Metro Launching All-Door Bus Boarding as Part of Spring Service Change
King County Metro is officially allowing all-door boarding on buses systemwide starting Saturday, March 28. The agency is pitching the change as making the bus system faster and easier use, helping prepare the region for a busy summer of large events, including the FIFA World Cup.
The new boarding policy will take place on the same day as Metro's spring bus service change and Sound Transit's big crosslake 2 Line launch – a monumental day for the region's light rail system. Metro's service change adds earlier morning trips, later evening service, and more weekend options for riders, and it strengthens connections to Sound Transit’s Link light rail system, including the recent 1 Line extension to Federal Way and the new 2 Line extension between Seattle and the Eastside.
Up until March 28, riders have been technically required to board only at the front door of the bus, which slows the boarding process, especially at busy stops. However, rider behavior had already begun to change, as The Urbanist noted, due to Metro already having installed ORCA transit card readers on back doors on most buses, allowing riders to tap on at any door. Plus, Metro already had exceptions to its rule.
Third Avenue bus stops in Downtown Seattle had been an explicit exception from that official rule, with Metro rolling out all-door boarding there in 2019. Additionally, buses on Metro's enhanced RapidRide bus lines were already set up for all-door boarding and off-board fare payment at stops.
https://www.theurbanist.org/metro-launching-all-door-bus-boarding-as-part-of-spring-service-change/