Five years later, King County Metro is ready to enforce payment by its riders again.

Beginning March 31st, drivers and Fare Enforcement Officers will again require riders to pay for their trips.

It is a soft re-start. “Friendly, verbal reminders will be given to riders who did not pay,” Metro says.

The change comes five years to the month of the start of the pandemic when Metro put fare enforcement on hold in the first weeks of the COVID-19 crisis. A week later, Metro suspended fares completely as it cut routes and watched ridership plummet. By that October, fares were reinstated but fare enforcement remained on hold.

The mothballing of enforcement coincided with ongoing efforts to address inequity in fare enforcement as Metro and the King County Sheriff’s Office were directed to develop alternative approaches.

The restarted enforcement will be fully in place beginning May 31st:

At that time, in place of verbal reminders, riders who do not have valid proof of payment will receive a written warning. Riders can receive two of these written warnings without consequence. However, third and subsequent citations may result in a fine or an alternative resolution. Alternative resolutions help ensure fairness. For example, if someone cannot afford to pay a fare, they cannot afford to pay a fine.

The return of fare enforcement also comes as transit leaders are being called on to address public safety and employee safety issues on the systems serving Seattle. A new Transit Safety and Security Task Force has been formed to shape initiatives including a push for safety barriers on buses and addressing safety at transit stops following the December murder of transit operator Shawn Yim in an overnight confrontation in the University District.

Enforcement will also drive new revenue for Metro where fares accounted for an estimated $73 million in revenue in 2024. Metro’s operating and capital budget for 2025 came in at just over $2 billion.

Metro says its programs and new efforts in enforcement also account for people living homeless and low income riders:

Because the freedom to move is a human right, Metro offers reduced and free fares to ensure everyone can take transit:

• Riders with lower incomes can get an ORCA LIFT card, which allows them to take Metro bus service for $1.
• Riders with disabilities and seniors are similarly able to ride a Metro bus for $1 with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP) card.
• All youth aged 18 and younger can ride for free and are encouraged to get an ORCA Youth card.
• Additionally, riders with the lowest incomes who are enrolled in certain government programs also can ride for free with the Subsidized Annual Pass.
• Please visit Metro’s Reduced Fare web page to learn more about these programs and take a quick, five-question quiz to determine which fare may be right for you.

Sound Transit has also overhauled its fare enforcement approach in recent years establishing “Fare Ambassadors” and introducing efforts like last summer’s start of platform fare checks hoped to make sure fares are paid — and educate riders.

You can learn more about the restart of Metro fare enforcement here.

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