Maple Grove Transit Named “System of the Year”
Maple Grove Transit recently won an award for outstanding service. The Minnesota Public Transit Association announced Maple Grove Transit as its “System of the Year.” Riders feel the award was well deserved.
“I am a commuter to University of Minnesota,” said Michelle, a regular user of the Maple Grove Transit System. “I take the bus every day in the morning and in the afternoon. Sometimes I’ll even take it when I am going downtown because it’s cheaper and more eco-friendly than taking Ubers or taxis or cars.”
If not for the Maple Grove Transit System, riders like Michelle say they wouldn’t be able to attend school.
“I’m really grateful,” added Michelle. “Just doing this interview I realized without the metro system, specifically Maple Grove, I wouldn’t have a lot of opportunities to branch out to different cities. It’s my only way to go to the cities that border Maple Grove.”
Transit System Made Changes
Maple Grove Transit recently made some changes that helped them earn the honor. That’s a bragging right it hasn’t had since 1995.
“One of the biggest changes was rebranding,” said Mike Opatz, administrator for Maple Grove Transit. “We haven’t had a logo change, color change or anything like that since we started in June of 1990.”
Another part of the revamp is the riders are now able to purchase their tickets on their smartphones.
“It’s really clean and bus drivers are really nice,” added Michelle. “We haven’t had any issues with safety at all either.”
Safety was a priority for the Maple Grove Transit when it began revamping its system.
“We did a real in-depth security and safety audit with the transportation security administration, which is an FDA-sponsored program,” said Opatz. “I think it’s very important to have all your safety protocol in line.”
Continuing the Momentum
While the award is a pat of the back for a job well done, the transit system hopes to continue their momentum.
“We have a lot housing coming to the area,” added Opatz. “There’s a lot of big employers coming to town, and we need to find ways to get transit service to those people to jobs. I think there has been a renewed focus here on economic development by city council. We need to be helping out our employers to attract and retain employees. A big part of that is going to be transit.”
For a list of routes and bus times you can visit the Maple Grove Systems website.
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