From General Manager Lesley Kandaras
We're on a mission to get more people riding transit more often.
To do that, we need to make taking the bus or train as convenient and reliable as possible and continue working to provide a consistently safe and welcoming experience on our system.
The good news is progress is being made on each of these fronts.
On August 16, we’ll expand service on several of our busiest routes, provide more all-day express bus service between our downtowns and Park & Rides, and extend on-demand micro transit service to Bloomington alongside a number of local route changes in that city. (Micro transit will also be introduced in Blaine this September.)
To keep buses on the move, we’ll be consolidating several bus stops on routes 18 and 61, too.
Taken together, these improvements bring us about 30 percent of the way to implementing the changes outlined in Network Now, our framework for improving service through 2027.
In general, this plan brings our system more in line with today’s travel habits by providing more frequent service all day, every day.
Our ongoing work to advance the actions identified in our Safety & Security Action Plan is also advancing.
Most notably, the Metro Transit Police Department has spent the past few months focusing a lot of attention on the METRO Green Line corridor.
In collaboration with social service providers and law enforcement partners, this coordinated effort is helping people access the resources and support they need while deterring unwanted behaviors at our stations and on our vehicles.
To build on this work, MTPD has assigned police officers to newly established Hamline-Midway, downtown Minneapolis, and MSP Airport beats who will be able to spend more time learning about and proactively addressing issues in these areas.
This fall, we’ll also take steps to extend and expand the use of supplemental security officers and to partner with community-based organizations who focus on issues like mental health, housing, and substance use disorders that can appear on transit.
Thank you as always for sharing your feedback with us as we work to make progress in these and other important areas. In September, I and other leaders will kick off another round of listening sessions where we hope to hear directly from you.
In the meantime, I invite you to reach out any time at [email protected].
Join the conversation!
Join General Manager Lesley Kandaras and other leaders at public listening sessions in September. Find them in the field on:
- Wednesday, Sept. 3, 6:30 – 8:30 a.m., Lake Street/Midtown Station
- Thursday, Sept. 4, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., Sun Ray Transit Center
- Wednesday, Sept. 10, 6:30 – 8 a.m., Union Depot Station
- Thursday, Sept. 11, 5 – 7 p.m., Snelling Avenue Station
- Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., Mall of America Station/Transit Center
Won’t be able to attend? Send your feedback any time by emailing [email protected] or by calling 612-373-3333.