In seven months last year, 30 King County Metro fare enforcement officers issued eight citations. None of them were paid.
The data comes from a new report delivered to the county on April 1.
Metro suspended fare enforcement in March 2020 due to the global pandemic. Fares began to be enforced again at the end of May in 2025.
The fare officers focused on ten routes with high ridership and high rates of fare evasion, including RapidRide lines A, B, C, D, E, and F, as well as routes 7, 36, 40, and 106.
Between late May and December 2025, 2,186 warnings were issued, as well as eight citations to seven individual riders (one rider received two).
Metro told KIRO 7 the program is designed to educate riders, connect them to affordable fare options, and build a culture of paying fares.
Riders that KIRO 7 spoke to on Friday said the enforcement surprised them.
“I’ve never seen anyone doing fare enforcement on the bus ever,” said Alisha, who said she rides buses every day.
“A lot of people ride on free,” said Joe Orosco. “Or they make up some excuse, ‘Oh I’m only going so far.’”
No citations were paid and resolved during the seven-month period. The report cites issues of communication, such as a rider giving a bad address, no phone number, or the address of a homeless shelter.
Metro told KIRO 7 that resolving citations requires consistent follow-up contact, which can be difficult when riders don’t have stable housing or other barriers to reliable communication.
Non-payment has decreased slightly, according to Metro. The systemwide fare non-payment rate declined from 36% in the second half of 2024 to 35% in the same period of 2025, Metro said.
Fare revenue grew 7% systemwide, from $73.1 million in 2024 to $78 million in 2025, according to Metro officials.
Metro expects to spend approximately $3.1 million on fare enforcement in 2026, as part of a broader security investment.
You can read the full report here.
©2026 Cox Media Group
