King County’s Metro Transit periodically surveys King County about its transit services. The survey includes both those who ride Metro and those who don’t.

The most recent survey, conducted in the fall of 2014, gathered feedback from 1,200 riders.

The survey found that nine out of 10 riders are either very or somewhat satisfied with Metro. That number signals a reversal of the downward trend in satisfaction measured over the past few years.

According to a press release, one reason for the poorer ranking a few years ago might be timing. The 2012 survey was done soon after the elimination of the Ride Free Area (in downtown Seattle) and the start of the RapidRide C and D lines. The 2013 survey was done while there was media attention on potential service cuts and on security incidents.

More than 70 percent of riders said  they had not been directly affected by those service reductions. Twenty-two percent said they were affected but continued riding, and six percent said they had stopped riding because of the reductions. The 2014 rider survey also asked if service reductions affected the “quality” of service. The percentage of customers who said they were “very satisfied” fell between two and seven percent in the following areas”

•  Level of crowding

•  Seat availability

•  On-time performance

•  Travel times

The passage of Seattle’s Proposition 1 last November allowed Metro to add 110,000 annual service hours in the city beginning in June. September will bring another 113,000 service hours in Seattle.

For more visit www.kingcounty.gov/metro/accountability.