‘Transit’ Archives
Transit: The August pick
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON As of Aug. 17, 2019, Metro Transit is making several minor changes to its schedules that affect the Phillips neighborhood, and a couple of major changes outside the area which are notable due to the sheer amount of change involved. First of all, the changes in Phillips: Ӣ Route 2 will allegedly have an extra trip added in the mornings for customers going to the U of M; however, no new schedule has been published. Ӣ Route 5 will have about five rush hour trips abolished, its southbound run is moved from 8th to 6th St., and times will be changed slightly to reflect the new stopping place at the Mall of America. Ӣ Route 21 will have some 21E trips which end at WendyӪs by the new Aldi changed to 21D trips which cross the river and end at Saint Thomas College. Five rush hour trips are being eliminated as well. Ӣ Route 22 will lose one early morning trip in each direction. Ӣ Route 53 will lose one early [...]
Transit: Rolling in the heat
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON In the wintertime, I have written about how Metro Transit could better accommodate its customers in the icy cold and snowy weather. Today, I shall write about the perils of riding public transit in the heat and humidity of summer. While some people may think 95 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny in the summertime is “nice” weather, those of us who are heat intolerant say nay. One thing Metro could do is install vending machines that sell cold pop and/or water at every Park and Ride, Transit Center, and Light Rail Station. I lived in Tucson, Ariz. in 2001, and this was one pleasant amenity Sun Tran, the transit system there, provided its users. They only charged 50 cents for a 20-ounce bottle, at a time when “normal” vending machines were charging a dollar. Clearly, the purpose wasn”™t to make a profit, but to ensure that people had access to cold liquids on hot days. It probably more than paid for itself by preventing people [...]
Transit: The cacophony of the 6
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON In 1999, Jennifer Lopez released an album titled “On the 6.” Of course, she meant the New York subway line, not the Minneapolis bus line, but I digress: rather than being musical, the cacophony of letters on the southbound 6 are a pain in the neck. There are two versions of the 6 northbound: 6 and 6U. 6 goes downtown and 6U goes through downtown to the University of Minnesota. However, going southbound, we have eight letters to contend with. My friends at https://streets.mn think this is “Ludacris,” and I agree. I propose a Great Simplification: ”¢ 6A ”“ To 36th and Hennepin. Only runs twice a day, and is intended as a “helper” bus to relieve overcrowding in the Uptown area at the height of rush hour. This bus can be kept as is. ”¢ 6B ”“ Southdale via Wooddale. Hardly anyone gets on or off on the Wooddale branch except at rush hour. Move Wooddale buses to France Ave. off-peak and running an [...]
