Metro Transit Alert – Visit MetroWinter.com for service information; check for canceled trips & other updates: text your stop ID to 62550 or visit ‘Next Departures’ in Metro‘s trip planner

The National Weather Service is predicting overnight snowfall in Metro’s service area.

When Metro’s service area is affected by snow or ice, it may be necessary to revise bus
routes or cancel individual bus trips due to vehicle or staffing shortages, or road
conditions in specific areas. 

Tuesday evening & overnight
Metro service is currently operating via designated snow reroutes in its North and East
King County
snow areas, and expects individual trip cancelations to continue.

Transit service may also operate with delays, due to weather and road conditions.

If there is a major storm or snowfall overnight, consider not traveling until the event is
over and roads have been cleared.

If you must travel, check on your transit service and be prepared for delays.

It is advisable to check information sources often, as conditions can change quickly, and
it can take time to iteratively update information.

Sign up for Transit Alerts or use the RSS feed for the most up to date information.

Snow reroutes
Some or all Metro routes could be directed to use their
designated snow reroutes.

Designated snow routes are shown on the map in the timetable for each route.

They are further described in the table on the Service Advisories page, and in detailed
advisory documents that can be accessed from the table.

It’s possible that some routes could remain on their regular route, as some routes do not
have designated snow reroutes or those areas are not affected.

It’s possible that reroutes could change during the day, and that unplanned reroutes
could be implemented.

Where buses are not traveling into neighborhoods, on hills or onto unplowed streets,
riders are advised to check
MetroWinter.com, and wait at posted bus stops along flat
portions of plowed and treated arterial streets, or at major transfer points, such as park-
and-ride lots, transit centers, malls or colleges.

Canceled trips
On regular service days Metro staff can send Transit Alerts about some individual trip
cancelations, but it is not possible to send those alerts during a snow event. 

How to find out if a trip is canceled
While Metro can’t send related individual alerts during a snow event, known trip
cancelations are entered in the usual locations.

This information refers to scheduled trips that have been canceled, and not to bus stops
that are not being served due to snow reroutes. 

Riders can proactively check to find out if a trip has been canceled.

Known canceled trips are shown in the Next Departures tool in Metro’s onlinetrip planner,
or by texting your stop ID to 62550, Metro’s
Text for Departures tool that
requires no sign-up or download.

Depending on varying circumstances, trip cancelations are sometimes reported well
after a trip’s start time, so the best time to check is just before heading for the bus, or at
the bus stop, so other options can be considered if needed.

It is not possible to provide real time updates about all revisions at the bus stop level
during snow. 

“Real time” at stops; schedules & delays
There is no “snow schedule”.

When buses are operating on their designated snow reroutes, every effort is made to
operate as closely as possible to regularly published schedules, however delays are
likely when snow or ice are on the road.

It’s possible that staff will not know about or be able to post some trip cancelations or
most delays.

Transit riders are advised to use the regularly published timetable for their route,
check the map, table and advisory tools to determine where to wait for their bus, check for trip
cancelations as described above, then be prepared for possible delays.

If a reroute operates close to its regular routing, real time reporting at bus stop signs,
in the
Next Departures tool, or by texting your stop ID to 62550, may be fairly accurate,
however, real time tools may be less reliable during adverse conditions.

Real time reporting accuracy is not guaranteed. 

Snow routing is not reflected in trip planner itineraries.

It may not be possible for Metro to know about every service impact at the trip or stop
level, and updates may take time.

information
Prepare before you travel
Visit Metro’s website for complete transit information.

 Visit the MetroWinter.com website.

 Visit the King County Water Taxi site for information about Water Taxi operation.

Metro’s trip planner & transit apps
Metro’s online trip planner and other transit apps provide trip planning and other
information using data based on regular transit schedules.

Temporary service disruptions, such as those due to weather are not reflected in the
regular route itineraries or schedules provided by these apps. 

While “real time” – or predicted – information in transit apps may be less reliable during
major service disruptions, it may be possible to get more specific information by visiting
the
Next Departures feature in Metro’s Puget Sound Trip Planner or mobile apps, or by
checking
Text for Departures on your smart phone.

It is not possible to know exactly when a bus will be at a specific location.

Snow routing is not reflected in trip planner itineraries.

Partner agencies
Visit the Community TransitPierce TransitSound Transit or Washington State
Ferries
 websites for information about services provided by Metro’s regional transit
partners.

For non-transit traffic or other local updates, check media sources, follow @seattledot or
visit
https://twitter.com/seattledot
https://twitter.com/SeattlePD

Everyone's preparedness and patience during snow or other adverse conditions is
appreciated.

Travel safely.