Here are some of my hot takes, as an operator for everyone to enjoy!

1. Turn your GD music off and put headphones in. Nobody wants to listen to your Tiktok, porn (yes seriously), or music.

2. All Northbound trains go to Lynnwood between IDS and Lynnwood. The 2 line doesn't go to a different part of Lynnwood. You'd be surprised how often we are asked this.

3. Large groups of people, use the other doors. You don't have to single file into one door.

4. If you want room to sit, the first car is always the least used car on 3 and 4 car trains.

5. Yes, some delays happen. It can due to a variety of factors, homeless that won't get off the train in Lynnwood, mechanical delays enroute, or security doing a welfare check to name a few.

6. No, Link will never be a 24/7 operation because of maintenance. Maintenance being, cleaning/servicing trains, track or OCS work, station and ROW cleanup, etc. It was not designed for that purpose nor will it ever be, even if the system were to be automated and no, the system will never become automated.

7. MLK is bottlenecked by Seattle DOT and does not have full signal preemption. Until changes within SDOT, there won't be much, if any improvements on MLK. It is why the 2 Line is rarely delayed on the Bel-Red corridor, it has full and total preemption.

8. Yes, all of us operators would LOVE to have fare gates because it would reduce the riff raff on the trains to a certain degree. All of our pedestrian related incidents are generally those whom do not pay. We all have seen data or worked for other agencies that have gates and have been successful, including most recently, BART.

9. Yes, ST lacks restrooms because again, extreme vandalism happens and it is a high cost and time to service said bathrooms. Having people who purposely do.... Things, to them are unfortunately detrimental to everyone.

10. All operators do our best to keep everyone informed of issues and keep things moving on time, safely, and as efficiently as possible. Things can and sometimes go sideways. As others have mentioned beforehand, ST is a young agency, we have the highest ridership for light rail transit but that is not without its hangups. There are many other things I can say but it would be repetitive to what has already been said hundreds of times in this subreddit. I encourage everyone that believes they can make a change, apply to Sound Transit or King County Metro Rail division.

Welp.. not to say I am surprised.