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Rider's Almanac Blog

From the GM

Greeting 2021 with renewed resolve

Posted by Drew Kerr | Thursday, January 7, 2021 11:45:00 AM

A bus at the Brooklyn Center Transit Center.

A message from General Manager Wes Kooistra

At Metro Transit, we greet each new year resolved to better serve our customers and our community. Despite all the challenges we face, this year is no different. 

In fact, there’s a lot to look forward to in 2021, including the opening of the METRO Orange Line, the start of construction on the METRO D Line and the completion of a bus network improvement plan. We’ll also continue to make progress on the Green Line Extension and several other planned transitways. 

The approaching expansion of our Bus Rapid Transit and light rail networks is a true turning point for our region and our riders, who will enjoy faster and more frequent service on some of our busiest transit corridors. 

We are also hopeful that advances in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic will allow more people to safely return to transit, and that we all have more opportunities to safely come together as a community. 

While we are on the road to recovery, we are also mindful that we cannot let our guard down. 

To minimize COVID-19 risks, we must cover our faces every time we ride, respect the personal space of those around us and follow other public health guidelines. Thank you for continuing to do your part. 

Thank you also for taking the time last year to tell us how the pandemic has impacted your travel habits and priorities. We are grateful for this feedback, which underscored the need to emphasize COVID-19 safety measures and focus on service reliability. 

I hope you will continue the conversation with us in 2021, beginning by completing a survey about where our next BRT investments should be made (the survey closes on January 20). 

So, as we welcome the start of a new year, I want to acknowledge there are plenty of challenges we know must be addressed and many more we cannot predict. But I also want you to know that we are committed to becoming an even stronger transit system in 2021 and beyond. 

Thank you for your continued support – now more than ever your partnership is not only appreciated, but necessary to our success.