Metropolitan Council approves contract for Hennepin County Transit Link service
Contract is first of group for reorganized dial-a-ride service
ST. PAUL – Nov. 19, 2009 – The Metropolitan Council voted Wednesday to award a five-year contract for Transit Link service in Hennepin County to Midwest Paratransit Services Inc. The new contract will take effect on Feb. 1, 2010, in conjunction with the restructuring of dial-a-ride services region-wide.
It is the first contract awarded for the new Transit Link service. Midwest Paratransit currently provides dial-a-ride service for 26 communities in Hennepin County.
"This new contract will provide much greater consistency for dial-a-ride services in Hennepin County and should make the system easier for riders to understand,” said Arlene McCarthy, director of transportation services for the Council. “And contracting with this vendor will also smooth the transition to the new Transit Link service, since riders are already familiar with drivers.”
Transit Link (dial-a-ride) service is minibus or van service for members of the general public. It is different from the ADA-certified services provided by Metro Mobility, which serves riders who need additional assistance due to physical, cognitive or psychological limitations. These changes do not affect ADA transit service.
The new Transit Link service, which will be phased in throughout the region from February to May 2010, will simplify the dial-a-ride transit system for riders throughout the metro-area. Rather than having multiple providers for one area, the new contracts will be primarily county-based.
In addition, riders will be able to access destinations throughout the region. Today they are limited to a provider’s service area.
In Hennepin County, Midwest Paratransit will provide service throughout the county. Today there are eight different providers in the county. (Note: as opt-out communities, Maple Grove and Plymouth will continue to fund and provide their own dial-a-ride service, but Maple Grove and Plymouth riders will be able to use Transit Link for trips outside those communities.)
Transit Link service will be phased in throughout the region. New guidelines and fares take effect in Anoka, Carver, and Scott counties on Jan. 1, 2010. Those counties currently operate or contract for their own transit services and will continue to provide dial-a-ride services under the new structure.
The remaining four counties will have their services provided through contracts administered by the Council. No changes will take place in an area until a new contract is in place, at which time vendors will operate under the Transit Link parameters and fare structure, which will be consistent across the metro area.
The new contract will take effect in Hennepin County on Feb. 1, 2010. Service is expected to begin in Ramsey and Washington counties on March 1, 2010 and in Dakota County on May 1, 2010. New vendors have not yet been chosen for any other metro county.
Once implemented, Transit Link service will be available weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Rides may be scheduled up to five days in advance by calling 651-602-LINK (5465) between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Fares are based on the distance traveled. For trips less than 10 miles, passengers will pay $2.25 each way. For trips between 10 and 20 miles, the fare will be $4.50 each way. And for trips greater than 20 miles, riders will pay $6.75 each way. Transfers are free, and discounts are available for group trips. ADA-certified riders pay a maximum of $4.50 per direction, regardless of distance.
More than 450,000 riders used dial-a-ride services in the seven-county metro area during 2008. The Council provides about $5 million per year to dial-a-ride programs throughout the region, often augmented by local funding. Currently, nearly 20 different government and non-profit organizations provide the region’s dial-a-ride services. Once the transition is complete, Transit Link services will be provided through five contracts.
The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization for the seven-county Twin Cities area. The Council runs the regional bus and light rail system, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The Council board is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor.
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