Great People

Richard Pratschner didn’t want to go to college, but didn’t know exactly what to do. His uncle, a longtime operator, pointed him on a career path that would span four decades.

"I didn’t plan on becoming a bus driver," Richard admitted. "But it turned out to be a good fit for me."

He began part time in 1984, but he wasn’t convinced this was his career until he went full-time the next year. He worked at various garages and routes and spent his final years at the North Loop Garage, driving Route 645 near his old neighborhood where he first decided to become a bus operator.

"When I finished on the 645, it felt like coming full circle," he said.

Over the years, Richard witnessed major shifts in the industry, especially in the buses themselves.

"When I started, the buses were big, heavy, and manual—no power steering, no wheelchair lifts," he recalls. "Now, everything is more modern, and the technology makes the job easier."

But despite the changes, the core skills of driving remained constant—chiefly, patience.

"You have to accept that things will happen. It’s all about being patient with yourself and others," Richard said.

The people he met on the job, both passengers and fellow drivers, made the experience rewarding.

"The best part of this career is definitely the people. I’ve helped so many get where they need to go," he says. "And the friendships with fellow drivers are something I’ll always cherish."

In retirement, he plans to return to hobbies like ice fishing and gardening, and once his wife retires, a cruise in Alaska.

At Metro Transit, William Blair found not only a fulfilling, stable career, but also the love of his life. 

In the early '90s, William considered working at an auto manufacturer. “But then I remembered all the plant closures in the '80s,” he said. “So, I decided to go work at Metro Transit instead.” 

Little did he know, this decision would lead to meeting his future wife onboard. “She was a passenger, and after a brief exchange, she handed me her number,” William recalled. “After a week, I called her. Two and a half years later, we got married.” 

They spent 25 wonderful years together before her passing, and William is grateful for the time he could take off to care for her. 

During his tenure, William spent twelve years driving buses, but it trains became his 20-year passion. “I’ll always have a fondness for the bus, but I love the trains,” he said. His interest was so strong, he often engaged with mechanics to understand the trains' inner workings to improve his own understanding and skills. He fondly remembers working on game days, when the trains were packed with excited fans. 

“Everyone is in a good mood,” he said. But it was the people—supportive coworkers and talkative passengers—that kept him in the job for so long. “I’ve had so many passengers open up to me. It’s those connections that I’ll always remember,” he reflected. 

And he’s gracious for the time he spent coworkers and supervisors like the late John Humphrey whose leadership and listening he appreciated.

As he signs off, William shared a favorite Bible passage to commemorate his career: “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” In retirement, he plans to visit the Kennedy Space Center to see a space launch and reconnect with family.

When Julie Timm came to Metro Transit 35 years ago, she never thought that working in the Transit Information Center would become a satisfying, lifelong career.

“I came here kind of by accident,” Julie said. “I was unemployed after the hotel I worked for closed unexpectedly. After I saw an ad for Metro Transit, I thought, ‘I can probably do that for a while,’ but I quickly realized I loved the work!”

And Julie loves Metro Transit as a customer, too. Since 1982, she hasn’t owned a car and relies exclusively on Metro Transit. “I became a strong believer in transit,” she recalled. “I realized I didn’t need a car anymore, so I sold it. Transit became my lifeline.”

Her initial role in TIC involved helping customers navigate the city’s transit system. As technology evolved, so did her job. In 2000, Metro Transit introduced the online trip planner, dramatically improving efficiency. “When we moved to Automated Trip Planning System ATIS, it was a game-changer,” Julie said. “We could train new staff faster and help customers more accurately.”

Julie’s passion for transit made her a key player in the department. In 1992, she was promoted to supervisor, a role she held for the remainder of her career. Through the years, continuing changes involved the introduction of online trip tools and real time information, further improving the work TIC staff could do.

Over the years, Julie’s contributions extended beyond just managing staff—she loved serving as a transit ambassador helping people in the field and she mentored and advocated for both her colleagues and customers. “What I’ll miss most is the people I’ve worked with and the customers I’ve helped,” she reflected.

In retirement, she plans to do some overdue renovations at her home and add to the 25 countries she’s already visited with stops in Japan and Central Europe. And, she’ll continue to ride Metro Transit throughout the metro.

A bit of advice from her father propelled Kimberly Fleming into a 38-year career. “He said if you find a job with a pension, you’d never regret it,” Kimberly said. "That’s your retirement!”

A young Kimberly took that message to heart after graduating from high school and starting college in Minneapolis. She started as a school bus driver and then upgraded to Metro Transit, then MTC.

“The goal was always to get into Metro Transit because it was the best place to work,” she said. “Driving a school bus paid $3.80 an hour, while Metro Transit was starting at $9.50—quite a difference!”

She credits her brother who also operated buses for helping her prepare for the role. Once she made it in, she left college to pursue a career full-time. But, unlike today’s operators starting full-time immediately, it took two years before a spot opened up. And she loved her role as an operator.

“I loved driving the 5 as it ran through the neighborhood I grew up in,” Kimberly said. “I’d see people I hadn’t seen in years from grade school.”

And, she learned the importance of transit during the 1991 Halloween Blizzard when she reported for duty and picked up a woman stranded outside just before all operations shut down.

“I’ve never seen someone so happy to see me in my life,” she said. “Those moments remind me that as drivers, we’re like angels for our passengers.”

Throughout the years, she’s worked at all 5 garages and moved into a dispatcher role in 2001. But one night when she relieved someone who called in sick altered her career trajectory.

“I saw an opening for an assistant manager on the job board and applied on a whim,” Kimberly said. “I was shocked to get hired, but I found where I needed to be.”

As an assistant manager, she was able to focus on what she loved about bus operations: helping people. And through the pandemic, she helped operators navigate the most difficult time in recent history.

And as she retires, she wants operators to know how much support they have here at Metro Transit and how far we’ve advanced.

“Don’t be afraid to call for help, that’s why we’re here,” she said.

And as she leaves Metro Transit, she, like her father before her, encourages others to apply.

“There’s so much going on here, we’re in a great transition,” Kimberly said.

In retirement, she plans to spend her summers at the lake in Minnesota and head to the desert or the beach during the winters. She’s especially eyeing the Caribbean – a place she’s yet to see.

When Rodney Smith wanted to make a career change, it was an old Route 6 operator who inspired him to apply at Metro Transit.

“I rode with him from northeast to south Minneapolis every day,” Smith said. “He was like a father figure.”

So, Smith left his manufacturing career at a major beverage company and began life as a bus operator with the number #365. When he began, Metro Transit was still making a transition from Twin Cities Lines, and he saw many major improvements over the years.

“When I started at the Old Northside Garage, the garage floor was dirt and it was pretty smoggy,” he recalled. “New operators don’t know how good they’ve got it. It’s 100% better than it was.”

Many buses also didn’t have heat, air conditioning, nor power steering, and starting wages were $6 an hour. For the last several years, however, Smith had it pretty good as the #2 in union seniority and just recently secured the #1 spot. This means he chooses work before every other operator in the company. But it wasn’t always that way.

“It took me many years to get off weekends,” Smith said. “Things get better over time.”

Beyond the benefits of seniority, operator camaraderie kept him signing in for duty at South Garage for 43 years. And the friendships he made inside the garage translated to friendships outside.

“I enjoyed all the sports leagues we’d be in, and the fishing group I organized and the trips we’d take together,” he said.

On the road, Smith most enjoyed operating the METRO Orange Line and Route 515. And on duty, his biggest focus was the road and safety, which earned him a 44-year safe driving award.

But as all good things must come to an end, Smith decided it was time to retire after 45 years of service.

“This job has been great,” Smith reflected. “But it’s time – I’m old enough.”

In retirement, he plans to spend more time with his wife, kids, and grandkids. He also plans to take many camping and fishing trips on Lake Michigan and in Wisconsin – some with friends from Metro Transit.