Many Metro Transit employees must continue to report to work in order to perform their duties. Among them is Rail Transit Supervisor Jesse Archambault, a St. Paul native who has long used transit.
Archambault has been car-free for the past several years and regularly takes transit to and from work and other destinations. While he normally takes Route 94 to work, he’s now biking and taking Route 74, which he says has fewer passengers.
How do you get to work?
The 94 stops less than a block from where I live in downtown St. Paul, so I can pretty much walk out the front door of my building and catch the bus. I work at the Blue Line’s Operations & Maintenance Facility (just west of the Franklin Avenue Station) so when I get to Minneapolis, I catch the train at U.S. Bank Stadium Station or walk the rest of the way there. When the weather’s nice, I’ll bring the bike. Coming home, I take the 3, 67 or the Green Line.
What do you like about your commute?
I’ve lived in St. Paul my whole life and have never had a job I couldn’t take transit or bike to. I’ve always taken transit when I could because I really don’t like driving. On the bus, I can spend my time reading, listening to music or just decompressing. I also know it’s better for my health, my wallet and the environment.
How do you get around outside of your commute?
I had a car when my daughter was younger but always said I was going to get rid of it when she turned 16. When that happened a few years ago, I got rid of it right away. My wife and I share a car, but she can walk to work and we both use transit to run errands and get around for other reasons. Having all these options is a great benefit to living downtown.
How does taking transit help you at work?
As a light rail supervisor, it helps a lot to know the places people are talking about. Since I understand the bus connections, I can also provide better directions to customers.