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Week of Feb. 12, 2007
Customize your bus trips with Metro Online tools  Need to know when and where to ride a Metro bus, but don’t have a printed timetable? No need for one when you check out some of the easy-to-use alternatives Metro now has available online.
Using Metro Online, bus riders can get schedule information and even create customized timetables to meet their needs. Customers can print the personalized timetables and also download bus schedules to their computers and handheld devices. Online bus schedules and route maps – Some people are timetable-oriented. They know what bus route they want to take, and they’re used to getting the complete time schedule for main stops, along with the route map. For those people, the online timetables are ideal. If customers know their bus route, they can go directly to the online timetable (and then the route map) from any Web page on Metro Online. They simply type the route number in the Route # box below “timetables” at the top of each page and click on “Go.” Customized schedules – Bus riders can also customize and print a personalized timetable for the specific locations and times that matter to them. They simply click on the “Custom Print” button at the top of a specific route timetable page. The Custom Print function lets passengers choose a set of the times when they want to travel and the places they want to go. Printing just the information they need can save paper and cut stress.  Trip Planner – If people are unsure what bus route to use, Metro's online Trip Planner can be a better tool.
The Trip Planner looks up bus routes, finds the scheduled trips most closely matching arrival and departure times, identifies the stops, and even strings several routes together to complete a trip. Customers can use Trip Planner to plan a single trip, find the times for all buses at a location over a span of time, find all the routes that serve a location, and find stops close to a location. And, it includes trips for all public transit agencies serving King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. The Trip Planner also has a couple of options to meet the specific needs of customers:
• The Commuter Trip Plans function provides sets of two-way itineraries built around a regular trip (such as between home and work) with earlier and later options, coming and going.
• The Point-to-Point Schedule function provides a custom schedule between two locations that are served by at least one route. It’s similar to timetable information, but the function doesn’t require customers to know a bus route number. And if more than one route works, it can give all the routes available. The Commuter Trip Plans and Point-to-Point functions also work for customers who would like to download information about schedules to their palm-held devices. To find Web links to Metro’s timetables, the online Trip Planner, and other transit information select Online Tools at the left of Metro Online pages. Or, call Metro Rider Information at (206) 553-3000 (voice) or (206) 684-1739 (TTY).
Most Metro bus routes will operate on a Sunday schedule for the Presidents’ Day Holiday on Monday, Feb. 19. That means many weekday commute routes will not be in operation. There are some exceptions, and it is best to visit Metro Online for specific information about your route. Metro customer service offices will be closed on Feb. 19.
The popular Northwest Flower and Garden Show opens this week at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle. Once again, Metro is providing special shuttles to the show over the weekend – including new service from the Eastside. The show runs Wednesday through Sunday, Feb. 14-18. There are many regular bus routes serving the Convention Center on weekdays and weekends, use the Online Trip Planner to figure out which one is best for you. Then on Saturday and Sunday, Metro will offer the special shuttles between the show and the Northgate and Eastgate park-and-ride lots. The roundtrip fare for the shuttle is $3, collected at the Convention Center. For more information about transit service to the flower and garden show, visit Metro Online or call (206) 553-3000. |
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Ride Metro to the Seattle Home Show The annual Seattle Spring Home Show will be held Feb. 17-25 at the Qwest Field Events Center, and Metro is offering free weekend shuttles from Bellevue, Northgate and Renton. Metro can help you beat the crowds and save on parking with either regular transit service or the weekend shuttles to the show from three suburban park-and-ride lots. For regular service and routes, use Metro's online Trip Planner. Or, call Metro Rider Information at (206) 553-3000 for trip planning assistance. Full details about service to the show are posted on Metro Online. The special shuttles will be available Saturday-Monday, Feb. 17-19 and again on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25. They travel between Qwest Field and the Northgate Transit Center, South Bellevue Park-and-Ride, and the South Renton Park-and-Ride. The free shuttles will operate from approximately 9:20 a.m. until the show closes for the day.
Always wanted a nacho stand in your living room next to your big-screen TV? Then, the next King County spot auction on Wednesday, Feb. 14 is the place to be. Once again, the auction – which is managed by the King County Fleet Administration Division – features several pieces of surplus food-service equipment. This auction includes both King County surplus and items from other government agencies. Previews are on auction day only, from 10 a.m. until the start of the bidding process at noon. Check out the Spot Bid website to see a few photos of items in this month’s auction. The auction will take place at Fleet’s warehouse at 707 S. Orcas St., Seattle. For information, photos and driving directions, visit the auction website. | Subscribe to DOT DashSign-up to receive an e-mail text version of "Transportation Today," along with other significant DOT news by sending an e-mail to us with subscribe King County DOT Dash in the subject line.
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