How Do I Apply for a Shuttle Route Permit?

Instructions for Applying for a Shuttle Route Permit

Follow these instructions for applying for a Shuttle Route Permit via the Seattle Services Portal. Shuttle Route Permits are required in the City of Seattle for an employer shuttle service to share a Metro bus stop or request a new shuttle vehicle load zone. The information you provide helps determine the impact of your request on existing services, ensure the correct curb use, and helps us locate the exact stop location and understand the details of what you are requesting. 

Table of Contents

• What You Need to Know to Apply for a Shuttle Route Permit
• What You'll Need to Start Your Application
• Step-By-Step Guide
• Need Help

What You Need to Know to Apply for a Shuttle Route Permit

General Information

• Applicants must submit a separate Shuttle Route Application for each uniquely identified route (for example, Route 1, Route 2), including the inbound and outbound travel paths and all stops the route makes. Even if more than one shuttle route uses some of the same stops, all route and stop information must be included in each distinct Shuttle Route Application.
• For fees and eligibilty rules, refer to the Shuttle Vehicle Permits website. 
• For any questions or concerns, email [e-mail]. 

Key Terms

For the purposes of this application, the City of Seattle uses the following terms:

• Shuttle: A shuttle is a vehicle that carries 11 or more passengers on a fixed route. Shuttles are considered different from charter or sightseeing buses. The definitions for charter or sightseeing buses are defined in Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 11.14.575.

• Shuttle Route: A shuttle route is the fixed travel pathway of shuttles for a particular employer including the stops along that pathway for the purposes of transporting the employees of that employer to or from a work location. This pathway is described as part of your Shuttle Route Application.

• For more definitions, please refer to the Employer Shuttle Program Director's Rule.

What You'll Need to Start Your Application

Prior to applying, you must have all the required documents and taken the required prerequisite steps.

Licenses You'll Need

Obtain the following licenses. All must be active not expired.

• A Shuttle Vehicle License Record. 
  • The license record format is SDOT-SBZ-00-00000. 
  • Apply for this license through the Seattle Services Portal.
  • The Shuttle Vehicle License Record number, not the individual vehicle permit numbers, are required as part of the application process.
• A valid Shuttle Vehicle Permit for the vehicles that operate the employer shuttle service. 
  • The permit record format is SBZ-00-00000. 
  • The permit is generated when your Shuttle Vehicle License issues.
  • If you are the one who applied for the Shuttle Vehicle Permit, the Shuttle Vehicle Permit Number is listed in your My Records in the Seattle Services Portal. 
• Two Seattle Business Licenses - one for the Employer and one for the Shuttle Service Provider (if different from the employer).
  • For assistance in finding your Seattle Business License number, refer to the Where do I find my Seattle business license number help article. 
  • If you have lost your Business License, contact [e-mail].

Documents You'll Need

Before you start, gather these documents. What you will need varies by your stop types and whether we can verify your business license. All documents must be in a PDF or similar document format unless otherwise noted. The maximum file size allowed is 1000 MB

• Seattle Business License (conditionally required): A copy of the business license for either the Employer or Shuttle Service Provider may be required as an attachment if there are issues confirming a valid license number during the application.
• Shuttle Route Map (required): A map of the shuttle route that helps staff visualize how the shuttle directions and stops are connected and where you plan  to operate your shuttles within the City of Seattle. The file format must be KML. See Create a Shuttle Route Map section below for more information.
• Completed Route Schedule (required): A route schedule that helps staff assess the amount of shuttle usage at each stop and provides additional information along with Hours of Use times, Number of Daily Trips, and Minutes Between Trips included in the Shuttle Route Direction Details. The route schedule must be created using the route schedule template.
• Bus Stop Photo of each stop location (conditionally required): A picture of where the bus stops. Required if you are sharing transit stops at any point on your route; optional to include for other stop types.

Contacts You Need Approved

Your key contacts need approved so they can be added to the dropdowns where you select your contacts.

• Provide the Employer, Shuttle Vehicle Provider, and Financially Responsible Party contact information to [e-mail]. 
  • Refer to the Contacts FAQ document on the Employer Shuttles Program website for details about what contact information is required and for an email template for submitting Shuttle Route Application Contacts. 
  • You can also refer to Step 3 below for more details about the required contacts.

Determine Eligible Shuttle Stops if Shared Stops

If you are requesting to share one or more Metro bus stops, you are required to add more details about that shuttle stop compared to other stop types. To determine if the stop is eligible for sharing and for the details to enter on the Stop Details popup in Step 9:

1. Open the Employer Shared Stop Eligibility Map.
2. Enter the street address of the first stop in the Find address field in the upper left corner. 
   • Alternatively, to find stops within a specified distance of a location, use the Search Radius tool on the upper right side of the page.. The default radius is 0.25 miles.
3. Click Search. 
4. Select the result that matches your location.
5. Click any yellow circle on the map to learn more information about the bus stops. Make a note of the following details for the shared stops on your shuttle route: 
   •  The bus stop number (shown as the Stop ID #)
   • Eligibility - stop must be "Eligible"
   • The streets in the Bus Stop Name
   • The street name in On Street
   • Bus Routes using the stop
   • Direction of the travel lanes
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each additional shared stop.

Create a Shuttle Route Map

A Shuttle Route Map is required for all permits. Your completed route map will be used by SDOT staff to review your application details. Refer to Google's help articles for complete steps. To create a shuttle route map:

1. Log into Google My Maps.
2. Create and name the map. 
   1. Click Create a New Map.
   2. Go to the top left and click Untitled map.
   3. Give your map a name and description.
3. Add your stop locations (points) to the map.
   • Add a point for the exact location of each stop the shuttle vehicle will make.
   • Name each point according to the type of stop:
     • Shared Stop
     • New Shuttle Load Zone
     • Existing Shuttle Load Zone
     • Loading Zone
     • Company Location
   • Each point should contain information relevant to its stop type. 
     • For proposed Shuttle Load Zone and Shared Stops, please include how many times the shuttle stops here (daily).
   1. To add a point to the map:
      1. Enter the location or address in the top search bar.
      2. Select the appropriate option.
   2. In the left sidebar, the location you selected appears as a green location marker. 
      1. Hover your cursor over the location marker.
      2. Click the gray plus located to the right of the marker to add the location as a point on your map.
   3. A popup box appears above the point you just added. Click the pencil icon to edit the point information.
   4. Repeat steps a through c for each point you want to add.
4. Add your route to the map. After adding all the necessary points to the map, create your route:
   1. Click the Draw a line icon (3 dots connected by a line) from the icons below the search bar.
   2. Select Add driving route.
   3. Select your points in sequential order to match the proposed order of the stops in the shuttle route. As a result, the points will be lettered in alphabetical order. These points will also create a new layer in the sidebar on the left.
   4. Once all your stops have been selected, click Add Destination in the sidebar on the left and add your destination.

5. Download your map. Once you have completed your map, download the KML file of the map.

   1. In the left sidebar, click on the three dots to the right of your map name.
   2. Select Export to KML/KMZ.
   3. In the popup, check Export as KML instead of KMZ. Does not support all icons.
   4.  Click Download.

   Tip: You may also use this resource to see the road and sidewalk conditions at each stop and catch any errors in locations or directions. 

Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1: Login or Register

1. Go to the Seattle Services Portal.
2. Log in:
   • If you already have an account, log in with your credentials.
   • If you don’t have an account, register for a new account before proceeding.

Step 2: Start Your Application

1. Click on the Home tab in the portal.
2. Under Create New, click Permits - Parking & Truck.
3. Expand the Shuttle Vehicles and Routes section by clicking on it.

4. Click Shuttle Route - Application.

   Tip: If you already have a permit that you would like to update, go to My Records to find your License and make changes.

Step 3: Provide Pre-Approved Contacts

1. On the Contacts page in the Pre-Approved Application Organizations section, select the contacts that you submitted in the prerequisites:
   • The Employer: The organization the shuttle service is being provided for.
   • The Shuttle Service Provider: The organization that operates the vehicles.
   • The Financially Responsible Party: The organization in charge of paying any permit fees. This contact receives invoice notifications associated with this application.

Step 4: Provide Remaining Contact Information

Provide information about the remaining required contacts:

• The Applicant: You, the person filling out this application.
• The Onsite Contact: The person who provides day-to-day information regarding the operations of active routes for the Shuttle Service Provider. For example, dispatch or service supervisor.

1. To add a contact:
   • Click Myself to auto-populate the contact information from your Seattle Services Portal user account. 
   • Click Someone Else to find an existing contact. If the person or organization isn’t found, click the “Person or organization not listed? Add them here." link.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 5: Provide Route Overview

1. Fill out the Route Overview:
   • Route Name: Enter an identifier that includes the Employer Name and how you want to refer to the route or how riders would locate it. For example, "Dunder Mifflin - Scranton North End Express."
   • Route Description: Enter a general overview of the route including purpose and areas served. You may be as detailed as needed since text entered here helps SDOT staff understand the information in the application. For example, "The North End Express will connect Dunder Mifflin employees to the Central Campus at 12345 Central Campus Drive."
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 6: Provide License Information

1. On the Route Application Info page in the Related License Information section, enter the relevant license information. All fields are required.

   • Shuttle Vehicle License Record: Enter your license record number (format of SDOT-SBZ-00-00000) - NOT the individual vehicle permit numbers (format SBZ 00-00000).
   • Employer Seattle Business License: Enter the Employer’s Seattle Business License number (format of 000000).
   • Shuttle Service Provider Seattle Business License: Enter the Shuttle Service Provider’s Seattle Business License (format of 000000).

   Note: Expired license records will give you an error on the Shuttle Route Application.

Step 7: Provide General Route Information

1. In the General Route Information section, provide more specific details about your route, policies, and ridership. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Click on a blue circle with a question mark for help.
   • Ridership Types (required): Describe the passengers' relationship to the employer. For example, "employees," "contractors," or "patients."
   • Shuttle Vehicle Type(s) (required): Provide the number of passenger seats and vehicle type for each shuttle vehicle. For example, "coach" or "cutaway van." If using more than one vehicle type, provide details for each type. For example, "55-seat over the road coach."
   • Days of Use (required): Select the days that the shuttle will run.
   • Other Days of Use (conditionally required): Provide the days of use if "Other" was selected in Days of Use or if you want to add additional days to the option you selected.
   • Expected Daily Route Ridership (required): Enter the daily estimated number of shuttle passengers riding this route. For example, "235 passengers per day."
   • Boarding Policy (required): Enter the number of doors and how passengers are expected to board. This information helps review staff assess how long shuttles might take to load or unload passengers. For example, "One door; all passengers scan badge, wait for beep, and then board vehicle."
   • Seating Policy (required): Enter the policy for when the shuttle is allowed to leave the curb. This information helps review staff assess how long shuttles might remain at the curb after loading. For example, "All passengers must be seated before the shuttle can leave the curb."
   • Anticipated Route Start Date (required): Select the anticipated route start date from the calendar picker.
   • Adjacent Transit Options (required): Describe similar public transit services that are available parallel to your requested shuttle route, if any. You can consult resources such as OneBusAway.org for this information. For example, "Link Light Rail."
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 8: Provide Shuttle Route Direction Details

1. On the Route Additional Details page in the Shuttle Route Direction Details section, click Add a Row for each direction your shuttle operates. If your route operates in a continuous circle, use only one row. This section helps review staff understand the operations of your shuttle route and where it travels.
2. A pop-up window prompts you to provide the details for each direction your shuttle will operate. Use one row per direction. Fill in the fields. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk and vary based on selection. Click on a blue circle with a question mark for help. Most shuttle routes will include two separate directions, Inbound and Outbound.
   • Route Direction (required): Select the route direction.
     • Both Inbound / Outbound: Shuttles that go in multiple directions using the same routing and usually some of the same stops.
     • Circular: Shuttle route that runs in a continuous loop.
     • Inbound: Shuttles heading to the main destination. For example, employer worksite.
     • Other: Shuttles that run in a direction that is not specified in the options.
     • Outbound: Shuttles taking passengers away from the main worksite.
   • Other Route Direction (conditionally required): If "Other" was selected for Route Direction, provide the route direction that will be used.
   • Time of Day (required): Select the time that the shuttle will be running. 
     • AM Commute: The morning period when most employees are heading to their worksite.
     • Mid-Day: The time usually between the two commute periods. Shuttles at this time may be travelling between worksite locations or carrying commuters in a different way than the other time periods.
     • Other: A time not specified in the options or for multiple selections.
     • PM Commute: The afternoon period when most employees are leaving their worksite.
   • Other Time of Day (conditionally required): If "Other" was selected in Time of Day, provide the time of day that the shuttle will run. You may also provide a time that is an exception to your selection in Time of Day.
   • Hours of Use Start Time (required): Enter the start time for the shuttle in this direction using a 24-hour clock. For example, 3:00 PM would be written as "15:00."
   • Hours of Use End Time (required): Enter the end time for the shuttle in this direction using a 24-hour clock.
   • Number of Daily Trips (required): Enter the number of trips you expect your shuttle vehicle to take each day in this direction.
   • Minutes Between Trips (required): Enter the approximate minutes between each trip in this direction. For example, "15 minutes" or "30-45 minutes."
3. Click Submit.
4. To add an additional row, repeat steps 1 through 3 in this section.

Step 9: Provide Shuttle Route Stop Details if Shared Stop

If you are requesting to share one or more Metro bus stops, provide the stop details you determined for an eligible stop in the Determine Eligible Shuttle Stops if Shared Stops section of the prerequisites.

1. In the Shuttle Route Stop Details section, click Add a Row for each shuttle stop for each direction.
   • Each Shuttle Route Direction listed previously must have at least two stops - with or without sharing bus stops.
   • If the same stop is used in more than one direction (for example, the company location or a stop used at different times of the day or for multiple route directions), only enter the stop details once. 
   • A pair of shuttle stops across the street from each other served in different directions need entered as two separate Shuttle Route Stop Details rows.
2. A pop-up window prompts you to provide more details about your shuttle route stop. Fill in the fields. Depending on the Stop Type you select, fields may not appear or may be required. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Click on a blue circle with a question mark for help.
   • Route Direction (required): Select the route direction.
     • Both Inbound / Outbound: Shuttles that go in multiple directions.
     • Circular: Shuttle route that runs in a continuous loop.
     • Inbound: Shuttles heading to the main destination. For example, employer worksite.
     • Other: Shuttles that run in a direction that is not specified in the options.
     • Outbound: Shuttles taking passengers away from the main worksite.
   • Stop Type (required): Select the type of stop.
     • Bus Stop: An existing bus stop along streets within the City of Seattle. For bus stops outside the City of Seattle or on the property of a transit agency, please consult that city or transit agency for use of such a stop.
     • Company Location: A shuttle stop on the property of an employer worksite. A shuttle loading area on a street within the City of Seattle adjacent to a worksite should use one of the other Stop Types.
     • Existing Shuttle Load Zone: An existing shuttle load zone within the City of Seattle. These zones are usually painted white at the curb and include signage stating "SHUTTLES ONLY."
     • New Shuttle Load Zone: Use this type to request a new shuttle vehicle load zone be established at an existing other type of curb space within the City of Seattle.
     • Other: Use this type for locations outside the City of Seattle or that otherwise don't fit for other Stop Types. 
     • Passenger Load Zone: An existing passenger loading zone open to all waiting vehicles including shuttles. 
       • Some loading zones may be sized for an automobile and may not fit larger shuttle vehicles as currently designated. 
       • To determine the size of a load zone, click the purple square on the Employer Shared Stop Eligibility Map and refer to the value in the FIELDNOTES column. You will need to select loading zones that accommodate the size of your shuttle vehicle.
   • Neighborhood (required): Enter the neighborhood that the stop is located in or how this stop will be communicated to riders.
   • Bus Stop Number (conditionally required): If "Bus Stop" was selected in the Stop Type field, enter the Stop ID#. 
     • Only bus stops within the City of Seattle identified for potential sharing are allowed in this field. 
     • Enter this field precisely or processing of your application may be delayed.
   • Bus Routes (conditionally required): If "Bus Stop" was selected in the Stop Type field, enter the Route numbers.
   • Bus Stop Amenities (conditionally required): If "Bus Stop" was selected in the Stop Type field, enter an explanation of the existing amenities at the bus stop like shelter and seating.
   • Location: Street (required): Enter the street name from On Street. Make sure to include any directional information (for example, SW, E, and NW) and the street type (for example, St, Ave, and Way).
   • Location: Direction (required): Enter the direction that the shuttle will be running. For example, northbound, eastbound, southbound, westbound.
   • Location: Between Streets (required): Enter the street names from the Bus Stop Name.
   • Block Alignment (required): Select the Block Alignment. 
   • Number of travel lanes (travel direction) (required): Enter the number of travel lanes that exist on the street in this direction.
   • Sidewalk Conditions (required): Describe any hazards or lack thereof.
   • Station Proximity (conditionally required): Describe general proximity to nearest existing Link or Rapid Ride Stations, in miles if necessary. For example, "Across the street" or "3 miles." See the Employer Shared Stop Eligibility Map for this information in a map format.
   • Shuttle Load Zone Proximity (conditionally required): Describe general proximity to the nearest existing Shuttle Load Zone in miles or in blocks if necessary.  For example, "none in this part of the city" or "about 3 blocks away." 
     • Use the Employer Shared Stop Eligibility Map as a resource to find the nearest Shuttle Load Zone.
     • Use Google Maps or a similar resource to find the distance between your stop and the nearest loading zone.
   • Why this Location? (required): Explain why you want to use this location or otherwise provide more information not captured by other fields.
   • Average Dail Stop Ridership (required): Enter the estimated number of daily shuttle passengers riding this route. For example, "235 passengers per day" or "about 50 riders in the morning, 10 in the afternoon."
   • Stop Status (read-only): This field cannot be edited and is for staff use only.
3. Click Submit.
4. After submitting either Shuttle Route Direction Details or Shuttle Route Stop Details, you can edit or delete any of your entries by selecting Actions at the right of the row.
   • To edit, select Edit. Make any necessary changes and then click Submit.
   • To delete, select Delete. In the popup, click OK to confirm deletion.
5. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 10: Attach Required Documents

On the Supporting Documents page, a list of required documents displays. Document requirements vary based on the stop types on your application and whether your business license was verified.

1. To upload a document, click Select under the Attachment section.
2. Click Select in the File Upload popup.
3. Select your document and click Open.
4. Click Done in the File Upload popup.
5. Select the Document Type that matches the required document you uploaded, otherwise the system does not know you have provided the requested document. For example, select "Shuttle Route Map" as your Document Type when uploading the matching document.
6. Enter the Description of the document.
7. Click Save and wait for the upload to complete. Note: It may take a few minutes for your document to fully upload.
8. Repeat steps 1 through 7 for each additional document required. When prompted, select the document type that matches the document you are uploading.
9. Click Continue to proceed.
   1. If you see a red Attention message, that means you either have not selected the correct Document Type and/or have missed a required document.
      • If a document is missing, go back to step 1 in this section and upload the missing document.
      • If you selected the wrong Document Type on a document that you have already saved, upload the document again and pick the Document Type that matches the Condition in the Attention message. You may also add a description explaining that you are uploading the document a second time with the correct Document Type.
   2. When you see a message with a green checkmark, click Continue again to proceed.

Step 11: Review and Submit

1. On the Review page:
   1. Verify that all information is correct.
   2. Make edits as needed by clicking Edit in the relevant sections.
   3. Scroll to the bottom. Agree to the certification statement by checking the box.
2. Click Continue to submit.

Step 12: Confirmation Displays

A Thank You page displays along with your application’s Record Number.

• Your record number format is SDOT-SHRT-APP-00000.
• Keep this number for future reference.

An e-mail is sent to the contacts on the application notifying them of the application submission.

Congratulations! Your application has been submitted for review. The SDOT Traffic team will contact you if additional information is required. For questions or updates, email [e-mail] and include your Record Number in the subject line.

You can log into the Seattle Services Portal at any time to track the status of your application.

Need Help?

Please contact [e-mail] with questions. Staff can only help with referring applicants to data and resources for successfully filling out applications.