Minnesota Public Transit Association

TO SUPPORT TRANSIT SERVICE THAT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES LARGE AND SMALL, URBAN, SUBURBAN AND RURAL. MPTA SPEAKS OUT FOR TRANSIT SYSTEMS AND TRANSIT RIDERS ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND ADVOCATES FOR HIGH-QUALITY TRANSIT SERVICE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

MPTA AND WIPTA HOSTED THE PUBLIC TRANSIT CONFERENCE IN DULUTH, MN. THIS HYBRID EVENT PROVIDED AN OPEN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND INFORMATION AMONG TRANSIT PROVIDERS FROM MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN WHO ATTENDED BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON. BREAKOUT SESSIONS AND SEMINARS GAVE ATTENDEES ACCESS TO IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES FOR IMPROVING OPERATIONS. TYPICAL ATTENDEES WERE EMPLOYEES AND MANAGERS OF PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS. THE EVENT HELPS THESE SYSTEMS BETTER MANAGE THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THE TRANSIT THEY PROVIDE.

MPTA ADVOCATED FOR THE CAUSE OF TRANSIT. THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH LOCAL MEDIA TO PUBLICIZE THE BENEFITS OF PUBLIC TRANSIT. ONGOING OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS KEEP THE CAUSE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT TO POLICY MAKERS AND TRANSIT RIDERS IN MINNESOTA, ESPECIALLY AS TRANSIT SYSTEMS STRUGGLED WITH A LOSS OF RIDERSHIP DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. MPTA DEVELOPED VIDEOS AND ENGAGED IN SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO PROMOTE THEM.

MPTA SPONSORED THE 33RD ANNUAL MINNESOTA STATE BUS ROADEO EVENT. HELD IN ST. CLOUD, MN THE EVENT WAS HOSTED LOCALLY BY ST. CLOUD METRO BUS. THE BUS ROADEO PROVIDED SAFETY TRAINING TO BUS OPERATORS IN A FRIENDLY COMPETITION SETTING. OPERATORS ARE ASKED TO PERFORM CHALLENGING DRIVING TASKS AROUND A COURSE. JUDGES ARE STATIONED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE TO SCORE OPERATORS BASED ON HOW WELL THEY ACCOMPLISH EACH TASK AND HOW LONG IT TOOK THE OPERATOR TO GET THROUGH THE ENTIRE COURSE. THESE ESSENTIAL WORKERS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND MPTA APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE WHILE HOSTING THIS IMPORTANT TRANSIT SAFETY EVENT.