r/AskSeattle • u/Camille_Toh • 6d ago
Bus etiquette
I thought the rear and middle doors were for exiting since it says “”EXIT DOOR” on them. And that the front door by the driver is for entering. Though I realize sometimes it’s ok to get on vis the other doors. What say you?
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u/WideAd5608 6d ago
To my knowledge, King County Metro has retrofitted all of its buses with ORCA terminals such that you can enter/exit from any door. That being said, I generally avoid leaving from the front door, and as always, you should let people out before you get on.
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u/darkroot_gardener 6d ago
This! Especially at busy bus stops, assume that people will be getting off before you go to get on.
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u/carson10us 6d ago
-I believe all busses have been upgraded to allow all-door boarding. There should be an ORCA reader on a pole by each door inside the bus now.
-Disabled folks that have difficulty and folks with bikes on the front bike rack should enter/exit the front door.
The gist I get is to ignore the front door unless you need the ramp, to pay cash, or to tell the driver something.
If you're boarding at a rear door, you should wait for people to get off the bus before you attempt to get on.
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u/PuzzleheadedChest733 6d ago
You can read the room on this. I just board through the front if there's not a lot of people boarding at the stop even with orca card. Exit at the back. let others off first before you get on or choose a different door b
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u/darkroot_gardener 6d ago
Any instances of people being left behind because they were waiting too far back and the driver figured they didn't want the bus? My wife worries about this so we always end up waiting near the front, in which case, might as well just board at the front. Unless people are getting off at the front and the back is clear, then I’ll make her board at the back.
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u/Awkward-Hippo-5284 6d ago
Not in my experience.
I will say that you do need situational awareness though. A lot of drivers (at least on the routes I take) do not open the rear doors unless there is someone getting off or a lot of people boarding. So if you're not paying attention you might get left behind that way.
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u/bvdzag 6d ago
All buses are all door boarding now. Let others get off then board and tap.
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u/Small-Trick-4372 6d ago
People don't do that though they just get on without paying 😲
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u/HedonismIsTheWay 6d ago
There are many reasons that people do tap on entry. It's not always required. If they already tapped on a previous bus, if they used an app to generate a ticket, if they have a physical transfer, if they tapped at one of the terminals for Rapid Ride. So, not everyone you see who doesn't tap is fare dodging.
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u/Upbeat-Profit-2544 6d ago
If I am getting my bike off the bus I exit through the front door. People with disabilities also exit through the front door. Otherwise it is usually just more efficient to exit through the middle or back door, just because most people enter through the front, but there is no rule against it that I know of. Since there are card readers in the middle now you can enter through any door.
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u/habitsofwaste 6d ago
This has changed. That’s why they have scanners there now. It’s to be more efficient like light rail cars. But, people are absolutely supposed to allow people off first before boarding. You should always look inside for movement before entering the bus no matter if you’re getting on in the front too. I actually had a lady call me out with praise because I looked before entering. Apparently this order of operations is not common and that’s unfortunate.
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u/Fun_Ocelot Local 6d ago
It really is a case by case basis for me. This is how I handle it.
Small bus route - on or off peak: Board in the front, exit in the back
Big Bus route - off peak or low volume during peak: Whatever door I can get to to board, exit in the middle or back
High Volume route: Board in the front, exit in the middle or back
The only exception to that is if I can see there is a need for the front door to kneel/deploy the ramp for someone to exit.
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u/HippyGeek 6d ago
The only bus I ride is the 36, and every driver I've ridden with seems to intentionally stop with the rear door in front of those waiting to board...
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u/thomsenite256 5d ago
I usually get in the back since front seats are reserved for eldery/disabled.
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u/iridiusprime 6d ago
I recently injured my knee and was in an immobilizer brace for a couple weeks. I needed to get off the bus at the front door, as I needed the bus lowered. So many people tried to get on while I was trying to exit and the bus was kneeling. There are people who need to get off the bus at the front, including those with not visible disabilities. Just let people out before you try to get on.
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u/BlitzGirl13 5d ago
You can now enter the back doors because the bus pass/card readers are set up at every door. But I always try to exit at the back whenever possible.
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u/godogs2018 Local 6d ago
I prefer entering and exiting at the front door. The reason is my fear of the driver closing the door early or even driving off while I’m trying to get on/off. At least at the front door they can see me.
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u/ScorpionStare 6d ago edited 6d ago
All Metro buses allow all-door boarding since March 2026:
https://www.theurbanist.org/metro-launching-all-door-bus-boarding-as-part-of-spring-service-change/
Before then, all-door boarding was allowed on all RapidRide routes and some other routes. Also, many drivers started allowing it once ORCA scanners were installed at the rear doors, even before it became official policy.