'We're Making Some Adjustments': Worker Shortage Has Metro Transit Pushing Light Rail Service To Every 12 Minutes
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Metro Transit is making some changes to its light rail schedule. Starting first thing Saturday morning, trains will operate every 12 minutes instead of every 10, on both Blue and Green line trains.
For many Minnesotans, the light rail is a daily routine.
"There has been a delay where sometimes as opposed to the train taking us to where we need to go, they have to have buses ready for us to get onto substitute for the train being out of service," said Reggie Moore, who rides the train almost every day. He said his routine sometimes get broken.
Metro Transit's worker shortage was only amplified by the pandemic, a contributor to cancelations and delays.
"We know that we have a service to operate here," said Howie Padilla with Metro Transit. "We need to do that in a way that a trip that's promised is a trip that's received. And with an operator shortage the way it is, we're making some adjustments. We need to be able to ensure to our riders, to the communities we serve, that what we say is going to happen, happens."
With the change from 10 to 12 minutes between trains, they hope it brings more consistency.
"What we're trying to do is match up our service with the resources that we have," said Padilla. "It's taken some time, but our folks have been able to figure out that if we go to 12 minute service then we're not going to have those delays."
For those attending some of the big events in town, like the Rolling Stones concert at US Bank Stadium on Sunday, be aware. The last train leaves around 11:30 p.m. If you get out later than that, Metro Transit does not plan to run extra trains beyond its scheduled service.
To help curb the worker shortage, Metro Transit is offering a thousand dollar hiring bonus. If you'd like information on driving for Metro Transit, click here.
