About Seattle Monorail Services
The Seattle Center Monorail is one of the best modern-day examples of a true public-private partnership — owned by the City of Seattle, and operated by Seattle Monorail Services (SMS), a private company, since 1994.
Over the last two decades, SMS has become experts at operating, maintaining, marketing and stewarding a system unique to the world; we envision a 100-year old Monorail that serves many future generations.
SMS accomplishes something no other transportation system in the state and few in the country have done: taxpayers pay none of the Monorail’s operating costs. SMS covers the Monorail’s operating cost through ticket sales, and in fact, returns revenue to the City of Seattle every year through this partnership. Seattle Center Monorail fares also help cover equipment upgrades and construction costs.
SMS has the privilege of keeping the Monorail rolling and providing a fun, iconic connection for over two million passengers each year.
Whether you are commuting to work, connecting with downtown’s many activities, riding alongside thousands of visiting tourists to Seattle Center, or stepping aboard to avoid traffic congestion, the Monorail and the SMS team are here for you.
We have the best team
Seattle Monorail Services employs 30 people whose backgrounds and diversities are as global as the population we serve. Our employees come from countries all over world like South Sudan, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Many of our employees were born and raised here in Seattle. More than one-third of our team have been working at the Monorail for over five years.
SMS is led by people who love and respect its “Little Train that Could,” shown by encouraging kids to sit upfront near the driver, bringing pets aboard, and providing tours of the Monorail system to school groups. In addition, SMS has developed long-term, philanthropic relationships with local nonprofits like Treehouse, which serves foster children in our region.
President
2010
Operations Manager
2019
Employee & Regulatory Affairs Manager
2018
Chief System Engineer
2006
Lead Supervisor
2011
Event Lead Supervisor
2022
Marketing & Sales
2017
Administrative Assistant
2022
Operations Supervisor
2003
Operations Supervisor
2007
Operations Supervisor
2018
Operations Supervisor
2021
Maintenance Technician
2012
Maintenance Technician
2013
Maintenance Technician
2017
Maintenance Technician
2019
Driver & Customer Service Representative
2021
Driver & Customer Service Representative
2021
Driver & Customer Service Representative
2021
Driver & Customer Service Representative
2021
Driver & Customer Service Representative
2022
Customer Service Representative
2002
Customer Service Representative
2021
Customer Service Representative
2021
Customer Service Representative
2022
Customer Service Representative
2022
Customer Service Representative
2022
Customer Service Representative
2022
Event Service Representative
2022
Janitor
2008
Janitor
2021
Projects
2021
Owners
This video gives a quick, fun introduction to the Monorail of both yesterday and today. This custom video was designed and produced by Seattle design firm Graphiti Associates in 2012.