(The Center Square) – King County Metro has officially resumed bus fare inspections after initially pausing it during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Metro is implementing a phased-in approach to returning to fare inspection with the first phase starting on Monday.
The agency is now deploying 30 fare enforcement officers across the system from among the ranks of 175 Transit Security Officers to ask riders for proof of fare payment and issue “friendly, verbal reminders” to nonpaying riders.
Metro’s fare is currently $2.75 for adults. People under the age of 18 can ride free with an ORCA Youth card.
The return of fare checks will help the agency ensure the multi-million dollars in fare revenue is collected. For context, King County Metro’s 2024 bus ridership was about 90 million systemwide with fares accounting for an estimated $73 million in revenue.
Notably, King County’s 2025 budget acknowledges that Metro’s fare revenue is not expected to return to pre-pandemic numbers, which typically made up about 25% of operating costs. Fare revenue now makes up only 9% of operating costs, according to the county.
Despite this, King County anticipates fare revenue on all Metro modes to total $100 million in 2025.
In 2024, the annual budget for Metro’s Transit Security Contract was approximately $18.2 million, but did not include costs associated with operating a fare violation program due to fare violations not being issued.
Fare enforcement efforts were suspended for all of 2024.
With the need for fare inspectors and an increased security presence on buses and bus stops, the King County 2025 budget includes $11.8 million to sustain an extra 100 transit security officers from 2023-2024.
The next phase in fare checks will begin on May 31, when the department will start implementing a warning system that culminates in fines or required community service for multiple violations.
If someone receives a third violation, that person could be required to pay a fine of $20 within 30 days, or $40 within 90 days. However, if someone is presumed to be unable to pay a fine, the offender could be subject to alternative resolutions, including performing two hours of community service.
