Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

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Bakken2016
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby Bakken2016 » June 27th, 2018, 9:16 am

Southwest Transit with the approval of their commission will be requesting regional solicitation for 4 projects.

1) Golden Triangle Area Transfer Station
-Southwest Corner of Valley View Rd and Washington Avenue
-Indoor Temperature controlled waiting area.
-Space for two 40 foot buses
-Much needed express bus stop, and future BRT stop and other connecting services from SWLRT

2) SouthWest Station Mobility Hub
-10 more SW Prime Vehicles
-24 bike share bikes
-5 vehicles for car sharing
-Assuring maximum first mile/lat mile service for SWLRT

3) SW Prime I-494 North Service
-15 SW Prime vehicles and operating dollars to implement service between EP and Maple Grove via I-494
-Hybrid - both scheduled and on demand zones.
-Partner with Maple Grove Transit and Plymouth Metrolink

4) East Creek Station Solar Array
-Reduces energy costs at East Creek Station, Clean Energy
-Partial Protection for the vehicles on second floor of station

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » June 27th, 2018, 10:31 am

1) They want the shelters and bus spaces at Valley View & Washington? Its a 15 minute walk between there and where the light rail station will be located, so I don't know why they want this stuff away from the actual station.

3) I would need to see more details on the service plan, but so far I don't see this succeeding. I guess they didn't learn from Route 494.

Tcmetro
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby Tcmetro » June 27th, 2018, 10:54 am

The first project is weird. I don't understand why that particular intersection is more important than others or why the SWLRT station can't function as a transit center. The Hwy 169 BRT plan doesn't include a stop at Valley View either.

The second might function better as a feeder bus system. There are limits to the on-demand system.

The third seems like a gigantic waste of money.

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » May 25th, 2019, 7:41 am

It would be interesting to see if the Route 495 subsidy has gone down now that it's been running for around 3 years. When it first started it was one of the highest subsidy per rider routes in the region, especially the weekend service.

Also Southwest Transit has been looking at either starting a flex route or expanding their Prime service area along the 494 corridor between Eden Prairie and the airport. I believe it's the latter but I could be wrong. Not sure if they received the funding to do this yet, but if it does happen I wonder how much impact this would have on routes 540 and 542. Seems like it would make more sense to extend one of those routes west to EP Center and Southwest Station, but of course there's a stupid law forbidding Metro Transit from serving opt-out territory so that would need to be removed first.

Silophant
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby Silophant » May 25th, 2019, 8:48 am

How does SWLRT work, then? Is it specifically exempt? I know the Red Line is operated by MVTA for that reason.

Same question about the Orange Line. That's going to be MT-operated, right?
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pjknight01
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers

Postby pjknight01 » May 25th, 2019, 9:00 am

How does SWLRT work, then? Is it specifically exempt? I know the Red Line is operated by MVTA for that reason.

Same question about the Orange Line. That's going to be MT-operated, right?
SWLRT will be Metro Transit operated. SWT will have a lot of connecting buses in and out of Southwest Station. They are also looking to create more bus park and rides further west.

cinnamon toast
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby cinnamon toast » May 25th, 2019, 5:22 pm

It would be interesting to see if the Route 495 subsidy has gone down now that it's been running for around 3 years. When it first started it was one of the highest subsidy per rider routes in the region, especially the weekend service.

Also Southwest Transit has been looking at either starting a flex route or expanding their Prime service area along the 494 corridor between Eden Prairie and the airport. I believe it's the latter but I could be wrong. Not sure if they received the funding to do this yet, but if it does happen I wonder how much impact this would have on routes 540 and 542. Seems like it would make more sense to extend one of those routes west to EP Center and Southwest Station, but of course there's a stupid law forbidding Metro Transit from serving opt-out territory so that would need to be removed first.
I never understood that dumb rule myself since Metro Transit has served opt-out territory before. They were running express service to the southern suburbs along with MVTA from the early 90's up until 2006 I believe. There was also the original 590 crosstown route that MT and SWT dual operated. That route opened a few years too soon( before the Best Buy HQ and Normandale office complexes were built). I think if that route would've survived in would be very successful today. Random curious question, does anyone know what type of bus SWT uses for their flex service? I can't imagine they would use their coaches. Do they have regular 40' buses?

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » May 25th, 2019, 8:34 pm

It would be interesting to see if the Route 495 subsidy has gone down now that it's been running for around 3 years. When it first started it was one of the highest subsidy per rider routes in the region, especially the weekend service.

Also Southwest Transit has been looking at either starting a flex route or expanding their Prime service area along the 494 corridor between Eden Prairie and the airport. I believe it's the latter but I could be wrong. Not sure if they received the funding to do this yet, but if it does happen I wonder how much impact this would have on routes 540 and 542. Seems like it would make more sense to extend one of those routes west to EP Center and Southwest Station, but of course there's a stupid law forbidding Metro Transit from serving opt-out territory so that would need to be removed first.
I never understood that dumb rule myself since Metro Transit has served opt-out territory before. They were running express service to the southern suburbs along with MVTA from the early 90's up until 2006 I believe. There was also the original 590 crosstown route that MT and SWT dual operated. That route opened a few years too soon( before the Best Buy HQ and Normandale office complexes were built). I think if that route would've survived in would be very successful today. Random curious question, does anyone know what type of bus SWT uses for their flex service? I can't imagine they would use their coaches. Do they have regular 40' buses?
Usually it's 40-foot buses, but sometimes they'll use the trolley buses. I forget if I've ever seen coaches on the flex routes, but every once in awhile there would be a coach on route 694 (predecessor to the flex service). Some mornings I would take that to Southwest Station and then get on the 698 or 695 to the U. Sadly I was always the only one on going to Southwest Station.

Tcmetro
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby Tcmetro » August 24th, 2019, 9:22 am

Southwest Transit is making some route changes soon:

The Flex Service (600, 602, and Normandale Shuttle) routes will become regular routes. SW Transit will offer a free transfer to SW Prime from the park and ride lots (SW Station, SW Village, East Creek) as a replacement.

The 600 reverse commute route that operates through the Golden Triangle will be reduced to one trip. New Reverse Commute 690V trips will operate from the park and rides to Downtown with Prime connections as a replacement.

698 (all park and rides) midday service will extend to East Creek in Chaska again. Added 698 and 695 (UofM direct) trips for U of M start. 698 has a later last trip as well, at 9:35pm.

699 (Chanhassen, SW Village) trip additions will replace EB 690 commute service past SW Station. This will probably reduce confusion between the route numbers in the afternoon.

Additional round trip on the 697 (Carver, East Creek)

"P" shuttle to Anderson Lakes Road eliminated.

Local tails from Downtown Chaska and Clover Field eliminated in the AM. (PM local tails have already been replaced with SW Prime).

https://swtransit.org/route-alerts/sw-f ... es-9-3-19/
https://swtransit.org/route-alerts/new-page-16/

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » August 24th, 2019, 11:01 am

Is it just me or is their service will really confusing with all the letters and shuttles? It also didn't seem clear how you request for the flex service to go off the main route.

Service between Eden Prairie and Bloomington could be a hell of a lot better but they don't seem to be trying to make it work.

mulad
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby mulad » September 12th, 2019, 8:29 pm

On Monday (9/16), MVTA is adding a downtown Savage stop to route 495, which runs from the Mall of America down MN-77 and MN-13 to Burnsville and on to Shakopee. Seems strange that they're only adding it on 6 trips each direction, though.

They're also adding route 498, which runs from the Marschall Road transit station in Shakopee and takes US 169 across the river and up to the Golden Triangle area in Eden Prairie and Minnetonka. (Routes 490 and 493 go on 169 now, but run express to downtown Minneapolis).

https://www.swnewsmedia.com/savage_pace ... 3478b.html
https://www.swnewsmedia.com/shakopee_va ... 210c4.html

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » October 18th, 2019, 3:42 pm

Has anyone tried MVTA Connect? I did between two random areas in Burnsville and it worked pretty well. I only had to wait 15 minutes for the bus.

Bakken2016
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby Bakken2016 » October 23rd, 2019, 12:38 pm

How does SWLRT work, then? Is it specifically exempt? I know the Red Line is operated by MVTA for that reason.

Same question about the Orange Line. That's going to be MT-operated, right?
SWLRT and Orange Line will be operated by Metro Transit.

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » February 4th, 2020, 5:41 pm

I didn’t know the MVTA had an Alexander Dennis bus (specifically the Enviro 200, which I think was produced jointly with New Flyer). Do they have several or just one? I saw one operating Route 444 by the Mall of America.

snar
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby snar » March 20th, 2020, 4:32 pm

MVTA's service reduction started today. Most local buses are now running weekend schedules or have been suspended. Most express buses routes have been suspended, while some (460, 477, 480, 490, 495) are still running but with drastically reduced schedules.

https://www.mvta.com/news/modified-mvta ... ns-friday/

Tcmetro
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby Tcmetro » March 20th, 2020, 6:30 pm

436, 440, 446, 497, 499, and MVTA Connect are also providing modified schedules for local access.

SouthWest Transit is implementing a reduced 690/698 schedule which only provides service to East Creek, SouthWest Village, SouthWest Station, Downtown Minneapolis, and U of M (698 only). Route 600 is also operating one trip each way for reverse commute access. SW Prime is canceling Saturday service.
https://swtransit.org/route-alerts/redu ... -eff-3-23/

Maple Grove dial a ride (MY RIDE) is only allowing one person on the bus at a time.
https://www.maplegrovemn.gov/index.php/ ... 10193/356/

Maple Grove Transit is planning to reduce service on Rt 789 to the U of M on March 25.
https://www.maplegrovemn.gov/services/t ... 19-update/

Metro Transit is operating non-session service on routes that serve the U of M (2, 3, 111, 113, 114, 115, 118, 252, 272, 579, 652). As mentioned previously as well, Metro Transit is not running from 11 pm to 4:30 am.

U of M is decreasing shuttle frequency
https://www.pts.umn.edu/news#Campus Bus Service Changes For March 18 Through April 1

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » December 10th, 2020, 4:20 pm

SouthWest Prime is expanding to Shakopee in January. I'm guessing it will only serve certain areas but details haven't been provided yet.

DanPatchToget
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby DanPatchToget » February 5th, 2021, 8:49 pm

Studying a merger of SouthWest Transit and the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority is talked about on pages 24-25.

https://swtransit.org/cms-files/commiss ... X4YMaGed3Y

COLSLAW5
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby COLSLAW5 » February 8th, 2021, 12:17 pm

I may be wrong but it really sounds like both MVTA and Southwest are not huge fans of the Met Council or Metro transit which seems weird to me as they are trying to serve the same goal. Reading about the merge it seems like they really do want to hold off a potential of the legislature forcing a merger back into Metro Transit due to MT fiscal cliff.

To me as someone who doesn't quite know how the opt outs are funded but as a tax payer and transit user I feel like there has to be huge administrative savings if they were all under one system. Just seems to me like it would be a win but the Opt outs seem to think it would spell disaster for them for some reason.

Tcmetro
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Re: Suburban Transit (Opt-out Services Providers)

Postby Tcmetro » February 8th, 2021, 12:38 pm

The opt-outs were created in the mid/late 80s by the state legislature because service provision didn't match revenue contributions to the old MTC. The opt-outs are unlikely to go anywhere, but the relationship at times is contentious with the Met Council. As for administrative duplication, the opt-outs are quite lean. I would imagine that Plymouth and Maple Grove have only a handful of administrative people and MVTA and SW Transit probably only have 10-20 each.

Specific to MVTA and SW Transit, they are also going to conduct a joint service study soon. It will be interesting to see the outcome of that, especially as the two service areas are separated by a river. Perhaps we'll see a Shakopee to Green Line route which would be pretty nice.


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