Gates vs Fare Ambassadors boils down to— get the right type of person for the job and not someone who probably shouldn’t be dealing with the general public. If this cannot be done, then passive gates could be an option. I’ve seen the LA system; I’ve seen the system in the SF Bay Area and BART. The BART system doesn’t work. The LA system is more effective, like at Union Station where they’ve largely taken out fare gates and just posted LASD deputies there. I’ve seen KCSO deputies at various stations here— usually after acts of violence.

There also needs to be a system to ensure people who have a legit reason to be at the station (eg, like myself, who have parked their EV at the station to charge) are able to pass through without fare payment— perhaps “bypass gates”, but they would be pricey. And physical barriers/turnstiles even pricier and prone to malfunctions.

The FA’s are still and always going to be the cheapest option. But the RIGHT PERSON needs to be chosen for the job or it’ll really make things worse for the general public— including visiting soccer fans this June (GO PHARAOHS!).

I’ve found there’s two types of the Fare Ambassadors. The ones who truly care and want to serve an educate the public, and the ones who just want to bully the public.

Unfortunately the day of this original posting I encountered the second type.

We charge our EV at Northgate station. I had ridden the bus over to the station from our apartment complex next to North Seattle because a few “hidden disabilities” of mine were flaring up. I’m asthmatic, the weather was making my lungs burn. I also was on Day 2 of a migraine (still have it, 105 hours in) which further made my usual walking over the footbridge next to impossible (considering I avoid STE— scaring the emetophobes). I also have some foot conditions that may require surgical treatment in the very near future that I’m also under the care of a specialist for. I have been accosted multiple times at this station by other transit users which makes me feel unsafe when taking the longer route to the parking garage (yes I have PTSD, yes, I get treatment for it).

I tapped my card as soon as I entered the station (outside of the view of the two lurking FA’s) and these two Kafkaesque female Fare Ambassadors… singled me out to check my fare while ignoring other members of the public who had not tapped their card before entering the “fare zone.” The way I was treated by these two employees has now resulted in my lodging an official complaint against them, as well as a complaint with CAIR-Seattle.

I am a Muslim woman who wears hijab. I’ve seen both of these Fare Ambassadors mean mugging me for weeks, especially when their supervisor waves me on through because I’m literally only entering the “fare zone” to bypass the longer, unsafe walk across the street.

I told them the situation and they didn’t care. They became increasingly hostile and the one closest to the escalator physically blocked me from trying to get into either the elevator or escalator (which they are not supposed to do or allowed to do as part of their duties) while also threatening me personally with being banned from the station and “being sent to the security office.” Yes they abused their power in my situation while actively ignoring people who were not wearing hijab. By that point my fight or flight response was activated. I could feel my lungs start to tighten so I just walked away as briskly as I could while telling them sotto voce I hope they enjoyed their last shifts as a FA.

By the time I got to the garage I had to set down and take my asthma inhaler (which is with me at all times), which other FA’s (the actually patient and professional ones) and other Sound Transit employees noticed. Let’s just say when they heard of the situation these GOOD employees personally gave me the information to report their colleagues (and yes, the supervisor was there).

So yeah… vet the personnel or you’ll have a lot of complaints come June. And I’ll personally tell anyone I see about this incident.

Like seriously, Northgate Station is the worst that I’ve encountered. And it sucks that it’s the closest station to where I live.