Performance Audit of Transit

Overall, the audit found that Transit is actively engaged in fulfilling its stated mission. Transit’s approach to fulfilling its mission has contributed to higher expenditures – a situation exacerbated by reduced revenues and increased costs. Transit has multiple opportunities to improve its use of planning and analysis to reduce costs, generate revenues, and achieve its objectives. We reviewed eight areas of Transit and made specific findings and recommendations across the system. The eight areas include: Service Development, Financial and Capital Planning, Staffing, Paratransit, Trolley Replacement, Vehicle Maintenance, Transit Fares, and Data/Documentation.

Throughout the report, our recommendations are intended to shift Transit’s organizational perspective more toward cost reduction and revenue enhancement by operationalizing an approach that includes systematic planning and effective data analysis.

King County Metro Transit is a large and complex organization that serves more than 100 million riders annually within a 2,134 square-mile area. With an annual operating budget of nearly $600 million, Transit operates and maintains a bus fleet of over 1,300 vehicles. The recommendations in this report have the potential to achieve annual cost savings in the range of $30 to $37 million and to boost revenue by as much as $54 million per year. Added to this is a one-time draw down of $105 million in excess fund balance.