- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Metro Transit
Rating Details »
14 reviews for Metro Transit
I'm on a high-frequency line and can get to and from work at any time, so I love it (even though they don't run long enough to be my ride home after a night out downtown).
After visiting other cities and seeing how insanely cheap their transit is, I'm a bit disappointed in the price. It costs 75 cents to ride a bus in Austin, TX. All of the time.
The other problem is getting from one area of town to another if neither is downtown. For me to get from Southwest (above 62) to the airport, I pretty much have to take the bus downtown and get on the LRT. I always hope I don't have a late (or early) flight because the busses stop and I'm in for a cab ride (also expensive in this town).
Pros: Trip Planner online; it's been a godsend. When it comes to looking at those analog bus schedules, I claim illiteracy. Part of it has to do with not understanding which cardinal direction I need to go, but whatever. I've got the internets to help me.
People in Minnesota are really nice and it shows on the buses; every time old people or people on wheelchair or crutches get on, someone will automatically get up to offer them a seat.
The Student U-Pass and Go-To card are pretty sweet. Hong Kong has something similar, but you can use it on the subway, mini-buses, parkin meters, the public swimming pools, vending machines, and at the 7-11. Metro Transit, take note.
Cons: #2, #10, #17, and #25 suck hardcore when it comes to being on time in the winter.
People not moving to the back of the bus when it's crowded and more people are trying to get on. This isn't a limo service so be prepared to get cozy. Someday you'll be the chump that tries to get on when the bus is full and no one wants to move back.
Also, people are bitching so much about expanding the light rail. Come on guys, once it's built you know people are going to use it all the time. Even though the current light rail isn't really that fast, you have to admit it's pretty damn convenient.
Nothing like a trip to another major city to make you appreciate your own! That's right Seattle, I'm looking at you!
I have taken public transit in four other cities, and our Metro Transit is by far the best. First and foremost in my list of why I love it? The website. You simply can't appreciate the ease of those big-little tabs on the home page asking you if you want to do a trip planner or a next-trip. Not being an iPhone user, I frequently call my mom from the street and ask her to look up routes for me... and she lives in Maine. When we tried this with Seattle's transit, she actually swore at one point.
Only giving it four stars because I ride the 16 on a daily basis and it is frequently late. But when I finally called to politely complain the other day, the customer service guy was really nice and sounded like he cared, so that was good.
Bonus: even if they up the fare, it'll still be cheaper than owning a car.
There ought to be a "bus riding etiquette class". I'm not surprised people have created whole blogs revolving around pictures of people sitting in the "reserved for elderly, handicap, etc" seats. Riding a bus reminds me no one gives a rat's ass about anyone except themself in this world. Sad faces.
On the other hand, you must have to be a saint to tolerate being a bus driver. Maybe they get amazing benefits?
After riding many an Eastern European bus, I have found a new respect for our transit lines. Even the smelliest and craziest of bums cannot hold a candle to the Commies. Plus, the Metro Transit is familiar and can be very comforting and easy to figure out. The same can be said for their website and automated phone system.
As Theresa stated, there are times when it makes more sense to drive than to take the bus. When I lived in Hopkins it would take me 2-3 buses, or even an extra walk to get to my school in St. Paul. The ride was about 2 hours if I didn't miss a transfer and if the bus was on time. It was fine when I didn't have a car, but once I had the car I was hardly on the bus for that purpose. Without heavy traffic I could get to school in 30 to 45 minutes by car for the same price. Plus, you have the option to go where you want, when you want with the car.
When I wasn't trying to get to school, I would usually use the bus. I frequent Uptown and the areas on Lake St. Parking can be a hassle and I loathe parking garages. With the bus I was able to be dropped off exactly where I wanted to go and get straight to what I came to do. That beats driving around for twenty minutes trying to park, or parking in oblivion and walking to your destination.
The bus was also useful when our student groups needed to get somewhere in large numbers. Those student bus cards are a thing of glory! Although I ended up using my car most of the time, my father started using my pass to get to work. He works more days out of the week and it was easier for him to commute, so it just made sense. We ended up saving a lot of money.
I've been using Metro Transit alone since I was 11. My parents are disabled and couldn't drive. My dad just handed me a bundle of route maps one day and wished me luck. They knew there are crazies out there, but also that I'm pretty aware of my surroundings. Shady people would ride here and there, but I never felt in danger. On top of that, Metro Transit was so easy that even a child can figure it out . The drivers were very helpful and are nicer than in any other state that I have been to thus far.
Now that we have the Hiawatha train, I can't complain too much about our system. They make it very easy to get to Downtown, anywhere on Lake St or Marshall, the airport and MOA (not that I recommend going to The Mall). Mostly my problem is that they still haven't changed their schedules to make room for the unexpected. I once heard that wheelchair accommodation sets them back up to ten minutes. That doesn't really affect me, but I would like to see the buses running later and more frequently at night. For example, in Uptown and Downtown to the close burbs.
Yeah?
Well fuck you, too!
Route #4
Very reliable, unless there's been over an inch of snow... Then I stand in the cold for 40 minutes. If there's snow, just take the #6 or #12 and walk it. No biggie.
A friend of mine calls the # 4 the Target Commuter. Once the bus hits 11th...half the bus clears. Off to work they go. Makes it seem like half the city works for target.
For the single people out there...try the # 4. But no talking in the morning...silence. Seriously. Nobody talks in the morning. Works for me.
The Light Rail is the best invention since string cheese. I can't wait until we have a train linking Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
I appreciate that Minneapolis has a transit system extensive enough that it allows me to almost never have to use my car. On the other hand, reliability can be a problem. Not so much during the pleasant summer months, but in January and February, the 10-15 minute delays put my life at risk. And the bus drivers have zero control over what goes on in the bus. I gritted my teeth through one particularly awful ride where two fat white dudes in the back shouted the N word repeatedly for 20 minutes. Maybe I should take a star away from myself for not punching them in the face.
First off, let me just tell you that being a student and having a U-card is ideal!! For $84 a semester, you can ride ANYWHERE you want to with this baby. Having said that though, at times I do opt to drive because the amount of time I'm on the bus as opposed to being in my car can be 4 fold. Plus, maybe it's my route, maybe it's my snobbery, but some of the folks on these buses are "interesting" to say the least.
Also, what's with the stops at almost every block??? Seriously!! When did people get so lazy that they can't just walk another block in order to make the transit more speedy. I swear, if we didn't stop at nearly every intersection, I'd have been home in half the time.
On the whole, it is a very efficient transportation system and you will have bus drivers who are super friendly and make your day, which offsets some of the negative aspects that can come with taking public transportation.
I ride the bus when I can.
That said, I can't as often as I would like to.
My problem with Metro Transit does not lie in the rate hikes that just took effect in October. I understand that. We live in a growing metropolis, and as such we should expect the cost of living to raise slowly over time.
My problem is that as a trade-off for the higher cost of living in a thriving metropolitan area, one expects a certain level of convenience (or at least service). My girlfriend lives on Nicollet Avenue, so it seems right that she should have more extensive bus service than I do in the wasteland that is the north side. But honestly, it takes me thirty-five minutes to get downtown to work versus ten by car. If I have the ten dollars for parking, I'll pay it for that extra twenty-five minutes. I have one bus line that travels downtown past my house, and a second one within walking distance that goes east across the river. I can go downtown every fifteen minutes. I can go for a walk and then travel to Nordeast every thirty.
I'm not anti-bus! I support higher gas taxes, HOV lanes, and carpooling! But I would like to see - nay, I DEMAND - two things from MTC before I will quit my car and re-enroll in the Go-To-Pass program offered through my work: I want to be able to get to Saint Paul without it taking an hour and a half and two cold-weather transfers, and I want more trains that won't run at thirty percent speed in a snow storm.
Until then, Metro Transit gets three stars. They have buses and a train. They take me places if I'm patient. They are cheaper, but less convenient, than driving. I take them when I can, but don't go out of my way for it.
Haven't tried the buses yet, but tried the light rail from the warehouse district to the mall and back on a Saturday. I have to say it was a pleasant experience. No long pauses at any of the stops, some nice people watching and a reasonable fair made me think I may just have to this again.
Metro Transit is probably about average in comparison to transit systems in other comparably-sized metro areas around the United States. There's a handful of bus lines that are great (e.g. buses that come by every 15 minutes or better), and many that aren't (e.g. buses that are only scheduled to come by every 20-30 minutes). The Hiawatha light rail line is great but limited in its usefulness as it's the only rail line in the system right now. Only a few lines run all night long, and even then the service at that time (1:00am-5:00am) is about once an hour. Most other lines stop service sometime between midnight and 1:30am and don't start up again until 5:00am. Even the light rail line has its last train departing downtown Minneapolis a little after 1:00am; keep in mind that bar close isn't until 2:00am. If you live near one of the high-frequency buses or the light rail line then the system works great for you, assuming that your destination is also near one of those lines. Sucks if you have to rely on one of the lousier bus lines though.
EDIT: One more thing: if you carry a non-rush 31 day pass and are sick of having to carry extra change for those moments when you do ride during rush hour, or you carry a stored value card and hate having to remember to ask for a light rail transfer (hey, sometimes your plans change in the middle of your journey, and if you didn't get that rail transfer when you first boarded, you're screwed), or you hate waiting for a bus at an LRT station just so you can pay with your stored value, ask for a rail transfer, and hop off right away (yes, I've seen this happen plenty of times; not having a way to pay for a trip at an LRT station with a stored value card was a huge but possibly intentional oversight on Metro Transit's part), then you should seriously consider getting a Go-To Card. I avoided getting one for awhile as I was put off by the five dollar charge to get the damn thing, but when I finally caved in February 2008, I asked for a card and $20 stored value, expecting to be charged $25 total. Turns out I was only charged $20, so it might be worth checking out if the card is still available for free; I got mine at the transit store in downtown Minneapolis, I think they automatically charge you the $5 fee if you buy it online. Anyway, you have the ability to keep a 31-day pass and stored value on the card simultaneously, so there's no more digging for extra change when the bus fare at the moment exceeds the value of your 31-day pass. It also allows stored value users to pay for their trip at an LRT station or transfer to the LRT, so no more of that asking-for-a-rail-transfer BS.
Metro Transit seems like it has an extensive (but slow) suburban service, I traveled through Eagan to MOA and though the bus was clean it took an hour to go through the uber-clean, boring suburb. Since I've been to MOA long time before (and face it, a mall is still a mall) I took the light rail downtown, which is located in a convenient (for the US) transit center. I took the train back to the airport the next morning, and as the POLICE (not conductors, not transit cops even, but real cops) checked tickets I got the feeling not only do they look down on fare-beaters but since the makeup of the trains is pretty much Black, Hispanic, African, Asian with a scattering of whites like me (I was the only dude in a suit) I got the feeling of a lot racism here. (I bought a ticket like everyone else, but they barely looked at mine, yet scrutinized plenty of others if you were dark). Like the idea people have that only scum use transit. No wonder this place (Twin Cities area) has just one light rail line and no commuter rail whatsoever. I'm sure plenty of people here hate the fact that some people just don't drive cars or don't want to, and resent any transit at all
