January 13, 2025

Editorial: Honoring the life of Metro Driver Shawn Yim

Photo by Lisa Lannigan [enlarge]

King County Metro is the lifeblood of our community, transporting more than 300,000 people a day to work, school, sporting events and tourist destinations.

Like 300,000 others every day, I am one of those riders.

I love taking the bus. With a tap of my Orca card, Metro picks me up near my home in Greenwood and drops me off near the DJC offices in Pioneer Square. I enjoy a quiet half-hour reading a book or staring out the window – time that would otherwise be spent battling traffic and searching for parking for less than $20. For nearly two decades, I've taken the bus to and from work, to Mariners' games and concerts, from one side of King County to the other. I, like so many others in our region, rely on Metro and its drivers.

Metro drivers are friendly, hard-working people who are ready with a smile and a wave, through all kinds of weather — even a “Snowpocalypse” or two.

Yim

My grandfather was a driver for King County Metro. He drove a route through downtown and into West Seattle. My mother said he loved the job because he loved talking to people.

Last Friday, King County Metro honored the life of Shawn Yim, a bus operator who was killed in the early hours of Dec. 18 while on his route. Metro's largest labor partner, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587, hosted a procession of buses and other transit vehicles. A long line proceeded down Fourth Avenue, accompanied by fellow drivers and other employees from transit agencies around the region.

Metro describes Yim as a “kind and dedicated public servant,” who was “beloved by his family and friends, and was funny, warm and thoughtful to his colleagues and riders.” His colleagues describe him as an extraordinary person, a friend and mentor. And riders told Metro of times that he “took extra care in making sure every kid going to school caught the bus safely. He encouraged them not to run and assured them he'd wait.”

The DJC honors the life of Shawn Yim, and offers a heartfelt thank-you to all the operators who help us get where we need to go.

The Daily Journal of Commerce welcomes your comments.

• E-mail: editor@djc.com
  
  

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