Private company will provide shuttle to Seahawks games

When the Seattle Seahawks called for bids on providing shuttle service to football games this year, just one company, Starline Luxury Coaches, bid.

But the Seahawks rejected Starline, saying its offer was too expensive and Starline lacked approval to use Metro park-and-ride lots and other staging areas where it could pick up and let off passengers.

Now the private Northwest Motorcoach Association, of which Starline is a member, says it will run the shuttles anyway, without the Seahawks' blessing. Buses will stay on the street, it says, rather than entering park-and-ride lots.

"We were hoping the Seahawks would work with us on this, but they said forget it," said Gladys Gillis, head of Starline. "The problem seems to be that the Seahawks do not want to pay market rates for transporting their fans." Gillis said her company put in a bid calling for fares of $10 each way for the shuttle service.

Last year fans paid $6 round-trip to ride Metro buses to the games. Northwest Motorcoach now says its private operators will charge $12.50 each way, about four times last season's cost of riding Metro. Gillis said it's higher than Starline's bid because it now has to cover the cost of advertising and ticket sales.

According to Metro spokeswoman Rochelle Ogershok, last year Metro provided 29,244 fan round trips to Qwest Field football games from five park-and-ride lots.

The total cost for the service was $257,000; Metro collected $175,000 in fares, leaving the Seahawks responsible for about $81,000. But because the Seahawks did promotion of the service, Metro awarded a credit and the Seahawks paid only about $43,000.

"There's clearly a need," said Michael Baker, a spokesman for Northwest Motorcoach.

The issue of shuttle service to Seahawk games was driven by a new rule announced last spring by the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA).

Under the new policy, which took effect May 1, sponsors must solicit bids from private bus-charter companies for all sports and cultural events. Only if no one bids could Metro continue to provide the service.

The FTA this year provided Metro an exemption to operate shuttles to Seattle Mariner games.

Metro doesn't make or lose money on the shuttles because event sponsors cover the costs through a fee and passenger fares, but private operators complained that these public subsidies were driving private operators out of business.

With the switch from Metro service, the Seahawks won't provide any subsidy this season.

Under the Northwest Motorcoach plan, the shuttle service will begin on the first regular-season home game Sept. 14 and continue through the postseason, if necessary. Fans will be picked up at five locations, likely outside park-and-ride lots in Kent, Federal Way, Northgate, Eastgate and Kirkland. Exact locations haven't been released.

Tickets must be purchased 48 hours in advance at www.gettoqwest.com beginning Sept. 1. The site isn't up yet but will be by Sept. 1, Gillis said.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com