Metropass marks 10-year anniversary
Commuter program now available at 200 employers
Ten years ago, Metro Transit began a project with local employers who were interested in providing their workers a new incentive to leave their cars at home more often.
At the time, Metro Transit was selling transit passes to employers who provided them to workers as a commuter benefit. But with a new program called Metropass, participating employers could provide an annual transit pass to employees at deeply discounted prices.
In the 10 years since the Metropass program was initiated, enrollment has grown steadily. As of October 1, 200 companies were enrolled with a total of 156,000
The first company to enroll in Metropass – patterned after a similar program in Denver – was American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial, Inc.). The largest employer in downtown Minneapolis at the time, the company cited transportation as a key issue for recruiting and retaining workers and began offering the program on Oct. 1, 1998.
Employers continue to look for solutions
Fast forward a decade. Regional employers still want transportation solutions and consider Metropass as an important tool to help workers save on gas and parking costs, get employees to work on time under less stress and show environmental commitment.
The program offers cardholders unlimited rides on light-rail trains and on regular-route buses operated by Metro Transit and suburban transit providers, 24/7, weekdays and weekends. Since 2005, Metropass cards have used Go-To Card technology, allowing commuters to touch their cards to a reader and record their rides instantly.
“The Metropass program has wildly exceeded expectations,” said Metro Transit General Manager Brian Lamb. “Thanks to the success of Metropass, Metro Transit has built important relationships with local employers, who in turn spread the message that Metro Transit provides a valuable service that helps drive the economic engine of the region.”
Ameriprise is among eight companies celebrating 10 years with Metropass in 2008. Other employers marking 10-year anniversaries include: Bemis Company, Inc.; Comcast; Dorsey & Whitney, Ecolab; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; TCF National Bank; and Toltz, King, Duvall, Anderson & Associates.
Company enrollment soars
Word continues to spread about the region’s premier transit pass program, and local companies are getting on the Metropass bandwagon in increasing numbers.
To date, the program is available at 200 businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations for a total of 156,000 commuters.
This past January, 172 employers were enrolled in Metropass. The number of companies enrolled the first nine months of 2008 is 22% higher, or 36 more companies, over the same time last year. The largest employer in terms of potential riders is Allina Health Systems, which has 16,240 employees eligible for Metropass.
As of Oct. 1, there were 34,643 cards in use, which was a 19% increase over last October.