Starting Feb. 1, King County Metro Transit will reserve parking spaces at area park and rides, including in Redmond, until 8:30 a.m. each morning for groups of two or more riders who regularly ride the bus, or use park and rides to meet a vanpool or other carpool — all they have to do is display a free carpool parking permit.

Carpool parking permits are available now through Republic Parking Northwest, and customers are encouraged to obtain them early. As transit demand grows, many of Metro’s park and rides are already full or nearly full by early morning. For some commuters, such as shift workers or working parents who have to drop off children at daycare, that can be a disadvantage.

More information is available at Metro’s carpool parking permit website at tinyurl.com/z5zvj48.

“Metro is committed to developing innovative solutions that better serve our customers,” Metro general manager Rob Gannon said. “This pilot program offers regular transit users more convenience as demand increases at park and rides.”

Including Redmond, the pilot program will be tested at six of the busiest park and rides in King County, including Issaquah Highlands, South Kirkland, South Renton, Northgate and Eastgate.

“Commuters who carpool to these busy park and rides now can have certainty they can find a parking space,” said transportation planner Daniel Rowe, who is managing the program. “That makes transit more accessible and it does so without having to build more parking spaces at additional expense to taxpayers.”

The county doesn’t have immediate plans for additional lots, but the idea is to add park and rides if the program goes according to plan.

Scott Gutierrez with King County DOT communications said the number of carpool-only parking spaces will be based on the number of permits issued, and the county expects 5 percent of spaces will be designated as carpool-only once the program reaches maturity.

Reserved spaces will be capped at 50 percent of each lot, Gutierrez said.

Most park and ride spaces still will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The number of reserved parking spaces will be based on the number of permits issued per location. Metro’s program was designed to be integrated with Sound Transit’s new carpool permit program, which also offers permits at nine additional area park-and-rides.

Applicants must provide basic contact information, ORCA card numbers, vanpool ID or RideshareOnline.com email for each member of the carpool. Permits are free.

Regular transit use is not initially required to obtain a permit, but at least two carpool permit holders must average three days of transit ridership per week (12 days per month) to stay qualified. Permits can be obtained through Republic Parking Northwest and must be renewed monthly.

Drivers who park in reserved spaces without a permit will be subject to two warnings — subsequent violations will result in having the vehicle towed. In February, Metro will step up enforcement for violations of park and ride rules, with a focus on trouble spots at the Redmond, Northgate and Eastgate park-and-rides.