More than 100 Metro employees will be out during the morning commute on Jan. 4 to personally thank riders for their part in setting a new record: more than 100 million passenger trips taken aboard King County Metro Transit during a single year. The Metro street teams expect to personally contact an estimated 20,000 commuters during a three-hour period, passing out special commemorative bookmarks and chocolates at 24 of the busiest Metro locations. Banners, placards and bus ads will carry the message: "Thank you for 100 Million Trips in 2000."

The center of the live celebration will be at the University Street Station in the downtown bus tunnel, through which about 4000 commuters pass each morning. Performing at that station will be "The CBD Band," a jazz band composed of off-duty Metro bus operators; "CBD" is Metro shorthand for "central business district." King County Executive Ron Sims will join the celebration at around 8:30 a.m.