Many Metro Transit employees are committed to sustainable transportation, riding the bus or train, biking or walking to work and other destinations across the region.
These “How We Roll” profiles are a chance to illustrate how much we have in common with our customers when it comes to how we get around. See you out there!
Charles Carlson, Senior Manager, Bus Rapid Transit/Small Starts Project Office
How do you get to work?
I’m a dedicated transit rider. Last year, I logged more than 650 bus and train rides, mostly on the METRO Blue Line. My wife and I bought a house near the Blue Line’s 46th Street Station about 11 years ago because we wanted walkable and green areas nearby and wanted to live near light rail.
Thanks to the convenience of the Blue Line, about four years ago we started sharing just one car. My work often brings me to downtown St. Paul, so I’m able to take the A Line to Route 53 or the Green Line.
What do you enjoy most about your commute?
My favorite part of my commute is that every member of my team also rides transit. In fact, frequently, several of us will ride the same train trip home. This is a wonderful way to unwind from the workday and to connect on a range of topics, as co-workers and as friends.
Riding transit also provides a continuous reminder of the projects and improvements we help implement in the Bus Rapid Transit/Small Starts Project Office. As project managers, planners and engineers, firsthand experience gives us critical insight into how to remove delay, meet our customers’ travel needs, and help our operators deliver top-notch service.
How do you get around outside of your commute?
We live by a great commercial node on 34th Avenue in Minneapolis. This makes it easy for my family and I to walk or bike to locally-owned neighborhood stores and restaurants. My two kids (6, 8) have always enjoyed transit because they don’t need to be strapped into bulky car seats for a safe ride.
This year, we bought a 100 percent electric car. My wife drives it to work every day and we use it for errands. We still have our older car, but it’s now “retired.” Now, we use it for our family camping trips around Minnesota.