From King County Metro:

Metro invites transit riders to use our new text for departures tool.

What it is

Text for departures is an easy to use free service provided by Metro for use on any mobile device with texting capabilities.

Whether you are at your stop or headed out the door, you can quickly find the next expected departure time of transit service at your stop.

How to use it

Simply text your transit stop ID to dedicated short code 62550, and in a few seconds you will receive a message letting you know when the next transit service is scheduled at your stop.

Example
Text just the (stop ID) number 1120 to 62550, and you will receive a message letting you know when the next buses are scheduled at the stop located westbound on Pine St between 4th and 3rd avenues (Stop 1120) in downtown Seattle.

Stop IDs

For most Metro service, stop IDs are posted on bus stops.

To see just one route at a stop, enter the Stop ID, a space and the route number. Example: Text 1120 11 to see the next scheduled times for only Route 11 at Stop 1120.

Stop IDs can also be found in Metro’s online Trip Planner, both on the map and in the Next Departures & Stops feature.

What it covers

Stop departure messages include the next scheduled times of routes serving the requested stop, as well as available estimated times, known trip cancelations if any, and ‘Alert!’ notifications if any.

Visit the Text for Departures help page for complete information about stop departure messages.

Included services
Messages about scheduled service are available at stops (stop IDs) that are included in Metro’s Puget Sound Regional Trip Planner.

Estimated - “real time” - departures for Metro service are also provided.

Service disruptions
Known trip cancelations on Metro service are displayed.

Additionally, if there are posted advisories about known service disruptions for Metro routes or stops referenced in a next departures message, there will be an ‘Alert!’ notification in the response text with a link to Metro’s online Alerts & Updates page. Scroll through the Service Advisories table to find information about your route or stop.

Temporary service disruptions that happen in real time are not posted in the Service Advisories table. The text for departure tool can be used in conjunction with Metro’s Transit Alert subscription service. Riders can sign up to receive real time notifications of service disruptions for routes they ride, or they can check for recent notifications for their routes in the RSS feed. Real time updates for non-Metro service may be provided by operators of that service. Check other operators’ websites for their information.

Text HELP to 62550 for complete information.

Free service

Neither an app nor a subscription, Metro’s text for departures tool is a free, request-only service, and will not push unsolicited messages. There are no Metro-associated costs for using it, however, third party message or data charges could apply, depending on a user’s contract with her/his mobile carrier.

No log-ins, sign-ups, downloads or subscriptions are necessary, and the service is available on any mobile device with texting capabilities. Using data and processes already available in our online and app-based Next Departures and Tracker features, texting for departure times makes messages about scheduled and real time next departures of transit service at stops more readily available to a wider range of transit riders.

While response texts are usually delivered in a few seconds, some responses can take longer due to external network or carrier delays.

Thank you for riding and for using Metro’s services.