From Nick Thompson, Deputy General Manager – Capital Programs
I’ve been involved in a lot of big transportation projects during my career, including the expansion of MnPASS lanes and the development of the St. Croix Crossing Bridge.
But as I step into a new role as the deputy general manager of Capital Programs at Metro Transit, I still find myself struck by, and excited by, the scale of what lies ahead.
The Green Line Extension is one of the largest and most complex construction projects in state history. We’re building our largest service garage ever while preparing to support the transition to electric buses. And we are planning to have 15 Bus Rapid Transit lines in operation by 2040.
At the same time, we know we must do more to maintain our existing infrastructure, including an expansive network of bus shelters, Park & Rides, stations, and support facilities.
Combined, we expect to spend more than $6 billion through our 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Plan, an historic and transformative investment that will shape how our region gets around for generations to come.
Proposed increases in federal transportation spending could lead to even greater investments in transit and transit-supportive infrastructure.
I am proud to take a leadership role in our shared effort to turn the ambitious vision that’s been created into a reality. And it certainly will be a shared effort.
Within Capital Programs are five departments – BRT Projects, Engineering & Facilities, Transit Oriented Development, Asset Management and Transit Systems Development, which includes the Green Line Extension and Blue Line Extension project offices.
Certainly, staff in these departments are not unfamiliar to one another. Our charge moving forward is to work together even more closely so our projects are delivered efficiently and with the best possible outcomes.
We must also continue to do everything we can to serve as a trusted and reliable partner to the local, state, and federal partners who support our efforts and the many businesses we work with.
While this can be dynamic and challenging work, I know this organization is ready to seize the opportunities that lie ahead.
In my former role as the Metropolitan Council’s Director of Transportation Services, I helped oversee the Council’s contracted transit operations and its distribution of federal transportation funding, often to support transit projects.
While at the Minnesota Department of Transportation, I worked closely with transit partners to advance transit improvements on the I-35W corridor, work that will come full circle when the METRO Orange Line opens later this year.
My impression from these past experiences is that Metro Transit is full of professionals who are both eager and able to achieve great things.
I am also heartened by the commitment to make sustainability and equity a hallmark of our capital projects, including a dedication to working with local minority- and women-owned businesses.
So, thank you to all those who have welcomed me and who will support Capital Programs in the years ahead. I look forward to working with you and encourage you to reach out with any thoughts and ideas you may have.
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Mechanic Technician Dennis Conley celebrated 45 years of service on Thursday, July 8, at the Ruter Garage. Conley began his career as a sweeper at the old Nicollet Garage and has worked at nearly every garage since then. Asked what’s kept him coming back over the years, Conley simply said: “I just like the work.” Conley is Metro Transit’s second-longest serving active mechanic technician. He plans to retire early next year.
Congratulations to these employees who celebrated work anniversaries in June
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Lisa Benson, Schedule Coordinator, 30 years
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Adam Hernandez, Track Foreperson, 25 years
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Mark Jessee, Lead Stockkeeper, 20 years
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Bruce Carpenter, Rail Transit Supervisor, 20 years
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Thomas Subject, Police Officer (Part Time), 20 years
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Matthew Walker, Senior Rail Transit Supervisor, 20 years
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Marty Williams, Police Officer (Part Time), 20 years
Congratulations to these employees who retired in June
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Terri Hollingsworth, Facilities Administrator, 12 years
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Clifton Brochman, Rail Maintenance Supervisor, 12 years
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Daryl Long, Electro Mechanical Technician, 15 years
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Eduardo Chavez, Operator, East Metro, 21 years
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Vince Pellegrin, Chief Operating Officer, 23 years
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Sam Caron, Assist. Transportation Manager, East Metro, 33 years
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Peter Durant, Mechanic Technician-Ruter, 35 years
To celebrate employee milestones, promotions, retirements and new hires, please email insights@metrotransit.org.
 Mary Johnson and James Yang take a selfie and pose with vaccine bus partners during stops in the Iron Range.
Throughout the summer, vaccine buses continue to help expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine at locations across the state. To date, six retrofitted buses have helped distribute 6,337 doses at 196 clinics and counting.
At many of the stops, visitors have found two friendly faces from Metro Transit -- Assistant Transportation Manager Mary Johnson and Operator James Yang.
“I answered the call when Metro Transit asked for help because I wanted to give back to the community,” Johnson said. “Wherever we go, I see myself as coordinator, caretaker, and host.”
Johnson and Yang have traveled as far south as LaSalle and as far north as International Falls, where they’ll return next week.
“It’s great to see other parts of the state and be welcomed by people in each town we visit,” Yang said. “They’ve really appreciated us being there.”
Vaccine bus partners from the Minnesota Department of Health and Blue Cross and Blue Shield also appreciate Johnson and Yang’s work.
“Mary and James are professional, courteous and helpful,” said Seamus Dolan, site lead from Blue Cross Blue Shield. “They were proactive in making sure the bus was well maintained and helped assist in setting up the vaccine clinic.”
Metro Transit is among many transit agencies that are contributing to the pandemic response. The Federal Transit Administration last week highlighted those efforts, including Metro Transit’s vaccination buses.
Please continue to maintain a healthy, safe workplace for all
On-site staff can help maintain a healthy, safe workplace by following these COVID-19 safety protocols:
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If you are unvaccinated, it is recommended that you wear a mask in the workplace.
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Get tested if you are experiencing symptoms or think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
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Practice social distancing whenever possible.
On-site temperature screenings are no longer required, but employees are still encouraged to monitor their health and stay home if they are sick.
A new version of Metro Transit’s ticketing app will be introduced next week, offering improved translation services and the ability to someday sell tickets through other providers.
Current app users will need to update and begin using the new app by Tuesday, July 20. Previously purchased mobile tickets will transfer to the new app, which will be available for download beginning the evening of Friday, July 16.
Metro Transit is moving to a new app vendor, Token Transit, to open the door to selling mobile tickets through other apps, like the Transit App and Google Maps, that allow users to plan trips using transit and other transportation services.
“We know customers are using other apps besides ours. This would allow them to complete their whole trip in one app, and in their preferred app," said Adam Mehl, a Metro Transit senior market development specialist.
Token Transit’s app is also expected to provide better translations for non-English speaking customers.
Metro Transit’s app was introduced in late-2016. In 2019, there were $4.2 million in mobile ticket sales. Mobile tickets are displayed on a customer’s device and shown to operators or police officers as proof of payment.
"As things are coming back, we’re seeing more and more people adopting the mobile ticket platform in place of cash, which is in line with the growth seen everywhere with contactless payments,” Mehl said. “We expect to see that growth continue as ridership returns.”
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Green thumbs are bringing fresh vegetables and flowers to several support facilities.
South Garage Operator Susan Mitchell was introduced to gardening after joining Metro Transit 15 years ago and looking for a way to unwind from the stresses of work.
“After every shift, I’d return home to the garage and then head out to the garden nearby,” she said. “It was amazing, even after the first-time weeding, I began to feel calmer. Since then, I’ve continued to garden around the garage, planting all kinds of flowers.”
Gardens at the Northstar Operations & Maintenance Facility, and Transfer Road were created with support from Fit For Life’s wellness mini-grant program.
Active Northstar gardeners include: Electronic Technician Wayne Nylander, Foreperson Bob Lex, Head Stockkeeper Dave Butts and Mechanic Geremy Reed.
After 27 years working at a big box grocery store, John Brown decided it was time for a change. He had a degree in diesel mechanics, which led him to a company that maintained Transit Link vehicles.
After 14 years, the contract ended and he decided to take a turn at the wheel.
Brown started out as part-time operator in 2016, quickly went full-time and found a home at the East Metro Garage. He briefly served as a train operator, a stint that overlapped with the 2018 Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium.
While Brown enjoys the pay and benefits, he says his fellow operators have given him the most reason to stay. On tough days, they offer a listening and experienced ear.
“Every day is an adventure,” he said. “You have great days and some tough ones, but that’s where other drivers help.”
Now, Brown is paying it forward by mentoring newly hired bus operators and serving as a relief instructor. “When you’re new, it’s especially tough,” he said. “I’m glad I can be there to help others when things just aren’t going right. I’ll always be there for anyone who needs help.”
After a few careers over the decades, Brown believes he’s finally found his home at Metro Transit, where he plans to work until he retires. “It gets better every year here at Metro Transit,” he said.
Operator hiring event will be held Saturday, July 17
More than 40 bus operator applicants are in the late stages of the hiring process as efforts to reach ideal operator staffing levels continue. Another one-day hiring event is tentatively planned for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 17, at the Instruction Center. Employees can earn a $600 bonus for referring successful bus operator candidates. Learn more at metrotransit.org/drive.
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Bus Maintenance is introducing new roof access platforms that will help technicians safely get to the top of buses for maintenance and repairs.
This new system is a rolling platform and ladder that a harnessed technician climbs to access the top of a bus. An added safety feature is that these units hold accessible emergency kits that include items like an AED and firefighting equipment.
The new equipment will be especially useful to technicians working on hybrid and electric buses, which have roof-mounted electrical systems and batteries. Previously, technicians would access the roof from inside the bus through the roof hatch or by climbing a ladder and wearing a fall restraint harness.
“This improved process is a direct result of the electric buses entering the fleet and taking another look at safety as the industry is maturing,” Project Manager Anthony Zessman said. “Moving forward, this is going to be the standard for how technicians will access bus rooftops.”
Each garage will receive at least one of the platforms in July or August. Technician training will follow.
Heywood Operator John Fleming recently received a commendation from a customer who truly appreciates getting a few extra blocks on the bus on his way to work.
I want to compliment a driver that I have every Wednesday on the 18, which I’ve been taking to work for months now. One morning, he asked how far I was walking after I got off the bus. After I told him I was going to Walmart, he started allowing me to stay on and drops me off closer to my destination. That small act of kindness truly makes my day. I have bad veins in my legs that will eventually require surgery, and those several blocks he saves me help so much. Drivers do not get enough credit for the good deeds they do. I appreciate him more than he knows and thank God that people out there still care about total strangers. Please thank him for taking care of me.
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Dozens of frontline Metro Transit employees turned out to provide direct feedback for transit-safety related conversations. And many more have filled out a survey about their experiences with safety on the transit system.
Metropolitan Council Communications staff facilitated several in-person conversations in late June to ensure the perspectives of frontline staff – including bus and train operators, maintenance staff, and public facility workers – are included in the effort to review safety on the transit system.
Frontline employees expressed concerns about their safety, safety of other frontline employees, and customer safety on the system. Employees expressed general support for police officers and suggested that we need more officers throughout the system. People noted appreciation for the job Metro Transit police officers do and recognized that the geographic reach and complexity of the transit system make coverage challenging. Several participants suggested that more officers – or even people who are trained to help address problems and disputes on the system – would help them feel more safe doing their jobs.
In general, employees suggested their safety concerns have grown and conditions have worsened during the organizational response to the COVID-19 pandemic but were present prior to the pandemic.
A fuller summary of comments will be included with the public engagement report that the Citizens League creates later this summer and inform a more in-depth Met Council review of the Metro Transit Police Department’s policies and practices beginning this month. Staff will also be reporting comments from frontline employees into a memorandum for Council members to consider as part of the larger safety review process.
Several public, in-person open houses and virtual community meetings have been scheduled to get feedback on evolving plans for the Blue Line Extension. At the events, staff will be asking for input on potential station locations.
Additionally, the Blue Line Extension Project Office this week began accepting proposals from individuals or groups who can support the work of a new group that is being formed to recommend policies and programs that will minimize displacement along the corridor.
Olufunso “Olu” Oresanya, above right, has also been introduced as the project’s associate community outreach coordinator. Oresanya has experience working with immigrant communities, volunteers with the Legal Rights Center and is a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve.
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Learn more about the August 21 service changes: Additional information about scheduled service changes that will take effect on Saturday, Aug. 21, is now available online. Information is being provided sooner than usual so customers may plan ahead. Several express routes that have been suspended will return and more trips will be added to select routes now operating at a reduced level. Improvements will also be made to Route 3 through the Better Bus Routes program. Read the General Manager's comments on the pending changes here.
Life insurance presentation coming July 14: Employees are invited to learn more about life insurance options available through the Council at a Wednesday, July 14, online event. The event will be hosted on Teams beginning at 11:30 a.m. If you did not receive a calendar invite, please contact Terri Bopp. Information will be presented by the Benefits Department, in partnership with Minnesota Life/Securian. The event also serves as a kick-off for a special enrollment period during which employees can increase the amount of supplemental life insurance they elected. During this special enrollment period, employees can increase their supplemental life insurance up to $40,000 with no evidence of insurability. Employees who elect to increase more than $40,000, will need evidence of insurability.
Join the Yellow Ribbon Committee: The "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" program was initiated in 2007 to recognize companies and communities that proactively create a workplace culture that supports and meets the needs of service members, veterans, and military families. Human Resources is seeking new members to help honor the Council's veterans and service members. The committee organizes activities to support veterans and returning troops and meets approximately once per quarter. If you are interested in joining the committee or want to get more information, please contact Nancy Jennings.
Buses will replace Green Line trains July 9-11: Buses will replace METRO Green Line trains beginning the morning of Friday, July 9, at 4:30 a.m. to allow for scheduled maintenance in the corridor, including track repair. At that time, buses will replace Green Line trains between Capitol/Rice St. and Union Depot stations in both directions. During the disruption, customers can board replacement buses near each affected station. Green Line trains will resume service for all stations at 4 a.m. on Monday, July 12.
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