2025 operating budget will strengthen official presence on transit, expand community partnerships
Efforts to provide a consistently safe, clean, and welcoming experience on transit will significantly expand through an historic level of investment in public safety initiatives in 2025, Metro Transit announced on Wednesday.
The announcement coincided with the Metropolitan Council’s planned adoption of a 2025 operating budget that includes funding to grow the Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP), expand the use of supplemental security officers, partner with community-based organizations, and bring on more police officers and Community Service Officers.
The budget also provides funding for more maintenance staff dedicated to cleaning and maintaining stations, vehicles, and track areas.
“We continue to act with urgency to provide the kind of experience our riders and staff deserve, investing in efforts that are working while seeking new opportunities to involve new partners to expand our impact,” General Manager Lesley Kandaras said.
The 2025 budget provides $10.75 million for contracted supplemental security services and the continued use of contracted employees as TRIP Agents, and up to $750,000 to partner with organizations focused on issues like substance abuse disorders, mental health, and housing.
Metro Transit also announced on Wednesday that TRIP Agents – personnel who inspect fares and support riders – and CSOs have together inspected more than 459,000 fares in 2024, doubling the number of fare inspections recorded in 2023. TRIP Agents began working on transit in late February. Nearly 60 TRIP Agents are now working on transit, and the goal is to have up to 100 TRIP employees by the end of 2025.
Investments to expand the official presence on transit come as Metro Transit sees a decline in reported crimes and growing ridership.
Comparing the first three quarters of 2024 to the first three quarters of 2023, reported crime is down 8.4%. More than 40.1 million rides have been provided through the end of October, up 7% compared to the same time last year; September brought Metro Transit’s highest ridership in over four years, with average weekday ridership approaching 157,000 rides.
“We’re making great progress, but we know our work is far from finished and that we need to continue to put our resources to work while engaging people across the region as our system expands in 2025 and beyond,” Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle said.
Ongoing efforts to improve public safety on transit will continue to be guided by the Safety & Security Action Plan.
Partnerships bring more focus to Green Line corridor
Several of the initiatives being advanced are focused on improving conditions along the METRO Green Line corridor.
Coinciding with an expansion of the Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District, Safety Ambassadors from the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance will regularly spend time at downtown St. Paul light rail stations and adjacent bus stops beginning in January.
Safety ambassadors address antisocial behaviors – acting as another set of eyes for public safety professionals – while cleaning up trash and graffiti and assisting visitors with wayfinding. The Met Council on Wednesday was due to vote to put up to $800,000 toward this effort.
“Safety ambassadors are a cornerstone of our Downtown Improvement District and a proven model that has significantly improved safety outcomes in downtown,” said Joe Spencer, president of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance. “We are excited to partner with Metro Transit to expand the presence of our safety ambassadors to all light rail stations and bus stops throughout downtown Saint Paul.”
Metro Transit has also partnered with The Listening House of Saint Paul to have participants in their WORK NOW program regularly clean several Green Line stations and bus stops.
The Metro Transit Police Department is increasing officer presence along the Green Line in partnership with the Saint Paul Police Department.
Transit workers key to future progress
A key partner in the effort to improve conditions on transit is the ATU Local 1005, the union that represents more than 2,000 of the agency's frontline transit workers. In addition to expanding Metro Transit’s workforce, the 2025 budget funds new positions focused on supporting transit workers who experience traumatic events and de-escalation training for all frontline workers.
“Transit workers deserve a safe and clean working environment, and they also play a key role in creating and maintaining that environment,” said David Stiggers, ATU Local 1005 president. “I commend our union members for their service and for being such a huge part of the work to create a system we can all be proud of.”
Metro Transit is also investing in a program that provides aspiring police officers tuition assistance and several apprentice and mentorship programs. Job seekers are encouraged to review openings and learn how to apply at metrotransit.org/careers.
Contact: Drew Kerr, [email protected], 651-387-3928