A climate-minded newcomer’s guide to riding transit in the Twin Cities

Good idea — transportation accounts for about a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota. Metro Transit and public transit booster groups like Move Minneapolis and Move Minnesota are here to help. So are the dozens of transit riders who responded to our query on social media for tips.

Transit newbies “mostly fear the unknown; there’s a fear of getting lost,” said Doug Cook, outreach coordinator with Metro Transit. “My job is to get them over that fear, and show them the resources we offer.”

So let’s get started.

You can download Metro Transit’s app on your smartphone and tap where you want to go on the Trip Planner. Once you figure out your route, keep tabs on the bus or train schedule on NexTrip. Others prefer Google Maps, Pantograph or an app simply called Transit; lots of transiteers mix and match apps for different functions. Route information is also available on Metro Transit’s website.

Minneapolis and St. Paul have more frequent and available routes. But the suburbs do have their share of service, either on Metro Transit or on suburban providers (which feature somewhat limited express service, but accept Metro Transit fare payments) Maple Grove Transit, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Plymouth Metrolink, and SouthWest Transit. There are dozens of park-and-ride facilities throughout the metro area, too.

If you frequently use a certain route, sign up for rider alerts, which ping you when there’s an issue with service.

You can download the Metro Transit mobile app to pay for your fare using your phone.

Credit cards are not accepted on buses. But you can still pay the old-fashioned way — buses accept cash, but it has to be exact change (coins or dollars). Ask the driver to give you a transfer.

One-way fares on buses and light rail trains vary from $2 to $3.25 depending on the time of day. Northstar Commuter Rail service between Target Field and Big Lake is $6.25 one way.

Metro Transit also offers reduced fares of $1 per trip for people with lower incomes through its Transit Assistance Program.

Familiarize yourself with Metro Transit’s code of conduct, a lengthy and often-ignored rule book that mandates such things as keeping non-service animals in carriers, one seat per rider (no manspreading!), and no eating on board.

Tap the card on the reader at the front of the bus, or at light-rail and bus-rapid transit stations (A, C, D, and Orange lines) before you board. Some express buses call for passengers to pay as they leave during afternoon rush hours.

Let’s talk about crime and nuisance behavior aboard transit, particularly the Blue and Green light-rail lines. This usually involves drug use, smoking, harassing, creepy, gross or criminal behavior. Metro Transit says it’s putting more police, private security and “transit rider assistance program” agents on buses and trains. Frequent transit users say they’re noticing these people, but it’s too early to say whether it’s helping.

In the meantime, if you see something suspicious or inappropriate on a bus or train, text 612-900-0411. Include the location, route number, bus or train number, a description of the issue and the person or people involved. If you witness a crime, call 911.

Frequent transit users recommend boarding the car closest to the driver on light rail; avoid the middle car if there is one, known as the “party” or “poop” car. If it gets bad, switch cars at the next stop, or get off and wait for another train.

Cars are the biggest contributor to a household’s carbon footprint, according to the American Public Transportation Association. By taking public transit instead of driving a car for a 20-minute commute, a single person can save 4,800 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, the APTA says.

The U.S. needs to cut annual emissions by about 15,000 pounds per person to help prevent the world’s temperatures from reaching a crucial threshold that scientists say could have catastrophic effects on the planet. By taking transit, you’re making good progress towards that goal.

Households that use public transportation save an average of $6,251 every year, and even more should gas prices rise, according to the APTA. The average cost of owning and operating a new vehicle is close to $13,000 a year, or about $1,000 a month, according to AAA.

So give public transit a try, and ask for help if you need it. As Move Minneapolis’ outreach manager John Barobs says, it’s all about “trying to take the intimidation and mystery factor out of it.”