On dates when fewer customers are expected to ride transit, service is reduced on some bus routes, as well as light rail and Northstar.
These “Reduced Service” days are typically observed holidays when many major employers are closed. Most of the service reductions are on routes used by commuters traveling to downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul or the University of Minnesota.
Unless otherwise noted, light-rail, express and local bus routes operate according to Saturday schedules on Reduced Service dates. (Routes with no service on Saturdays may operate on a limited schedule.)
In practice, that means there are usually about 20 percent fewer local bus trips and about one-third the number of express bus trips. Light-rail service is reduced less than 10 percent.
Several morning and afternoon Northstar trips are also eliminated on Reduced Service dates, since around 93 percent of those who use the commuter rail line are traveling to work or school.
Metro Transit considers historic ridership patterns when deciding whether and when to reduce service. When there was an observed holiday on Monday, July 5, 2010, ridership decreased about 60 percent compared to the rest of the weekdays that week. Service on that date was reduced by around a third.
Service is also reduced on holidays to reflect lower demand.
Reducing service on these lower-demand days provides cost-savings that can be re-directed to other needs.
Even if service is reduced customers can continue to use NexTrip, which provides predicted real-time departure information using GPS data from in-service buses. The Transit Information Center is also open.
Reduced and Holiday service schedules are available on metrotransit.org and are also published in Connect, the on-board newsletter.
Service adjustments may be made based on customer feedback. Customers with specific concerns are urged to Contact Us.