Riding a "Low Performing" King County Metro Bus

The bus I take to work is always standing-room only. This morning the aisle between the seats was packed like a sardine can and there wasn't room for me to move out of the yellow restricted zone by the driver and front door where theoretically no one is allowed to stand while the bus is moving. Soon even that restricted area was too packed for any more people to squeeze in. Then the driver found enough spare room just inside the back door, normally only used for exiting (because you pay at the front as you get on), to squeeze in a couple more riders.

Since the buses normally jerk around like a bucking bronco, I was a little worried about falling into the driver, but luckily he was driving slowly. He explained that he was being cautious because the extra weight was making the suspension bottom out. 

One advantage to riding up in that yellow restricted area is that it's easier to get out when the bus reaches my stop. Not so easy for those who got in at earlier stops along the route and have to squeeze by 20 other sardines.

This bus route -- route 240 in Bellevue, WA -- is one of many "low performing" King County Metro routes slated for reduction this Fall due to insufficient funding by voters. I'd like to see one of the "high performing" routes. Do those buses have handles on the outside, looking like century-old photos of trolley cars with as many people hanging on the outside as riding on the inside? Maybe seats on the roof would help too.

These reductions coming up are going to force a lot of bus riders into cars, further slowing down our already notoriously glacial commuter traffic (the 3rd-worst in America, after LA and Miami) for everyone. Maybe I'll be one of them.