Metro Transit Micro draws strong interest after north Minneapolis debut

Metro Transit's new on-demand shared ride service debuted a month ago in north Minneapolis, and it's drawing a lot of interest.

The agency won't release ridership numbers for Metro Transit Micro for a few months, but the app, which allows users to arrange a ride, has been downloaded more than 600 times since the service went live Sept. 10.

"That is way more than we expected," said spokesperson Laura Baenen.

The agency has even seen multiple people scheduling rides at once, she said.

Metro Transit Micro operates much like suburban services including SouthWest Transit's Prime, Maple Grove's My Ride and the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority's Connect. Riders can request a pickup or drop-off anywhere in the service zone.

Five minibuses run between 5 a.m. and midnight every day of the week in a 2 1/2-square-mile area bounded by I-94 on the east, I-394 on the south, Theodore Wirth Parkway on the west and Golden Valley Road and West Broadway on the north.

Fares are the same as those on regular fixed-route lines — $2 during off-peak times and $2.50 when rush-hour fares are collected. Seniors and children ages 6 through 12 pay $1 per ride during off-peak times. The service accepts cash, Go-To Cards and other passes, and users can transfer to other bus and rail lines at no extra cost.

Metro Transit picked north Minneapolis to try the service as part of the agency's goal to advance equity. The service area covers a large part of the 55411 ZIP code, which is one of the poorest in the city with a median household income of $42,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Opening date for D Line

While on the topic of new transit services: Metro Transit has an opening date for the D-Line, the metro area's newest bus rapid transit line. Buses providing fast, frequent, all-day service between Brooklyn Center, downtown Minneapolis, Richfield and Bloomington will begin Dec. 3, the Metropolitan Council said.

The D-Line largely will replace Route 5 that, prior to the pandemic, carried about 15,000 passengers each weekday, making it Metro Transit's busiest line.

Bus rapid transit offers an experience similar to light rail but on wheels. Buses stop only at stations, spaced a quarter- to a half-mile apart, and riders pay fares before boarding. Trips can be completed up to 25% faster than on traditional bus lines.

Gold Line groundbreaking

Metro Transit will host a ceremonial groundbreaking for the METRO Gold Line at 10 a.m. Oct. 19 in the parking lot outside the line's construction office at 6063 Hudson Road in St. Paul. The Gold Line, Metro Transit's first bus rapid transit project to operate primarily in bus-only lanes, will run between St. Paul and Woodbury starting in 2025.