Minnesotans want to travel safer and faster and have alternatives to driving alone. Transit is a key component of our transportation system, transporting people to work, to medical appointments, to shopping, to family and friends and to other important destinations. Whether people are looking for an alternative to wasting time and fuel stuck in congestion or are not able to drive, Minnesota's many transit systems are there to serve people throughout the state.
In Minnesota, transit service is available in most communities. In Minnesota, service is available in smaller communities through Dial-A-Ride service, in larger communities through fixed-route bus service and in major urban areas through fixed-route, express bus service and light rail transit.
Transit Facts
- Transit is a critical component of the transportation system. The state can't rely on a "roads only" approach to meeting transportation needs. Transit serves all Minnesotans from those who can't drive to those looking for alternatives to daily congestion to people who don't use transit but benefit from fewer cars on the road.
- If all current bus riders immediately began using single-occupant vehicles, an additional two lanes would be needed on the busiest corridors to accommodate the new traffic at current congestion levels. Of transit riders, 81% report using transit to get to work and 75% ride during rush hour.
- Congestion is often cited as our region's number one livability issue, and it costs the region over $1 billion per year in wasted time and fuel.
- Public transit is a valuable Minnesota industry. The transit industry directly employs more than 3,700 Minnesotans and generates more than $750 million per year in wages, goods and services.
- Reducing car ownership leads to huge financial gains; one less car (which conservatively costs $5,000/year to own and operate) is equivalent to a $100,000 home mortgage.
- The availability of bus service increases the self-sufficiency of elderly and disabled persons who are unable to drive, allowing them to live independently rather than in costly nursing homes. Nursing home care in Minnesota costs an average of $30,000 to $40,000 per year.