Today is Transit Driver Appreciation Day, and we appreciate the men and women who keep our region moving now more than ever.
If you’re riding the train or the bus, make sure to thank your driver by washing your hands, covering coughs and sneezes and avoiding touching your face. And please, stay home and off transit if you’re feeling sick.
Last week, we asked for feedback from our riders on what makes their driver (or light rail operator, or conductor) great.
They are nice, helpful, and heroic. Heroic because they keep us moving, and lead us to safety especially at a critical time like this.
We heard from people who take Link light rail, Sounder commuter trains and ST Express buses, but they had a lot of similar things to say.
According to our customers, our drivers are funny and friendly, polite and positive, cheerful and consistent – and just good at their jobs.
Here’s some of what we heard:
"He’s always there! I so appreciate that, and I want my driver to know he’s such an integral part of my day."
"They’re always on-time and make rides smooth."
"They get me where I need to go safely and are kind! I really appreciate their service!"
Drivers got a lot of kudos for being on the front lines during the Connect 2020 construction project and the COVID-19 situation.
We share these compliments with our operating partners King County Metro, Community Transit and Pierce Transit.
One of our early morning commuters on the 512 bus had this to say about their driver:
"My driver is always going above and beyond. For example, there is a regular rider who gets off in Lynnwood. The rider sometimes falls asleep, but the drive makes sure to walk back and wake up the rider so they don't miss their stop. This driver extends this sort of kindness to everyone who rides his bus and I really appreciate him."
We could not continue to operate our region’s critical mobility safety net without these dedicated and courageous public servants.
So be sure to thank your driver today, or when you return to commuting – at a safe social distance!
You can also thank your driver through our official feedback channels and your kind words will go into their work records.