From General Manager Wes Kooistra 

Today, our focus continues to be on providing transit service during this pandemic. How do we deliver service in a manner that minimizes risks to our riders and our employees, and how do we adjust service levels to align with our workforce capacity?

In recent days, we have suspended light rail services from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., limited the number of passengers on buses, issued messages strongly encouraging riders to cover their nose and mouth, continued distributing masks to our employees, and published an opinion piece in The Star Tribune that called out the great work of our frontline employees and encouraged riders to help us do our part to prevent the transmission of the virus and save lives.

Thanks again to those on the frontlines of this work and to all our other employees who are supporting our operations during this difficult time. I repeat this thanks in every column because I feel appreciation every day.

Thanks too to all those who are working from home and are experiencing the isolation of social distancing. Working in isolation is difficult; it is hard to feel connected. Know that we value you and we value the important work that is occurring in your homes that keeps Metro Transit moving forward, and its employees safe. We are social beings and our work benefits from social interaction. We do miss each other.

Though we still focus on daily operational challenges, it is also time for us to start charting our future. Our vision is to reach well beyond recovery and build a stronger and better regional transit system. We intend to approach this work with ambition and optimism.

Many expect service demand and service expectations to be changed for years to come. Metro Transit can position itself to not only respond to these changes, but to influence transit demand in our region. We can be on the leading edge of transit service design in the new norm.

Ahead of us is an opportunity to build a different and better transit system. We will build upon our strengths, and we will thoughtfully correct weaknesses and shortcomings. We are prepared to welcome new ideas, new approaches, and new partnerships that improve transit service.

We recognize that this is not a short walk; it is a journey. There is much to learn about our new service environment and how it may evolve over time, but we will start now. We will learn as we go, and we will be agile in responding to what we discover along the way.

Work like this is only accomplished in partnership with many others – with policy makers, with customers, with our many stakeholders and with each other. This is truly work that will require the engagement of all our departments and employees.

So even in this most difficult time, I ask that you consider the many opportunities ahead and begin to imagine a stronger and better regional transit system.​

Help show each other and our community that we’re In This Together

Please continue sending examples of great teamwork to insights@metrotransit.org. Self-recorded videos thanking and encouraging frontline staff are also being collected. To show your support on social media, use the hashtag #InThisTogether.

Watch: Customers, managers thank frontline staff for their efforts

Until a few weeks ago, Transit Information Center Representative Melinda Love, right, barely knew how to sew. She’s a lot more comfortable using her sewing machine now.  

Ruter Operator Rich Makizza received the following commendation this week from a Route 5 customer who looks forward to seeing him again.

I wanted to commend the driver that (used) to pick me up to go to work. I have been at home for six weeks per Gov. Walz's stay-at-home orders but want him to know I appreciate the smile every time I get (well, got) on the bus and the happy, ‘Hey.’ He even noticed the days I took my car and gave me a welcoming nod when I came back. I hope you are well. Someday, I will be happy to see the reliable number 5 pulling up for my last stretch into work again.

Corrine Kokke

Minneapolis

Staff across the organization are contributing to Metro Transit’s response to the coronavirus. Employees will be invited to talk about how their work has changed, and what it’s like to serve during a pandemic, in Insights each week. To share your story or suggest someone who is doing outstanding work, e-mail insights@metrotransit.org.

How has the pandemic affected your day-to-day work?  

When the crisis hit, it was clear that technology was going to be even more critical to how we keep transit operating. One of my primary responsibilities during COVID-19 has been to assist in getting users the right technology that they need to do their jobs from anywhere. It’s been wonderful to partner with Information Services and leadership at Transit to ensure that everyone who can work remotely is able to do so.

Most of my other duties were always very easy to do remotely, so working from home hasn’t had a negative impact  on my day-to-day. In my previous role at the Council I was the Infrastructure Manager for IS, and I managed a team of people who were spread across many different locations. This helped make me comfortable with using all of the technology at my disposal to be as productive as I can no matter where all of us are located. It’s also wonderful to see all of the great tools that we have access to (Teams, Office 365, SharePoint Online, etc), get used more broadly throughout Transit.

What’s it like working through a pandemic?  

There’s a higher level of anxiety with the state of the world as it is. When you’re sitting in your house all the time it’s easy to feel trapped by the situation. Being able to do my job just as well as I was able to in the office helps to bring a sense of normalcy to life. It’s also important to keep up many of the same habits I had when in the office, such as getting up and walking around for a few moments to clear my head and stretch the legs. When we’re in the same place for both work and pleasure, it can be hard to remember to treat them differently.

Having a solid work routine is crucial when working at home. I usually start my day with a short run, followed by a shower and breakfast. I get dressed as if I’m going to the office (no PJ’s at work!), and I have my work desk set apart from my personal desk. My wife and I start our day comparing schedules so that we know when one of us needs to take a conference call in a different room. All of this provides a boundary between work and home life, and helps make things feel more normal.

How has your life changed outside of work?

My wife and I do a lot of traveling and camping, which has all been cancelled until this situation is more under control. We’re very involved in trail running events, which are all postponed for the time being. We’ve also tried to cook more at home, but when we don’t want to cook, to make sure we’re patronizing a local business that is doing curbside pickup and can use our support. One other thing I have found that I miss with my commute on the Northstar is that I have less time set aside to listen to podcasts. The train was a great place to relax and zone out during my commute.