There were a few principles Tim Bell tried to uphold during his 35-year career in transit – pay attention to detail, see the good in those around you, leave the place better than you found it. During his tenure as a dispatcher, he also did his best to support the operators who greeted him each day. “The one thing I always thought as a dispatcher was that my number one job was to help operators succeed,” he said.

Tim’s commitment to his work and his co-workers made it hard for him to retire. But on his last day on the job, he had plenty to look forward to. Immediate plans included moving to northern Minnesota, spending more time with family, and traveling the country with his wife. “My stop’s come up and I’m ringing the bell,” he said. “It’s time to end this chapter and start a new one.”

Encouraged by a family connection, Tim applied to what was then the Metropolitan Transit Commission and began his career as a part-time bus operator in 1987. He enjoyed the work but, after 14 years, found himself staring at a job board and wondering what might come next. Garage Manager Steve Jaeger gave him the nudge he needed to become a relief dispatcher. With strong analytical and interpersonal skills, he excelled at and enjoyed the work. “Good dispatchers set the tone for the entire garage,” Tim said. “You can stop a lot of problems right at that window.”

Tim began and ended his career at the same garage, though its name had changed from Shingle Creek to Ruter by the time he retired. He also worked at Heywood, South and Nicollet.