Metro Transit is celebrating a top national award that recognizes its record ridership and success in a range of areas, including safety, operations, maintenance, and community relations.
The agency has received the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) 2016 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award. The prestigious annual award, also known as System of the Year, reflects accomplishments made between 2013 and 2015.
Those accomplishments include growing ridership, expanding access, advances in sustainability and overall success in system safety. Metro Transit, a service of the Metropolitan Council, was selected among agencies from across North America that provide more than 20 million annual passenger trips.
“Minnesota's economy depends upon a robust, modern transportation network, including transit. This need will only intensify in coming years as the Twin Cities adds an estimated 800,000 residents and 490,000 jobs by 2040,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “This award confirms what the thousands of Minnesotans who rely on transit already know: Metro Transit delivers consistent, high-quality service. This recognition is well deserved, and an important reminder that Minnesota needs to continue to expand and improve transit services if we want our economy to stay strong.”
Local elected, business and community leaders were on-hand Wednesday at the Union Depot in St. Paul to join Metro Transit and Metropolitan Council leadership and staff as the award was announced. The award will be presented at APTA’s Annual Meeting in Los Angeles in September.
Metro Transit's press release