Sound Transit 2023 Service Plan

We want your feedback on our 2023 Service Plan!

2023 Service Plan

This online open house has now closed

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Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the 2023 Service Plan. This online open house has now closed. For more information about the 2023 Service Plan please visit our website. To stay up to date, sign up for our listserv.

What’s the annual Service Plan?

Sound Transit evaluates service every year, and we propose changes to improve performance, respond to ridership trends and make the most of our resources.

In last year’s Service Plan we proposed and approved service increases on a number of key routes, but persistent pandemic challenges and operator shortages have delayed those improvements. In fact, operator shortages over the past year made emergency service reductions necessary on several routes, including some where we’d planned to increase service.

It’s still our goal to deliver the improvements outlined in last year’s Service Plan. As we continue to navigate widespread workforce challenges, however, we’re required as part of our 2023 Service Plan to formalize the current service levels until operator availability improves.

2023 Service Plan proposal and survey

Full map of proposed Sound Transit service changes.
Click here to view our current service map.

Workforce shortages affecting our routes

The following routes are currently running with moderate to severe service reductions due to operator shortages. Sound Transit is required to formalize these levels in our 2023 Service Plan, until operator availability improves.

Mitigation efforts we have done so far

To give riders better service predictability amidst persistent operator shortages, we made emergency service reductions in November 2021 on Pierce Transit-operated ST Express routes. Those cuts were followed by similar reductions on ST Express routes operated by Community Transit and King County Metro in spring 2022.

We’re working closely with our partner agencies to mitigate these impacts by coordinating service on shared corridors between transit agencies. We transferred Route 566 operations from Pierce Transit to King County Metro to avoid further reductions. We have also restored some Sounder train trips on the S Line earlier than originally planned to provide additional options.

In the meantime, our operating partners are working hard to recruit and train new drivers. We’ll continue to assess staffing levels and restore service twice a year (through our annual March and September service changes) over the next few years.

Once we can maintain current service levels reliably and without cancellations, we’ll begin to add service.

Routes currently with frequency reductions

Route 566 – Auburn/Kent to Redmond Tech

Route 566 (Auburn/Kent – Redmond Tech) – currently operating every 20-40 min. in peak hours and peak direction (northbound a.m., southbound p.m.), primarily timed with Sounder trains at Kent.

A satellite map showing Route 566 bus services from the Sound Transit Auburn and Kent Station to Redmond Tech.
A map showing Route 566 bus services from the Sound Transit Auburn and Kent Station to Redmond Tech.

A table shows the peak hours during weekdays (6 – 9 a.m. and 3 – 7 p.m.) of the approved and target service levels for Route 566 between Auburn and Redmond to be 20 minutes in contrast to the current service level operator availability of 20-40 minutes.

Route 566
(Auburn/Kent – Redmond Tech)
Approved and target service levels for 577 and 578 between Federal Way and Seattle Current levels until operator availability improves
Weekdays
Peak hours (6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.) 20 min. 20-40 min.

A table comparing current service level operator availability and approved target service levels for Route 566.

Route 577 – Federal Way to Seattle

Route 577 (Federal Way – Seattle) – currently operating every 10 min. during peak hours

A satellite map showing Route 577 bus services from Federal Way Transit Center to Downtown Seattle.
A map showing Route 577 bus services from Federal Way Transit Center to Downtown Seattle.

A table shows the approved target service levels for Route 577 and Route 578 during peak weekday hours (6 – 9 a.m. and 3 – 7 p.m.) to be 6-8 minutes, during midday (9-3 p.m.) to be 15 minutes, evenings (7 p.m. – 10 p.m.) to be 30 minutes, late nights (after 10 p.m) to be 30 minutes and weekends to be 15 minutes. The table also shows the current service level operator availability during peak hours (10-12 minutes), midday (30 minutes), evenings (30-60 minutes), late nights, (30 minutes), and weekends (30- 60 minutes.)

Route 577
(Federal Way – Seattle)
Approved and target service levels for 577 and 578 betweeen Federal Way and Seattle Current levels until operator availability improves
Weekdays
Peak hours (6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.) 6-8 min. 10-12 min.
Midday (9-3 p.m.) 15 min. 30 min.
Evenings (7 p.m.-10 p.m.) 30 min. 30-60 min.
Late nights (after 10 p.m.) 30 min. 30 min.
Weekends 15 min. 30-60 min.

A table comparing current service level operator availability and approved target service levels for Route 577.

Route 590 – Tacoma to Seattle

Route 590 (Tacoma – Seattle) – currently operating every 10 min. during peak

A satellite map showing Route 590 bus services from Tacoma to Downtown Seattle.
A map showing Route 590 bus services from Tacoma to Downtown Seattle.

A table shows the approved target service levels for Route 590 and Route 594 during peak weekday hours (6 – 9 a.m. and 3 – 7 p.m.) to be 6-9 minutes, during midday (9-3 p.m.) to be 15 minutes, evenings (7 p.m. – 10 p.m.) to be 30 minutes, late nights (after 10 p.m) to be 30 minutes and weekends to be 15 minutes. The table also shows the current service level operator availability during peak hours (10 minutes), midday (30 minutes), evenings, (30 minutes), late nights (30 minutes), and weekends (30 minutes.)

Route 590
(Tacoma – Seattle)
Approved and target service levels for 590 and 594 between Tacoma and Seattle Current levels until operator availability improves
Weekdays
Peak hours (6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.) 6-9 min. 10 min.
Midday (9-3 p.m.) 15 min. 30 min.
Evenings (7 p.m.-10 p.m.) 30 min. 30 min.
Late nights (after 10 p.m.) 30 min. 30 min.
Weekends 15-30 min. 30 min.

A table comparing current service level operator availability and approved target service levels for Route 590.

Route 592 – DuPont/Lakewood to Seattle

Route 592 (DuPont/Lakewood – Seattle) – currently operating every 30 min

A satellite map showing Route 592 bus services from DuPont and Lakewood to Downtown Seattle.
A map showing Route 592 bus services from DuPont and Lakewood to Downtown Seattle.

A table shows the peak hours during weekdays (6 – 9 a.m. and 3 – 7 p.m.) of the approved and target service levels for Route 592 between Lakewood/Dupont and Downtown Seattle to be 20 minutes in contrast to the current service level operator availability of 30 minutes.

Route 592
(DuPont/Lakewood – Seattle)
Approved and target service levels for 592 Current levels until operator availability improves
Weekdays
Peak hours (6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.) 20 min. 30 min.

A table comparing current service level operator availability and approved target service levels for Route 592.

Routes with alignment changes

Route 580 – South Hill to Puyallup

Route 580 (South Hill – Puyallup) – currently only operating between South Hill and Puyallup Station (Lakewood to South Hill section suspended) and with reduced trips

Route 580 primarily serves as a shuttle to remote Sounder parking lots (Red Lot and South Hill Park-and-Ride) when the Puyallup Station lot is full. After the Puyallup’s new 500-space garage opens later this year and station-adjacent parking capacity increases, most Route 580 trips would be replaced by Pierce Transit Route 400, which operates parallel to Route 580.

By consolidating and coordinating these services, Sound Transit and Pierce Transit could maintain connections between Puyallup and local parking facilities while shifting bus operators to other routes with a higher number of cancellations.

In addition, the section between Lakewood and South Hill would be eliminated. This route section primarily connected riders to the shorter Sounder trips that run between Tacoma and Seattle. Routes 592 and 594 offer service between Lakewood, SR 512 Park-and-Ride and Seattle.

A satellite map showing Route 580 bus services between South Hill and Puyallup Station. The map also shows proposed service route elimination from South Hill to Lakewood.
A map showing Route 580 bus services between South Hill and Puyallup Station. The map also shows proposed service route elimination from South Hill to Lakewood.

A table shows the peak hours during weekdays (6 – 9 a.m. and 3 – 7 p.m.) and lists proposed changes to Route 580. Changes include the operation of select trips only, spaced between Pierce Transit 400 local trips, most Sounder trains would be met by either an ST Express 580 or PT 400 at Puyallup and the elimination of a section between South Hill and Lakewood.

Route 580
(South Hill – Puyallup)
Proposed Route 580 changes
Weekdays
Peak hours (6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.) Operate select trips only, spaced between Pierce Transit 400 local trips. Most Sounder trains would be met by either an ST Express 580 or PT 400 at Puyallup. Section between South Hill and Lakewood eliminated.

A table showing proposed operation changes to Route 580 during peak weekday hours.

Need assistance?

General Rider Inquiries:

Phone: 1-888-889-6368, TTY Relay 711
Email: main@soundtransit.org
Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Accessibility Inquiries:

Phone: 1-800-201-4900, TTY Relay 711
Email: main@soundtransit.org
Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Call or text Security 24/7:

206-398-5268

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