Without owning a car, Theo Kamis relies on Metro Transit to get around. The Brooklyn Park resident works for Wells Fargo in downtown Minneapolis and has noticed that in recent months he has more options and less waiting while using the transit system.
“I like the way the routes are coming back,” said Kamis. “The weekday service for commuting is very good again.”
According to Metro Transit, ridership is climbing back after the slowdown during the pandemic. The number of Metro Transit passengers who are boarding buses, light rail and commuter trains has jumped by 21 percent over last year.
All across the system, that’s resulting in more reliable extended service and more connections, from early morning and late night hours to weekend service. That boost is especially felt in the core parts of the Twin Cities, and that’s by design.
“We look at service for the streets and corridors where a high number of riders live and the destinations where they want to go across the area,” said Adam Harrington, Metro Transit’s director of service development.
Harrington notes that this is a time of rebuilding and reconfiguring for almost every public transit system in the nation. As in the Twin Cities, ridership in most metro areas has fallen as many former workplace commuters have become remote or hybrid workers and no longer need a ride.
According to Metro Transit statistics, 78% of the service that was available in the fall of 2019, right before the COVID-19 shutdown, has now resumed; it will be at 80 percent by the next round of upgrades scheduled in December.
College student Himal Acharya catches the Metro A Line at the Rosedale Transit Station, then transfers to Route 63 to travel to his classes on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in St Paul.
“The A Line is more frequent than last year. I really appreciate what they are doing,” he said. “There are many options. I know that if I don’t catch one bus, I can soon get another.”
The Metro A Line now operates every 10 minutes between noon and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, with Routes 2, 10 and 18, that have seen weekday connecting service increased to every 10 minutes between noon and 6:00 p.m.. Route 9 has had its frequency restored to every 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, the frequency on the Metro Orange Line has improved, with connecting routes more frequent as well. Route 18 at I-35W and the 98th St. Station has had its frequency increased to every 10 mins from noon to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays. Route 542 at Knox and the American Blvd. Station has seen frequency increases to every 30 minutes during the morning and afternoon rush hours, which is particularly handy for Normandale College students.
Along its Bus Rapid Transit lines, Metro Transit has added or is now constructing multiple stations that offer light, heat, cameras and real time scheduling boards; the on site ticket vending machines allow riders to pay for their fares to facilitate faster boarding.
“We opened the D Line last December to replace Route 5 and it’s been tremendous; there’s a lot of service on that corridor,” Harrington said. “In December we will have improvements to Route 21 on Lake Street, the heaviest ridership line in the system. That’s a stepping stone as we move to Bus Rapid Transit in that corridor in 2025.”
Metro Transit has struggled to hire and retain enough bus drivers and operators to service the system and enough vehicle mechanics to keep the fleet on the roads. An aggressive recruiting campaign is yielding positive results, and there’s optimism that as hiring goals are reached, the system will stabilize to offer improved service to its passengers.
For some passengers, the ride itself is an experience. Aria Littlecloud, a 14-year-old freshman, takes Metro Transit from her home in South Minneapolis to Fair High School downtown.
“It’s fun to ride. I mind my business and I like seeing the sky and seeing the buildings pass by,” she said.
Over the coming year Metro Transit will developing a plan that will continue to invest in improving service as more resources, such as additional drivers, are available. They're looking for input from users in shaping plans to best meet the needs of the region. You can find out more about the program here.