Posted by Drew Kerr |
Monday, February 6, 2023 9:44:00 PM
How We Roll celebrates Metro Transit employees who regularly ride transit and other forms of sustainable transportation. Read more How We Roll Q&As here.
How do you get to work?
I take Route 75 from from my apartment in Inver Grove Heights, transfer to the Green Line in downtown Saint Paul and ride to Target Field Station, a short walk from Heywood. If I get on the bus at 6:37 a.m., I can get to the office by 8 am. There are express buses that are faster but I take the train because it gives me time to get ready for my day and to talk to our riders.
What do you enjoy most about your commute?
Interacting with our riders and hearing their concerns. I always wear my badge and sometimes after an ambassador shift I will have on my high-visibility vest. It’s also pretty stress free compared to a 30- to 45-minute drive, depending on traffic and the weather. I'd also be in the car by myself, which isn’t as fun.
How does your commute impact how you do your job?
I'm a senior employer outreach specialist, so riding transit and seeing how other people are getting around helps me know the best way to approach people. I can give people some alternatives, maybe talk about carpooling or multimodal transportation.
One of my neighbors was waiting for a Route 68 because she didn’t realize the 75 comes right by our place. She had been walking 10 blocks to West St. Paul to get downtown. We met up one morning so I could show her. The 75 is now her bus.