Popular microbuses in North Minneapolis to stay
A Metro Transit micro bus drives up Emerson Avenue N during a recent morning. Photo by David Pierini
By David Pierini, Editor
Ride-share companies Uber and Lyft have grabbed many headlines in Minneapolis this year. As most city council members want to ensure drivers get the city minimum wage, officials at both companies have threatened to leave.
Other companies have announced they are ready to step in and have managed to get their little-known brands in the news.
Meanwhile, a small ride-share service quietly moves around North Minneapolis in small blue buses, steadily growing its ridership.
Metro Transit has been piloting a ride-hailing service in North Minneapolis known as Micro Transit since the fall of 2022. The service fills transportation gaps in areas far from a central bus line, making getting to a school or grocery store in North Minneapolis easier and more affordable.
Micro Transit will graduate from pilot program status to regular service this fall. Officials will also announce two other Micro Transits routes.
About 200 rides across the five Micro Transit buses get people to where they need to go in a service bordered by Lowry Avenue to the North, I-94 to the East, Theodore Wirth Park to the West, and I-394/Dunwoody Boulevard to the South.
Last month, 1,000 unique passengers requested one or more rides. One of the most popular destinations is Cub Foods on West Broadway Avenue.
“For an area we kept relatively small and compact, we’re running buses with people throughout the day,” said Victoria Dan, a transit planner with Metro Transit. "People are sharing rides. That’s part of the efficiency of this type of program. We can pull together people going to similar destinations or can drop off or pick them up along the way.”
Like Uber or Lyft, a person can order a Micro Transit ride from an app and be alerted when the driver is outside. If you need to get somewhere, like the grocery store, a doctor’s visit, or school, a ride on the Blue Bus only costs $3.25 during rush hours and $2.50 the rest of the day. Transfers to local buses are free, and income-eligible residents can get a pass to ride for $1.
For smartphone users, it works like any other ride service. Users can hail a Micro Transit bus through an app. Those without smartphones can call 651-602- 1170 to schedule point-to-point trips.
Five microbuses operate at a time, and depending on demand, a pick-up can take 10 to 20 minutes. Like its full-size sibling, Micro Transit stops to drop off and pick up riders.
The service operates from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit https://www.metrotransit.org/micro for more information.