The New Normal: A bus driver steers Seattle through crisis

As an operator for King County Metro, Clay McClure risks his own health and safety to keep the community moving during the pandemic.

Ashli Blow

Ashli Blow • Jun 14, 2020

Jun 14, 2020

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          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>The New Normal: A bus driver steers Seattle through crisis </h1>
                <h2><p>As an operator for King County Metro, Clay McClure risks his own health and safety to keep the community moving during the pandemic.</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/ashli-blow/">Ashli Blow</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Jun 14, 2020</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>King County Metro operator Clay McClure is one of the many essential workers who help transport Seattle's residents to and from destinations during the coronavirus pandemic, risking his own health and safety to help others. While McClure worries about himself and his loved ones, he is also concerned about Metro's ridership as the pandemic continues to affect our communities. We followed McClure on one day of his life, as he navigated being a resident of Seattle and a bus driver operating a line that often carries some of the city's most at-risk population.</p><hr><p>Support for <em>The New Normal</em> is provided by Comcast. All news stories on Crosscut are controlled by our editorial team. Visit our <a href="https://crosscut.com/about?ref=avalancheghost.one">about us page</a> to learn more about Crosscut's editorial independence policy.</p><hr>
          </article>

King County Metro operator Clay McClure is one of the many essential workers who help transport Seattle's residents to and from destinations during the coronavirus pandemic, risking his own health and safety to help others. While McClure worries about himself and his loved ones, he is also concerned about Metro's ridership as the pandemic continues to affect our communities. We followed McClure on one day of his life, as he navigated being a resident of Seattle and a bus driver operating a line that often carries some of the city's most at-risk population.

Support for The New Normal is provided by Comcast. All news stories on Crosscut are controlled by our editorial team. Visit our about us page to learn more about Crosscut's editorial independence policy.

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By Ashli Blow

Ashli Blow is a Seattle-based freelance writer who talks with people — in places from urban watersheds to remote wildernesses — about the environment around them. She’s been working in journal