From Brian Funk, Acting Chief Operating Officer
In all of June, we had two reported COVID-19 cases and it appeared the worst of the pandemic was behind us. This month, more than 30 of our co-workers have gotten COVID-19.
Our rise in cases mirrors the rise we’re seeing in the communities we serve. Statewide, we are now averaging more than 1,000 cases a day, the highest level we’ve seen since last spring.
The takeaway from these unfortunate trends is clear: The pandemic is not over, and we must remain vigilant to avoid a worsening situation.
In practice, that means doing all the things we’ve talked about for more than a year – wearing masks indoors and on transit, getting tested when needed, and being cautious about prolonged close contacts.
It also means getting vaccinated if you are eligible to do so.
Recognizing how important vaccines are to creating a safe workplace, all employees must be fully vaccinated by Monday, Oct. 11, to avoid having to be regularly tested (and test negative) to report for on-site work.
Similar policies are being adopted at other large employers and public institutions, including the State of Minnesota, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, and the University of Minnesota.
Each of us must evaluate the information available about the COVID-19 vaccine and make an informed decision. But the evidence in favor of vaccinations, in the view of public health experts, is convincing.
Almost all new COVID-19 cases are occurring in unvaccinated individuals, and each of the available vaccines has been shown to be highly effective in preventing serious illness and death.
This week, after substantial review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted its full approval of the Pfizer vaccine that is free and available at our Well@Work clinics.
Vaccines are safe, effective, and key to ending this pandemic. As important as vaccines are, though, we know our responsibility to provide a safe workplace goes beyond providing access and encouraging their use.
Our managers and supervisors continue to do an excellent job of identifying close contacts when cases are reported and managing leave time for those who are affected.
Material Management has secured all the protective equipment we need to remain fully stocked for the foreseeable future, including hundreds of thousands of masks that we can share with customers.
And our maintenance departments continue to test technologies that could help eliminate airborne viruses while maintaining rigorous cleaning standards.
Combined, these measures will help us safely navigate the pandemic while still serving those who rely on us to get where they need to go.
Thank you to all those who are supporting these and other efforts while also preparing for our post-pandemic future. Your efforts are commendable and truly appreciated.
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As announced last week, all Council employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Monday, Oct. 11, or get regular COVID-19 tests (and test negative) to report for on-site work. To be fully vaccinated by October 11, employees will need to get their shots by these dates:
Additional information about testing requirements and exemptions is forthcoming. Of note:
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Free Pfizer vaccines are available at the Council's Well@Work clinics on Mondays and Thursdays. Schedule online or call 952-967-5474 (St. Paul) or 952-967-7468 (Minneapolis).
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On Monday, the FDA granted its approval of the Pfizer vaccine, which will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for individuals 16 and older.
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More than 74% of Council employees have received at least one dose.
COVID-19 Leave Policy ends September 17
The Met Council’s COVID-19 Leave Policy will no longer be available after Sept. 17. Moving forward, employees need to use personal leave or work with their supervisors to manage work absences through flexibility in scheduling.
Metro Transit’s newest bus operators, above, completed their training at the Instruction Center this week and will now begin carrying customers on routes throughout the region.
Around two dozen applicants were interviewed during recent one-day operator hiring events as efforts to reach ideal staffing levels continue. Additional hiring events will be held at the Instruction Center every month until the end of 2021, including:
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Saturday, Sept. 11, 9 a.m. to noon
- Tuesday, Sept. 14, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Operators are being hired and trained on a continual basis to reach an ideal staffing level of about 1,200 bus operators. As of this week, there were about 1,130 full- and part-time bus operators.
Employees who refer successful operator candidates can receive a $600 bonus. For more information, visit metrotransit.org/drive.
Train operator applications due today, August 27
Bus operators who are interested in transferring to light rail must submit their application to become a train operator by the end of the day today, Friday, Aug. 27, to be added to an eligibility list. Operators will also need to pass agility testing and an interview. Individuals who are added to the eligibility list will be trained as positions open. To learn more an apply, visit metrocouncil.org/employment.
Many people who work at Metro Transit take on new responsibilities and roles throughout their careers. Career Tracks highlights the paths employees have taken to their latest assignment and where they see themselves going next. Learn more about career opportunities at metrocouncil.org.
How did you begin your career at Metro Transit?
After three years as a bus operator, I decided to see what else I could do within the agency and started moving into different positions. I’ve been a skilled helper, cleaner,
fueler, mechanic technician and am now a maintenance supervisor.
What were your career goals and what steps did you take to achieve them?
Before working at transit, I worked in corporate so I could see there were great learning opportunities here. I wanted to advance my career and take advantage of these opportunities, so I earned my associates degrees and became a full-time mechanic. After that, I joined the Leadership Academy to learn what it’s like to be a supervisor. About two years ago, I applied for a supervisor role and got the job.
What advice do you have for others who want to take on more or different responsibilities?
Use all the resources Metro Transit has to offer. Talk to the Instruction Center about training opportunities and have conversations with your supervisors and managers about your goals and what you want to accomplish. They’ll have good insight and experience to help guide you along.
Leadership Academy returning in 2022
Frontline employees who want to gain supervisory experience will be invited to apply for the Leadership Academy this fall. Participants spend six months getting on-the-job experience working with a mentor while in acting supervisor positions. Graduates earn the equivalent of one-year supervisory experience that can be used to meet minimum qualifications for future job openings. The next Leadership Academy is scheduled to begin in March 2022. To learn more, please contact Brian Funk or John Humphrey.
Rail Transportation welcomes three new supervisors
Rail Transportation recently welcomed three new supervisors. They are:
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Alex Abay, who started as a bus operator in 1999 and has been at light rail as an operator and relief instructor since 2012. A father of two, Abay grew up in Ethiopia and now lives in Farmington. He enjoys playing soccer and spending
time with his wife and two children.
• Latina Laramee, who started as a bus operator in November 2011 and transferred to light rail in 2014. Laramee has worked in public and private transportation since she was 19 years old and studied entrepreneurship and business at North Hennepin Community College. She enjoys traveling
and cooking and has an 18-year-old-son.
• Brett Kohnke, who has spent the past 16 years in law enforcement. Kohnke lives in Elk Mound, Wisc. and has two children, ages 12 and 3. Outside of work he enjoys dirt track racing, classic cars and hunting.
Share news about new hires, promotions, retirements and other career milestones by emailing insights@metrotransit.org.
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 Graphic Design Supervisor Elissa Erickson, above left, and Graphic Designer Missy Dodge, above right, place stencils before applying rain-activated spray at Target Field Station.
The work of four Minneapolis artists was recently installed with a rain-activated invisible spray at more than a dozen bus stops and train stations. The designs will last a couple of months, bringing some unexpected joy to customers whenever the skies open.
"The thought of waiting for a bus or train in the rain is anything but joyful. Hopefully, seeing a beautiful piece of art on the pavement will bring a little bit of sunshine to an otherwise cloudy day,’’ said Elissa Erickson, a graphic design supervisor with Metro Transit’s Creative Services who is overseeing the project.
The featured artists are Eric Garcia, Andres Guzman, Leeya Jackson and Violeta Rotstein.
Heywood Operator Marlon Benjamin recently received a commendation from a customer who appreciated their dedication to safety.
I ride Route 250 in the evening and morning from the 95th Park & Ride. It drops me off in front of the IDS Tower. Today when I got off the bus, a couple of people approached me right away. The driver stayed there until they walked away and nodded to confirm everything was OK before he pulled away. He really made me feel better and safe.
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U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, Federal Transit Administrator Nuria Fernandez and local officials gathered at the METRO Orange Line’s I-35W & Lake Street Station on Wednesday as part of a full day of events centered on the importance of federal transit investments.
Smith, Fernandez and others also visited a future Green Line Extension station area and participated in a field hearing for a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs at the Metro Transit Police & Office Facility.
During the hearing, Brooklyn Park resident Cassandra Belyeu said expanding transit access would give people more freedom to decide where to live and how to go about their days. "Without access to reliable transportation, simple tasks like shopping and receiving a haircut can occupy significant portions of someone’s day,” she said.
The hearing and tour were organized in part to help build support for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that would bring $856 million in federal transit funding to Minnesota over the next five years. The legislation has passed the Senate and is now being considered by the House.
Fernandez, the administrator, described the potential funding as the “most significant transit investment in the nation's history.”
K-9s that work with the Metro Transit Police Department will spend nearly a decade sniffing their way around trains, buses and boarding areas. So it only makes sense that their training would also take place in such an environment.
This spring, the department introduced an in-house, three-month curriculum that puts the K-9s and their partner officers through the paces at places like the East Metro Garage and the Blue Line's Operations & Maintenance Facility. Until this year, MTPD’s K-9s were trained at off-site academies with other police departments.
Lt. Richard Raymond, who heads the K-9 unit, said the early exposure to the sights, sounds and smells of transit not only helps the K-9s become more familiar with transit but with their extended family at Metro Transit.
"It gives the dogs the opportunity to see Metro Transit employees and to let employees see firsthand how they’re being trained,’’ Raymond said.
Watch the latest episode of “Hey! Where Does This Bus Go?”: This episode takes viewers on a tour of the Route 3 corridor. In the series, host Tane Danger speaks with operators and riders and comments on destinations along the route. Of the Route 3, he concluded: “Here’s my big takeaway…this is the bus to take for just a beautiful, wonderful joyride to see beautiful, wonderful things that the Twin Cities has to offer.” Watch the video and learn more about recent improvements to the Route 3 on the Riders’ Almanac blog.
Transit Police Work Group to develop transit safety recommendations: A group of Council Members who will serve on a Metro Transit Police Work Group will meet for the first time today, Friday, Aug. 27. Through March 2022, the group will meet twice a month to consider recent community and staff feedback and develop recommendations related to issues like use of force, youth interactions and officer training. The group will confer with the Council’s Equity Advisory Committee, BIPOC work group and other Council Members in developing its recommendations. Recommendations that are accepted by the Council will guide the Metro Transit Police Department’s future work. Learn more about the work group and how to follow the discussion in a message from Council Chair Charlie Zelle.
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