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https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNORGMETC/bulletins/2ca435a
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From General Manager Wes Kooistra
Throughout the pandemic, we have relied on public health guidance to determine how to deliver service while protecting our riders and our employees.
Under this guidance, we have consistently asked customers to use transit only for essential trips and adhered to 25% vehicle capacity limits.
Now, Gov. Walz’s recent “turn of the dial” is leading us into a new phase of pandemic management. For example, the capacity for bars and restaurants is increasing, larger group gatherings are being described as reasonably safe and fans are being allowed into sporting events, including up to 10,000 fans for Twin games beginning next week.
For the first time in nearly a year, Minneapolis and Saint Paul public schools are returning older students to on-site instruction in mid-April.
These changes are expected to impact the demand for transit and make it harder to maintain our “essential trips only” message and 25% capacity limit.
So last Thursday, we met with staff from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to seek their guidance on how transit restrictions could safely adapt to these changes.
In our meeting, MDH staff suggested our new message to riders should be “travel responsibly,” and that changing transit capacity limits from 25% to 50% of seated capacity would be an appropriate, measured response to the other changes occurring around us.
Beginning Monday, April 5, we will begin allowing up to 20 passengers on 40-foot buses, up to 30 passengers on 60-foot buses, and up to 33 passengers on light rail vehicles. These limits are very similar to those in place at many other transit agencies across the nation.
We will also discontinue the essential trips only messaging and emphasize “traveling responsibly,” including wearing masks and creating as much space as possible between yourself and riders you don’t know.
This is welcome news because our messaging and service approach will be better aligned with the new instruction coming from the Governor and public health officials. It important that we operate with reasonable success under the service standards we communicate to the public.
While this gives us some relief that we are beginning to manage our way out of the pandemic, we have seen that the pandemic with its variants is a dynamic event. The dial can be turned back the other way if that is what is required for public health interests.
In our discussion of these service changes, MDH staff strongly emphasized the continued importance of wearing masks which, when worn properly, significantly reduce the risk of transmission on transit and in other indoor environments.
Masks will continue to be required for the foreseeable future. And while we have observed that the vast majority of customers are wearing them and wearing them correctly, we will continue to reinforce their importance as we move forward.
We will also continue to regularly disinfect our vehicles, concentrate service on our busiest local bus routes and remind customers not to travel with us if they are ill or fear they’ve been exposed to COVID-19.
Maintaining this stance is also consistent with what we are hearing from public health officials and Gov. Walz, who are stressing the importance of vigilance and personal responsibility while the vaccination rollout continues.
This message is important for all of us to hear. So, I remind you: Travel responsibly, wear masks in public settings, and if you haven’t already, schedule your vaccination appointment.
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Front-line employees who have not yet scheduled their vaccination appointment through Homeland Health are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Additional appointments at the Mall of America clinic are being set aside for front-line essential workers. Front-line staff who have not received information about making an appointment and who would like to do so should contact a manager or supervisor.
If you have received a vaccine, or do not plan to receive one, please indicate that by sending an email to vaccines@metrotransit.org; this information will only be used to help determine if an on-site clinic should be organized.
Remember: If you are displaying COVID-19 symptoms, or believe you have been exposed to COVID-19, you should get tested, whether or not you have been vaccinated.
Free COVID-19 tests can be scheduled at the Heywood Well@Work clinic by calling 952-967-7468. Several community testing sites are also open throughout the region.
Review COVID-19 case data by worksite
Every Friday, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported to the Employee Resource Center in the previous week will be reported in Insights. Managers and supervisors are encouraged to post this information at work sites.
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Yolanda Sims doesn’t get a lot of time to herself. But, as a mother and as a bus operator, she also knows how important those quiet, contemplative moments are to her mental health and to her ability to be there for those who rely on her. “If you’re not able to decompress, you’re no good to anyone else,” she said. “You have to take that time to relax.”
The belief was recently reinforced when Sims was on a call with other women from Metro Transit who participated in a mindfulness exercise – planting their feet on the floor, letting their arms hang by their sides, breathing deeply and picturing themselves in some distant, serene setting.
Now, Sims is hoping other operators will be open to seeing how mindfulness can be incorporated into their work and home lives.
With support from the Council’s Wellness Coach Ashley Starr and Equity & Inclusion Specialist Sarah Berres, she helped conceive, create and distribute grounding cards with suggested mindfulness practices – naming things you can see, touch and hear, sitting in a chair and stomping your feet or gently pressing the inside of your wrist. The cards are available at dispatch at each garage.
Sims, an informal mentor and consummate helper, knows what works for her may not work for others. But she also knows her fellow operators can’t afford to overlook their own needs, and that any comfort that can be offered should be.
“This has been a hard time for everybody, but you can’t let anyone steal your peace, steal your joy,” she said. “That’s not an easy task but it can be learned.”
Learn more
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Sims’ idea for the grounding cards originated during a ConnectHER conference call. ConnectHER participants meet off-hours to extend and build on conversations that occur through the Advancing Women in Transit (AWT) Employee Resource Group. To learn more, contact Yolanda Sims or Connie Isler. To learn more about the Council’s existing wellness resources, or to suggest an idea of your own, please contact Ashley Starr.
Additional resources
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The Council’s Employee Assistance Provider, Sand Creek, can connect staff with professional counselors who have training in generational trauma, race-related stress and traumatic stress, multicultural concerns and systemic racism. For more information, call Sand Creek at 1-888-243-5744 or visit sandcreekeap.com.
- Residents are invited to attend virtual or in-person community healing circles to address the hurt and trauma caused by the killing of George Floyd last summer, the civil unrest that followed in our neighborhoods and the ongoing trial. Learn more at ramseycounty.us.
Metro Transit’s Equity & Inclusion Team is welcoming several new members who will support efforts to create a more inclusive work environment and support the agency’s efforts to achieve equitable outcomes. The new team members are (clockwise from top left):
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Donathan Brown, Assistant Director-Bus Transportation
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Mark Granlund, Public Arts Administrator
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Erica Igure, Operator-Heywood
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Carri Sampson, Rail Transportation Supervisor
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David Stiggers, Operator, South
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Dan Stoffer, Manager of Training & Acting Manager Bus System Safety
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Claudius Touissant, Program Manager, Engineering & Facilities
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Traci Williamson, Fare Collections Supervisor
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Heidi Wrenson, Transit Supervisor
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Nancy Xiong, Principal Administrative Specialist, Transit Police
Employees who will continue to serve on the Equity & Inclusion Team include:
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Mickey Albert, Operator, Heywood
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Sophia Ali, Operator, Nicollet
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Jessica Cross, Marketing
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James Holt, Mechanic Technician, Overhaul Base
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Liban Ibrahim, Police Officer
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Andrew Kimbell, Operator, Ruter
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Sam O’Connell, Senior Manager, Southwest Project Office
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Beverly Rodriguez, Police Officer
Team members will spend the next few weeks building their intercultural competency and learning more about programs they’ll support, like the Transit Assistance Program.
High-resolution video cameras that show what’s happening in real time on light rail train cars is giving Metro Transit another tool to combat crime and grime.
The Metro Transit Police Department uses the cameras to dispatch officers when they see a crime occurring or trouble brewing and to see what’s happening while they’re on the way, better preparing responding officer. Rail supervisors view the feeds to check on reported messes so they can get them cleaned up quicker.
“Most other transit systems in North America do not have the hard drive for instant retrieval and instant auditing of footage on that hard drive remotely,’’ said Dominick Pellegrin, manager of rail operations.
In January, technicians finished a nearly year-long effort to install cameras fleetwide. The 27 new light rail vehicles being built for the METRO Green Line Extension will also be outfitted with the cameras, which offer 360-degree views. There are also cameras on all station platforms.
Sgt. Michael Leubner heads up the Real-Time Information Center, where he and other officers watch a bank of monitors for signs of trouble. As much as he appreciates the ability to watch what is happening in real time, he extols the cameras’ instant-replay ability. The previous cameras took a long time to download and view.
“As officers are driving to a call, we now can start playing back the scene,” Leubner said. “When officers arrive, their information-gathering time is reduced, a suspect is already identified and can be apprehended on the spot."
Transit police have also used the instant-replay function to find discarded evidence and to locate suspects who have fled altercations.
Years of service: 6
Lives: St. Anthony
Family: Husband and three kids
Job: Bus maintenance supervisor
Garage: Ruter
How did you come to Metro Transit and what do you do?
My brothers and I grew up working on cars in a garage, but I never thought it would turn into a career. It wasn’t until later in life when I needed to support my child that I started down a path that brought me to Metro Transit. After looking for a career, my father encouraged me to become a mechanic. So I earned a degree in automotive service and began working in a dealership. I worked my way up into a supervisory position, then decided to try another career as a manager in big box retail. Then, I came to a point in my life when I realized I wanted to return to the industry I worked so hard to establish myself in – maintenance. So I applied to Metro Transit, and alongside another woman, we became the first women to hold the position of bus maintenance supervisor in 2015. Sadly, my father died shortly before he could see me take this position, but I have a feeling he was still with me every step of the way.
What do you enjoy most about being on the clock?
I enjoy working in a service garage because it’s fast paced and challenging. Every day is different. There’s planned maintenance and unplanned maintenance. I could be working on logistics for updating something fleet-wide or ensuring that minor issues are addressed so a bus operator can make their pull-out on time. I also enjoy the team atmosphere here and the respect for my expertise. When I worked at the dealership, I had to constantly prove myself to customers who challenged my expertise because I’m a woman. While change is slow, I’ve found the atmosphere at transit to be a bit more welcoming. Here, I’m also able to expand my knowledge base, like taking a course in project management. And I’m happy to be able to share my experiences with other women as part of the Advancing Women in Transit symposium, especially to those feeling the struggle of being in a male dominated industry.
What do you enjoy doing off the clock?
When I married my husband, he came with a green 1970 Volkswagen Camper Bus. Growing up in my family, we loved Mopar muscle cars, like the cars my father would restore. However, I’ve now fallen in love with this VW. My husband and I work on it together to make sure it’s running – and usually I am the maintenance supervisor! It’s old and continually needs work, but we love to do it so we can take short trips to northern Minnesota or Wisconsin. And, we are a part of a Volkswagen Club that travels all around the metro to places like drive-ins and diners. It’s great to see the smiles on people’s faces when you drive by and, of course, a lot of peace signs.
If you attended the AWT Symposium, please consider sharing your impressions and feedback. With permission, responses may be shared in a future edition of Insights. Submit your responses here.
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East Metro Garage bus operator Vincent Wisniewski recently received a commendation for his suburb driving and welcoming nature.
I ride the 270 from downtown Minneapolis to Maplewood Mall almost every afternoon at 4:51 p.m. My bus driver is the best! He always greets us with a smile. He’s such a superb driver. I can even type this message while riding, because he’s that good.
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Employee badges may soon lose Go-To Card functionality: Employee badges that also function as Go-To Cards may soon expire and no longer work with fare card readers. Operators have been instructed to accept employee badges as a "flash pass," and replacement Go-To Cards can be retrieved from the mailroom at Heywood. Badges will continue to allow access to support facilities. For more information, email transit-badge@metrotransit.org.
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Learn more about Creative Services: Creative Services is hosting its second of two Lunch & Learns to share information about their work at noon on Thursday, April 8. The session will cover Workfront, the project management tool used to initiate projects. To attend the event, click here. A session held this week provided an overview of the department's staff, the types of projects the department works on, and how brand standards are used to create a clear, consistent, accessible and equitable tone. Watch that event here. For more information, contact Sharon Feiner.
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Aerosol recertification starts in April: Some employees who have been certified to carry approved aerosol devices are due for re-certification in April 2021. Operators who need to recertify will be contacted by their supervisor. To remain eligible to carry or possess an aerosol device while on duty, operators must recertify every two years. In-person classes for initial certification are not being scheduled at this time.
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Buses replacing Green Line trains April 2 through April 5: Buses will replace trains on a portion of the Green Line this weekend so crews can fix sections of broken rail. Buses will replace trains between the Captiol/Rice and Raymond Avenue stations between 7 p.m. on Friday, April 2, and the end of service on Sunday, April 4.
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Metro Transit’s employee newsletter, Insights, is published weekly. Employees are invited to submit comments, letters to the editor and story ideas.
Contact the editor at insights@metrotransit.org.
© 2021 Metro Transit
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