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About 975 commute time Metro and Metro-operated Sound Transit buses will be in service at that time, and the majority will pull over and stop for a brief moment of reflection in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose legacy of justice, inclusion and diversity serves to drive King County to better serve people. King was assassinated April 4, 1968, and King County is named in his honor.

“Dr. King devoted his life to fighting for equality and human rights for all, and we dedicate this moment to equity and social justice for all that Dr. King lived and died for,” said King County Metro General Manager Rob Gannon. “Metro believes that mobility is one of those rights. We are proud to provide public transportation services that enable all people to access the opportunities needed to thrive in King County.

“As we briefly pull our buses to the curb for a moment of reflection, we invite you to join us.”

Metro and Metro-operated Sound Transit buses in King County will stop only where and when it is safe to do so. Buses will not pause service if they are traveling on highways, in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel or on roadways where there is no place to safely pull over.

Metro will notify riders via transit alerts and on-board announcements in the days leading up to the moment of reflection. We appreciate and share our thanks to riders in advance for respecting and supporting our pause in service, and give our assurance that transit service will quickly restart at the conclusion of the moment of remembrance.

King County and Metro are committed to advancing equity and opportunity for all

A number of events over the past few years have led to heightened national attention to issues concerning racism, equity and inclusion. King County believes the ongoing national conversation is critically important for advancing equity and opportunity for all—core values for King County. Metro sees the Jan. 15 event as a way to engage our community in thinking and talking about the issues swirling around us today.

The legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — whose image graces every one of our buses—is a constant and powerful guide. Although his physical voice was silenced 50 years ago, his importance continues and we continue to embrace Dr. King’s quest for equity and social justice as we deliver transportation services. We strive to offer everyone in King County affordable and accessible opportunities to get where you want to go.

Annual King County Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations

King County is hosting an annual King County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration event from 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, at the Sanctuary, 811 Fifth Ave. in downtown Seattle).

MLK Seattle has posted Jan. 15 event information, located at Garfield High School and including an opportunity fair, workshops, an 11 a.m. rally and 12:30 p.m. march to Westlake Park.

About King County’s namesake

King County was named in 1852 after Vice President William Rufus de Vane King, a slave owner and advocate for the Fugitive Slave Act. A 20-year effort to rename the county led to the 2005 change in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., followed by a logo change in 2007.

Reduced weekday schedules

Metro will operate reduced weekday service on Monday, Jan. 15, and some commuter and school-oriented trips will not operate – including reduced service to the University of Washington due to canceled classes. See details online and in printed timetables. Metro offices, including the Customer Information phone line at (206) 553-3000 and Lost and Found and Pass Sales counters, will be closed Jan. 15 and will reopen Tuesday, Jan. 16.