Week of Jan. 14, 2008

Transit Control Center: The bus ride starts here

Transit Control Center Chief David Magidman demonstrates the console for a group of bus drivers.

Metro’s TCC is similar to the NASA Mission Control Center in Houston, or air traffic control towers at a major airport. The TCC is staffed by first-line supervisors who maintain 24/7 radio contact with all bus drivers on the road, supervisors in the field, emergency police and fire agencies throughout King County, and other groups that support the operations of Metro’s 1,300-bus fleet.

Within Metro, the “first-liners” are recruited from the ranks of Metro’s 2,600 bus drivers, and serve in four key areas: Service Communications; Base Operations; Training; and Service Quality.

Nancy Wilson leads the Service Communications group, with the assistance of chiefs Charlie Weeks, Doug Beatty and David Magidman. They oversee 20 coordinators who work around the clock to keep Metro buses operating safely and efficiently.

“Almost all the actions and activities that are taken to respond to issues that affect in-service buses come through here,” said Wilson. “The coordinators who staff our control center are the first ones bus drivers contact when there is an emergency, or any kind of a problem. The minute-to-minute management of our bus system really does fall to our coordinators.”

During the busiest times – weekday morning and afternoon commutes – the coordinators staff five radio channels. Approximately 300 individual buses are assigned to communicate with a single coordinator at one of the four main radio channels. A fifth coordinator monitors the other four channels, and communicates with other Metro groups such as Vehicle Maintenance, Service Quality, Safety, and Metro Transit Police as needed.

Coordinator Carl Kietzke communicates with up to 300 individual bus drivers during the busiest parts of his shift.

“The only set part of this job is what time you’ve got to show up for your shift,” said Hartman. “It’s a lot like playing poker, you don’t know what the next card – in this case the next radio call – will bring.”

Hartman and Wilson describe the job as “crisis management.” Sometimes the problems are small and simply solved – a bus driver needs to know the correct time to maintain schedule. But other times, they can be significant issues or weather conditions that affect the safety of the driver, the bus passengers, and even other motorists on the road. Because the buses are always on the move and problems can travel between jurisdictions, each coordinator has a direct line to the major 9-1-1 centers in King County to provide the fastest emergency response possible.

“This job isn’t for everyone,” said Wilson. “You have to multi-task, be good under pressure, and be able to take quick, decisive action.”

The TCC recently moved from leased space in an historic downtown office building, to its own building specifically designed to accommodate a modern communications center. It is built for the newest communications technology, and will be able to house the new radio system coming to Metro in the next few years. And, in the event of a major regional emergency, the new TCC building can be self-sustaining for up to 72 hours.

Metro observes MLK holiday next Monday Metro will observe the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 21. Most Metro bus routes will operate on a regular weekday schedule, but there is reduced service on some peak-commute routes and those serving the University of Washington. All Metro offices will be closed. Service changes next Monday include: Reduced service includes cancellation of the following routes: 45, 46, 76, 77, 79, 133, 167, 197, 202, 205, 272, 277, 304, 308 and 373. When the University of Washington is not in session, the following routes operate on a weekday schedule with designated trips canceled: Routes 31, 65, 67, 68, 75, 271, 372 and ST 540. Check timetables for the canceled trips. Ferry service reductions could impact Metro service A temporary reduction in ferry service between Vashon Island and Fauntleroy may result in bus service delays or disruptions on King County Metro Transit routes 54, 116, 118, and 119. Metro staff has been working to make sure passengers traveling on Vashon and between the mainland and the island are accommodated while this revised ferry schedule is in effect. Bus riders on the four affected routes should use the bus route's regularly posted schedule to plan travel, but be sure to allow plenty of time for the trip and be prepared for possible delays.

Roads environmental projects get boost with state funding King County's efforts to improve water quality through stormwater management are getting a big shot in the arm with more than $3.3 million in new grants from the Washington State Department of Ecology. The state grant funds will be used to make regional stormwater improvements, develop low-cost maintenance systems and other important advances in King County's stormwater management activities carried out by the county's Road Services Division and Water and Land Resources Division. The Roads Division received $561,000 for a project to develop ways to retrofit roadside ditches countywide to handle stormwater flows to reduce flooding and pollution run-off. The division also received $168,000 for stormwater control on an upcoming project to improve Novelty Hill Road east of Redmond. Deep snows keep Skykomish road crews busy County crews plow the Foss River Road. It may be cold and chilly here in the lower reaches of King County, but it’s been a different story in the county’s far northeast corner at the base of the Cascade Mountains along Highway 2. King County Road Services Division crews stationed in Skykomish have been plowing snow from roads almost non-stop this winter – and it just keeps falling. “Most of our crew hasn’t seen this much snow since they were assigned to the Skykomish office,” said Roads Maintenance Superintendent Tony Ledbetter. “We had to bring in additional equipment just to move the snow away from the roadways, because there was nowhere left to push it.” The county’s Skykomish roads office is staffed by four maintenance workers, who maintain approximately 40 miles of roads in the higher altitudes of that area.

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