Van program, which allows several riders to borrow an agency vehicle to travel to one or more shared destinations.
• Community transportation navigators: Beginning in the spring of 2026, new in-person support will also be provided by community transportation navigators, who work as part of a case management approach within King County’s Health Through Housing (HTH) initiative. Community transportation navigators will help riders understand and access transit services to meet their needs, including medical, mental health and substance abuse care.