Tell the Sound Transit Board, Don’t Privatize Our Bus Service!
On March 16th the news broke that Sound Transit has quietly been taking steps to contract out their Express bus service to a private, for-profit corporation. They plan to start with 14 buses and increase to 55 buses by fall 2020. A Request for Proposals (RFP) was put out in February, without consultation with King County Metro, which currently collaborates with Sound Transit to operate the Express buses.
This is unacceptable for so many reasons. Privatization of public transit is a profit-grab that in other cities has led to eroding service and safety standards, not to mention that any “savings” come from turning middle class union-represented bus driver positions into lower-wage jobs with poor benefits. Contracting out with a private company also undermines public oversight, transparency, and accountability. Please take a minute to email members of the Sound Transit board urging them to halt efforts to privatize our public services, and share widely!