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KTTH OPINION

Rantz: ‘Extremely unsanitary man’ soils Seattle bus, King County Metro lets him walk

Apr 25, 2025, 5:03 AM

An "extremely unsanitary man" took a King County Metro bus in Seattle out of commission. (Photo: Ja...

An "extremely unsanitary man" took a King County Metro bus in Seattle out of commission. (Photo: Jason Rantz/KTTH)

(Photo: Jason Rantz/KTTH)

An “extremely unsanitary man” caused a scene on a King County Metro bus in Seattle this week. Somehow, he wasn’t offered any help, and the supposed security King County Metro uses wasn’t involved.

On the bus ride into work, I heard King County Metro dispatch warn bus drivers not to allow an “extremely unsanitary man” onto the bus. He was last seen at Mercer Way and 5th in Seattle, according to the dispatcher. The tone of his voice was urgent. He repeated that the man was “extremely unsanitary” ³¾³Ü±ô³Ù¾±±è±ô±ðÌýtimes, but didn’t explain anything more specific. We’ll have to use our imaginations.

King County Metro confirmed the disturbance was a man “with apparent mental health issues who left one of our coaches in an unsanitary condition in that area” on Wednesday morning.

“That coach was removed from service for cleaning, and another bus was brought in to replace it on the route, and service was maintained for riders. There is no police report, and we don’t have any information that security was contacted or involved,” a King County Metro spokesperson explained to “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

So, they just let him walk away?

A missed opportunity to help someone

That there was no security contact or police involved is the biggest problem. And it only ensures this kind of incident continues to occur.

King County Metro says it started fare enforcement a month ago. Does anyone think the “extremely unsanitary man” paid his fare? Of course not. So why weren’t they called? Why wasn’t anyone called who could at least help get this man the help he so obviously and desperately needs? If not Metro staff, the Seattle Police Department could have perhaps connected this man with the .

This is yet another missed opportunity to help someone who needs it. But it’s also a reminder of how rotten a service King County Metro can be for riders. And letting this man go without any kind of meaningful intervention just means it’ll happen again.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. -7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on ,Ìý,Ìý, and .

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