3A, Metropolitan Council Rep John Doan

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The Metropolitan Council operates the largest transit system in the state: Metro Transit. The agency provided nearly 78 million bus and rail rides in 2010. Transit Link is a region - wide dial -a -ride service that provides consistent equitable service to people throughout the region who are not served by regular -route transit. Metropolitan Council Regional Transit Facts Moving people, easing congestion Transit — which includes buses, light rail, vanpools and other modes — plays an important role in the regional economy. Transit gets workers to their jobs, eases traffic congestion, improves air quality, saves commuters money and reduces carbon emissions. Despite major economic fluctuations, transit ridership in the seven - county Twin Cities area has grown significantly since 2000. Ridership on all types of service — express and local buses, light rail, dial -a -ride service and transportation for people with disabilities — totaled 90.9 million in 2010, an 18.7% increase during the decade. Region has many transit options The Metropolitan Council operates the largest transit system in the state Metro Transit. The agency provided nearly 78 million bus and rail rides in 2010. Its service area includes Minneapolis, St. Paul and dozens of suburban communities. In addition to scores of bus routes, Metro Transit operates two rail lines. Hiawatha Light Rail has been in operation since 2004, carrying passengers between downtown Minneapolis, Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America. Northstar Commuter Rail, a 40 -mile line carrying passengers from Big Lake in Sherburne County to downtown Minneapolis, opened in late 2009. Combined, the rail services provided 11.2 million rides in 2010. The region has several other transit services. About a dozen cities within the Council's transit taxing district operate their own regular -route bus services. These Suburban Transit Providers carried more than four million riders in 2010. Contracted regular - route service consists primarily of commuter routes from the suburbs into the central cities, provided by private companies under contract with the Council. In 2010, these routes carried 2.8 million passengers. The University of Minnesota operates bus service between its two campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis. In 2010 that service provided nearly four million rides. Transit Link is a region -wide dial -a -ride program that serves people outside areas served by fixed -route transit. The new program was rolled out in the first half of 2010, replacing a variety of community dial -a- ride programs. Ridership totaled 306,000 in 2010. Transit Link was put into place to ensure more equitable, consistent service throughout the region and to better coordinate with fixed -route transit. Metro Mobility is a special dial -a -ride service for people certified under the American with Disabilities Act. The Council- administered service is provided through contracts with private companies. Four counties or nonprofit agencies also provide transit for people with disabilities outside the transit taxing district. In 2010, Metro Mobility and the other agencies provided 1.5 million rides. Van Go! is the Council- sponsored vanpool program. It carried 182,000 rides in 2010.