From Interim General Manager Lesley Kandaras and Chief Ernest Morales III
When our Safety & Security Action Plan was introduced last year, we knew change wouldn’t come easily. But we also knew we had an obligation to try to make things better for our riders and our staff, and to provide more consistent updates on our progress.
As our latest quarterly update shows, a lot of effort is being made. Every one of the 40 action items identified in the plan has been implemented or is in progress. Notable recent highlights include:
- Executing a contract that will bring supplemental security to up to six locations beginning this summer.
- Increasing staffing in our Real Time Information Center so we can monitor live camera feeds seven days a week.
- Expanding our police presence on trains and at locations with ongoing concerns, like the Lake Street/Midtown Station.
- Contracting with organizations like A Mother’s Love and Radias Health whose staff can help connect people to services.
We are encouraged by the progress we’ve made and are hopeful further improvements will be coming soon. We also know we are still a long way from where we need to be.
We face ongoing challenges related to drug use and property damage. And our police force remains stretched thin – we’ve only been able to increase patrols because our officers are working longer hours.
The question now, of course, is where do we go from here?
Because the issues that surface on transit are often beyond the scope of what we can handle alone, we are looking at expanded partnerships with service providers.
To continue rebuilding our ranks, we’ve increased wages for officers and Community Service Officers and are taking advantage of every recruitment opportunity. (Four new police officers will be sworn in next week and we are hiring Community Service Officers on an ongoing basis.)
A revised Code of Conduct and a new anti-harassment campaign will be brought forward later this year.
Expanding service, ongoing facility investments and providing frontline staff and officers additional training are also important next steps.
We remain committed to hearing from our riders, staff, and partners whose input has always been essential to this work.
Please know that we hear and take seriously all the feedback we receive and are as committed as ever to creating a system everyone can feel safe and welcome using.
Thank you for your continued support.
Join the conversation
Meet with Chief Morales and other police officers at these upcoming in-person Coffee with Cops events. All are welcome.
- Wednesday, May 10, Heywood Garage, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 24, North Loop Garage, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For more information email Carol LaFleur at carol.lafleur@transitpd.org
Watch a short video on the Safety & Security Action Plan below:
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Last week, Chair Zelle announced the creation of a new division of the Metropolitan Council that will manage the development and construction of light rail and bus rapid transit projects.
We know employees are eager to learn more about how this new division will take shape over the coming months and will continue to provide updates as efforts move forward. At this time, updates we can share include:
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The name of the new division has not yet been finalized. The name will be shared once finalized.
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The new division will include BRT projects, the Green Line Extension and Blue Line Extension project offices and Transit Oriented Development.
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Engineering & Facilities and Asset Management are now under Operations, led by Brian Funk, Deputy General Manager-Chief Operating Officer.
Questions and feedback will help inform the transition. If you are comfortable doing so, speak with a manager or supervisor or contact Nick Thompson, Brian Funk or Interim General Manager Lesley Kandaras directly.
Comments can also be submitted anonymously through Forms. Responses to that feedback will be collected and shared on a forthcoming MetNet page.
As a single mother of two, Maria Flores needed a stable career with good pay and benefits – and one that was a little less stressful than working in a homeless shelter.
“I like helping people,” Flores said. “But working with the homeless is tough.”
So, 24 years ago, she came to Metro Transit. Beyond the benefits, the job has provided her the opportunity to help people and be helped every day.
“Some days we all just need something to make our day,” she said. “And I’ve always been a giving person.”
It’s the little things that make Flores’ day, like a girl who waves to her every single day as she passes along her route or a customer who tells her she’s doing a good job.
She pays it forward by offering little gift bags during the holidays or offering gloves and hats during the winter months. “I try to get to know our riders and have them get to know me,” Flores said. “Then we can appreciate each other.”
Flores also appreciates two co-workers who have become longtime friends. As young operators with families, they bonded and supported each other.
“We’d work our schedules around so we could babysit each other’s kids,” she said. “And now that they’re grown up, we go on vacations together.”
Today, Flores wants others who were in her position to consider a career at Metro Transit when they see her face on operator hiring advertisements.“If you want to drive the bus, apply!” she said.
 Pam Thiem, Wenday Adams, Ericka Meisinger, Colleen Connelly, and Brian Pirila
Some Transit Information Center representatives will now be spending less time on the phone and more time interacting in-person with riders.
A new TIC position was recently created for representatives who will connect with riders on board and at busy boarding locations to share information about service changes and collect input staff can use to improve customer information tools.
“They’re experts in understanding customer needs and expectations, and will support customer information projects to make sure the voice of the customer is integrated into plans and outcomes,” TIC Supervisor Wendy Adams said.
The new team includes:
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Wendy Adams, who has been with Transit Information for 15 years. Wendy will lead the new work group and is excited to help shape the future of this department.
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Ericka Meisinger has been a TIC representative for almost five years. She loves helping people and believes being in the field will help her become a better representative.
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Colleen Connolly started in the TIC in December 2019 and served as a detour ambassador to get out of the house and get to know her coworkers during the pandemic. That experience drew her to to the new position.
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Brian Pirila has been a TIC representative for almost 23 years. He hopes to be an ambassador for emerging wayfinding and trip planning technologies, and to demonstrate how these can be put to practical use for customers.
How do you get to work?
I recently started taking the Green Line again post-pandemic. I board at Fairview Avenue Station and hop off at Target Field. If the timing works better, I can also hop on the 94 in the morning. I typically commute three days a week from Saint Paul to Minneapolis and work from home the other two days.
Why do you choose to commute by train?
When I take transit, I have 35 to 40 minutes to listen to music, a podcast or start reading work emails. I can setup my day, write a to-do list, and check my schedule. It’s convenient, and something I want to do more consistently. I grew up driving in a very rural area and was very car-dependent, which is a hard habit to break, especially if I have errands to run after work.
How do you use sustainable modes in your personal life?
My family is out of state, so I have a lot of air travel. When I go to the airport, I hop on the A Line and go to the 46th Street Station and catch the Blue Line. I'll also take the train if I'm going downtown to a concert or show. It’s a responsible way to go out on the weekend. And I enjoy biking. That’s something I'm trying to incorporate in my life more for those first- and last-mile connections.
I am super excited about the B Line, which will connect my neighborhood to the Uptown-Chain of Lakes area. I look forward to bringing my bike on the bus to get to the lakes for a swim or to visit some of my favorite restaurants along Lake Street.
Congratulations to dispatcher Marjory Burns, who retired this week after 31 years of service.
Marjory grew up in Northern Minnesota as the youngest of 12 kids and went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. “We used to live off the land and most days I didn’t have lunch at school,” Burns said. “It made me what I am – a workaholic. I made sure my kids never went without.”
And work, she did. Marjory put in more hours at more jobs than one might think was possible, all while raising six children of her own. “At one time I was putting in 120 hours a week,” she said.
As a bus operator, Marjory loved making people laugh, especially when it helped deescalate a situation. “My worst nightmare was sitting behind a desk,” she said.
At the end of her career, Marjory left the driver’s seat to become a dispatcher, assigning operators as needed. But she discovered she could enjoy that, too. “If I’m not helping people, I’m not happy,” she said.
After all these years, however, she’s ready to retire and spend more time with her children and grandchildren. She also plans to cruise the world, starting this year with six back-to-back ocean cruises.
Join fellow staff and community members at 9 a.m. Monday, May 8, for the METRO B Line groundbreaking ceremony. The ceremony will take place at 2701 27th Avenue South, Minneapolis.
The B Line will substantially replace Route 21, the state’s busiest local bus route. Service is scheduled to begin in 2024.
Travel times are expected to improve by up to 20% with the use of bus-only lanes, transit signal priority, all-door boarding, and off-board fare payments.
Around 106,000 people live within a 10-minute walk or roll of the B Line. Of these, 42% identify as Black Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC).
Stay informed: To receive information about detours and temporary stop relocations, subscribe to Rider Alerts. For concerns or questions, call the construction hotline at 651-356-6995 or email BLine@metrotransit.org
Nicollet Operator Abdikarim Jama recently received a commendation for his customer service.
Abdikarim is so kind. He is always making nice conversation and willing to explain the very confusing new routes due to construction. He is always so positive and in a great mood, and I appreciate whenever he is my driver.
Maddy B
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Several new bus operators recently completed their training at the Instruction Center. From left to right, they are: German Gonzalez-Macedo, Andrew Johnson, Shertop Lee, Fardowsa Mohamed. Not pictured: Mohamed Mohamed, Ian Walford.
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25 years
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Angela Madoll, Principal Administrative Specialist, Metro Transit Police
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Michael Vermeersch, Operator-East Metro
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Sheldon Ziegler, Public Facilities Worker
Summer Student Pass: Students at participating high schools can get a summer's worth of rides on buses and light rail for just $30 with the Summer Student Pass. From June 1 through Sept. 5, students with this pass will have access to unlimited rides on transit. Passes go on sale Monday, May 8. Click here for more details, including a list of participating schools.
Network Now survey: What should our system look like over the next five years? Take the Network Now survey by Monday, May 15, to share your thoughts. The survey poses questions about transit values that will help shape future decision-making framework.
Mental Health Awareness Fairs: Join Equity & Inclusion staff at one of two upcoming Mental Health Awareness Fairs. Learn how to identify signs of mental health disorders, strategies for difficult interactions, and receive information on resources and services provided by local community organizations. The fairs will take place Wednesday, May 17, at the North Loop Garage and Tuesday, May 23, at South Garage. Both 9 a.m.-12:00 p.m. For more information, email rachel.cagle@metrotransit.org.
Quarterly service changes begin June 17: Scheduled service changes will take effect on Saturday, June 17. A summary of upcoming service changes with a preview of updated schedules for routes will be available on Monday, May 15, at metrotransit.org.
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