Public Transit News / Current Events (MN only)

[SurlyLHT]

I think it's great for people to get to Aldi and Cub where it's very time consuming to transfer to make a trip that's only a mile or two. Helpful for those who are older or limited mobility to get from their door to the bus stop as well. With the C Line, D Line, and Blue Line as well as the stop cuts on the 22, the Near North Side has lost/will lose a lot of service at the local stops.

I agree. Also there is an amount of walking to get to the C or D lines. You could get into the zone somewhere and tranfer to the Micro to get home? I think my wife and I have a half mile walk to our C Line Station. We came back from the airport one night and I ran home to get the car and pick my wife and kid up and left them at the Station where it was safer. With the Micro could get off the LRT and and then get into the zone and get a ride home. The zone will include I think two of the Green Line Ext stations. Also I am going to tell my wife about this and to use it if our car breaks down or to take if home from work if we have a major snowstorm or etc.

Bottom Line, this is a safe way for people to get around. I think folks might also take it who don't feel safe on the other transit options. I hope it's promoted among Seniors and families by folks like Northpoint Health

[Bakken2016]

Is there any incentive to use this service to get to a bus stop instead of just taking it all the way to the destination for the same fare?

Basically no, but,

The fare is the same as regular fixed route service, Metro Transit doesn't need to make their fare system any more complicated than it already is. I think we will see connection to the C Line and D Line when people are traveling out of the service area, but more door to door trips for things that are cumbersome on regular service.

Remember the service area for this is very small compared to the service areas that other micro transit options are in the Twin Cities, I think this will benefit the micro transit in terms of efficiency. Also they are using Via as the vendor to map out trips along the most efficient routes.

[Trademark]

https://humantransit.org/2018/02/is-mic ... tment.html

Money that is spent on this micro transit project could be used to negotiate a better union contract for transit operators leading to increased pay and more service for fixed routes that benefit far more people than micro transit ever could.

[Trademark]

Finally!!!! Transit service returning to Hennepin in December!

https://twitter.com/h_pan3/status/15733 ... 0ZAeg&s=19

[Tcmetro]

Some contracted routes operated by First Transit will see some service cuts on October 15th, due to the operator shortage. Alerts with new schedules are on the Metro Transit website.

27, 831: Suspended
225, 227, 615, 705, 805: Service reduced to every 2 hours on weekdays and Saturdays.

As the 705 has two branches that operate bi-hourly, the 805B branch service will be suspended and "A" branch will continue to operate.

[Tcmetro]

Metro Transit will cut about 8% of service hours in December due to the driver shortage. A slide deck with details was presented at the Transportation Committee meeting today.

Some 30 min routes are going to 60 mins, and some 60 min routes are going to 120 mins. A few routes will be suspended, including the 115, 547, 9B, 23 east of 46th Ave on weekends, 46 east of Hiawatha, 645 west of Wayzata, 25 midday/Saturday, 534 Sundays, 804 Sundays. The 804 will be restructured to replace the suspended service on Route 25. Also, some routes will be contracted instead of operated by Metro Transit, including the Red Line.

The Orange Line will be reduced to every 30 mins midday.

The D Line opens on Dec. 3rd and Route 5 will be reduced to every 60 minutes.

https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetin ... pdate.aspx

[thespeedmccool]

Metro Transit (really, American transit) is in crisis and no one seems to notice or care.

[Korh]

Is the orange line underperforming a bit to warrant them reducing service?

[mamundsen]

Darn. I see 270 is getting reduced in December. It’s currently at 6x per direction and listed to be reduced 1-3x. I used to ride daily but can’t right now because the timing is terrible. I hope it’s the early morning trip(s) to be eliminated.

[Silophant]

In (probably) good news: an ATU contract amendment was approved today for a 5% raise, and allowing anyone to become a light rail operator, rather than just existing bus drivers. Gotta imagine that helps get LRT service closer to pre-pandemic levels, even if I'm not convinced that it's enough to fix the bus driver shortage.

[Trademark]

In (probably) good news: an ATU contract amendment was approved today for a 5% raise, and allowing anyone to become a light rail operator, rather than just existing bus drivers. Gotta imagine that helps get LRT service closer to pre-pandemic levels, even if I'm not convinced that it's enough to fix the bus driver shortage.

So a $1 raise on starting pay? Ya that's not gonna be enough.

[Bakken2016]

In (probably) good news: an ATU contract amendment was approved today for a 5% raise, and allowing anyone to become a light rail operator, rather than just existing bus drivers. Gotta imagine that helps get LRT service closer to pre-pandemic levels, even if I'm not convinced that it's enough to fix the bus driver shortage.

So a $1 raise on starting pay? Ya that's not gonna be enough.

It also reduces the number of steps for operator pay scale, so they will start at $24.91 an hr + 5% on top of that, so the starting pay for operators will be $26.16 an hour. Which is $5 an hour more than what it is now.

[Trademark]

In (probably) good news: an ATU contract amendment was approved today for a 5% raise, and allowing anyone to become a light rail operator, rather than just existing bus drivers. Gotta imagine that helps get LRT service closer to pre-pandemic levels, even if I'm not convinced that it's enough to fix the bus driver shortage.

So a $1 raise on starting pay? Ya that's not gonna be enough.

It also reduces the number of steps for operator pay scale, so they will start at $24.91 an hr + 5% on top of that, so the starting pay for operators will be $26.16 an hour. Which is $5 an hour more than what it is now.

Just checked their website and they require you to have an active driver's license for the last 5 years otherwise I would apply right now to be a bus driver....

[alexschief]

PSA: With the weather getting cold, this is my reminder to download the Pantograph app so you can see the near-live (updated every 30 seconds) position of your bus or train and their anticipated arrival times. Don't wait unnecessarily. I am constantly surprised by how many people do not use this, and without exception everyone who I've convinced to give it a try has told me that it is a game changer for getting around.

[Bakken2016]

https://www.metrotransit.org/quarterly- ... rday-dec-3

December 3rd Service Changes

D Line Opens, Orange Line off-peak service is reduced, service reductions on many local routes

It's really hard to be excited for the D Line, when the rest of the system is being reduced.

[daveybabymsp]

https://www.metrotransit.org/quarterly- ... rday-dec-3

December 3rd Service Changes

D Line Opens, Orange Line off-peak service is reduced, service reductions on many local routes

It's really hard to be excited for the D Line, when the rest of the system is being reduced.

I wish more people cared about the driver shortage. People who aren’t transit dependent or transit lovers aren’t going to use a bus with 30-60 minute headways. There’s nothing worse than missing a bus by 30 seconds only to see the next one isn’t coming for 30 minutes. I feel really bad for people in this metro who have no other options besides public transit.


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[Silophant]

I would settle for people even being aware of the driver shortage. I've been getting emails from Move Minnesota asking me to go to events protesting the service cuts, and, man, what is the plan there? We're gonna protest additional drivers into existence?

[DanPatchToget]

https://www.metrotransit.org/quarterly- ... rday-dec-3

December 3rd Service Changes

D Line Opens, Orange Line off-peak service is reduced, service reductions on many local routes

It's really hard to be excited for the D Line, when the rest of the system is being reduced.

Gotta rob Peter to pay Paul, which we won't be able to sustain if we're going to build more aBRT and BRT routes as well as improve the regular bus network.

Automated metro or autonomous light rail is sounding more and more appealing. It wouldn't be a cure-all of course (obviously I support better pay, benefits, and conditions for drivers), but almost anything to relieve the driver shortage without reducing service is welcome to me.

[J. Mc]

I would settle for people even being aware of the driver shortage. I've been getting emails from Move Minnesota asking me to go to events protesting the service cuts, and, man, what is the plan there? We're gonna protest additional drivers into existence?

That was my thought on those emails too! Not that advocating for more service is a bad thing in itself, however if 100 people all applied tomorrow and eventually got approved/hired/trained as operators then service would likely be ramping up again in a matter of months.

I do find it interesting that more service will also be contracted with this change. Routes switching to contractor operation will include RED, 7, 65, 70, 75, 852. Since existing contracted routes are also getting some cuts I'm assuming they're shifting available operator hours to where the most need is.

[SurlyLHT]

Given that much of the D Line is already high frequency, they must already have some drivers? The decision sounds like the correct one however.

I rode past the new garage on 7th. It looks 100% done, does anyone know when they will start using it? It looks like a neat and unique building.