Full fare enforcement begins May 31 on King County Metro
King County Metro is resuming fare enforcement May 31 following two months of education and reminding riders of the importance of paying the proper fare. Now, fare enforcement officers will begin issuing printed warnings and citations to riders who cannot provide proof of fare payment on buses and streetcars.
The agency says the initial results are promising. During the fare education phase in April and May, 76 percent of riders contacted had proof of payment. Fare enforcement officers provided information to the remaining riders on the expectation to pay the fare, and educated about reduced fare programs and the ways proof of payment can be shown.
“We see riders are getting back into the habit of tapping their cards and paying at the farebox, which funds essential bus service in our communities,” said King County Metro Chief Safety Officer Rebecca Frankhouser. “As we shift toward issuing warnings and potential citations, we are again reminding riders that there are free and reduced transit fares to ensure everyone can take transit.”
King County Metro notes it paused fare enforcement in 2020 to reassess and reimagine safety, security and fare enforcement to make the transit system more equitable and welcoming. Today, the agency says it often provides more than 300,000 rides each weekday and 2024 bus ridership was about 90 million systemwide. King County Metro fares accounted for an estimated $73 million in revenue in 2024.
The agency says it continues to deploy 30 fare enforcement officers across the system from among the ranks of 220 transit security officers.
