Editorials / Opinion

The Seattle electorate did the right thing in passing Proposition 1 to improve bus service operated by Metro [“Metro bus service to get boost with passage of Prop. 1,” Local News, Nov. 4]. “Fixing” unreliable schedules is one of the stated goals for the new tax revenue.

In 2009, an outside auditor recommended a reduction in bus driver break time at the end of each trip to achieve cost savings. This helped prevent service cuts early in the recession, which was good, but on-time performance suffered along with driver working conditions. Today, on many routes there is not enough time for the driver to visit the restroom. A driver who is distracted by basic physical needs is not going to be able to provide the service the public wants and voted for. City and county managers and elected officials need to be willing to allocate a portion of the new tax revenue to realistic bus driver breaks.

Any route that is declared to be “fixed” by managers and elected officials will not actually be fixed unless driver break time is increased. Our leaders need to do the right thing and face the fact that in order to have an improved transit system they must fund a humane transit system.

David Bailey, Kenmore