The Seattle Times analyzed this and more than 7,000 King County Metro stops, measuring ridership against its pre-pandemic self. What emerges is a picture of the geography of transit use as it’s evolved through the pandemic years, where some people, almost unwaveringly, continue to rely on bus service and where others have returned slowly or not at all.
“We all saw choice riders fall off and lifetime riders hang on,” said Ryan Mello, a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council and Pierce County Council. “Those who were always relying on transit remain so.”