Metro Transit (Minnesota)

Metro Transit
Gallery of Metro Transit services: local bus, light rail, bus rapid transit, and commuter rail
Overview
Owner	Metropolitan Council
Locale	Minneapolis – Saint Paul
Transit type	Transit bus Bus rapid transit Light rail Commuter rail Paratransit
Number of lines	125 routes[1] 38 urban local 71 express 9 suburban local 2 light rail transit 5 bus rapid transit 1 commuter rail
Number of stations	37 light rail 99 bus rapid transit 7 commuter rail
Daily ridership	145,300 (weekdays, Q3 2024)[2]
Annual ridership	44,977,200 (2023)[3]
Chief executive	Lesley Kandaras
Headquarters	Fred T. Heywood Office Building and Garage 560 North Sixth Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Website	metrotransit.org
Operation
Began operation	May 20, 1967 (1967-05-20) (established)[4] September 18, 1970 (1970-09-18) (bus operations)[5] June 26, 2004 (2004-06-26) (light rail) November 16, 2009 (2009-11-16) (commuter rail) June 11, 2016 (2016-06-11) (bus rapid transit)
Number of vehicles	916 buses[1] 529 diesel buses 114 hybrid-electric buses 8 electric buses 201 articulated buses 64 coach buses 115 rail vehicles 91 light rail vehicles 6 commuter rail locomotives 18 commuter rail coaches

Metro Transit is the primary public transportation operator in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest operator in the state. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 44,977,200, or about 145,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

The system is a division of the Metropolitan Council, the region's metropolitan planning organization (MPO), carrying 90% to 95% of the transit riders in the region on a combined network of regular-route buses, light rail and commuter rail.^[6] The remainder of Twin Cities transit ridership is generally split among suburban "opt-out" carriers operating out of cities that have chosen not to participate in the Metro Transit network. The biggest opt-out providers are Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA), Maple Grove Transit and Southwest Transit (SW Transit). The University of Minnesota also operates a campus shuttle system that coordinates routes with Metro Transit services. It is considered to be one of the fastest growing mass transit networks in the US.

In 2017, buses carried about 68% of the system's passengers. Just above 16% of ridership was concentrated on Metro Transit's busiest route, the Green Line light rail. The region's other light rail line, the Blue Line, fell close behind, carrying 13% of Metro Transit passengers. Nearly 2% rode the A Line arterial rapid bus line. The remaining approximately 1% rode the Northstar Commuter Rail service.^[7] In 2015, Metro Transit saw its highest yearly ridership ever, with a total of 85.8 million trips, 62.1 million (72%) of which were on buses. The remaining 23.7 million (28%) of passengers traveled on the region's rail lines, including the then new Green Line.^[8] The single-day ridership record is 369,626, set on September 1, 2016.^[9]

Metro Transit drivers and vehicle maintenance personnel are organized through the Amalgamated Transit Union. The agency also contracts with private providers such as First Transit to offer paratransit services which operate under the Metro Mobility brand.