Getting seniors on board for transit

Some of the questions were basic: "How much is bus fare?" "What time is the last bus?"

Others were more specific: "Where are the bus stops along Cedar Avenue?" "Is there a route that serves Lakeville?"

Kristi Sellwood, a customer service representative with the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA), took time on a recent morning to answer each and every question asked at Orchard Square, a senior housing apartment building in Apple Valley.

"Hopefully it will make it a little less scary to take the bus," Sellwood said, assuring the 20 or so people gathered that riding a bus isn't all that tricky.

As the population ages, it's a message with increasing urgency for public transportation providers such as MVTA and Metro Transit.

In Dakota County, the number of people older than 65 will triple between 2005 and 2035. Eventually, many of them won't want to or be able to drive.

The dial-a-ride transit system, previously used by many seniors across Dakota County, was revamped earlier this year. Now, anyone who lives close to fixed-route transit, such as buses or light rail, needs to use those options instead of Transit Link shuttles for most trips.

That means getting over stereotypes of buses as unsafe, dingy and confusing.

"It's an interesting challenge with senior citizens, because many senior citizens used buses and streetcars in their youth and now perhaps they don't use them at all because they became part of the car culture," said Bob Gibbons, spokesman for Metro Transit.

Overcoming fears

Count Mary McInnis, an Orchard Square resident, among those who have figured it out.

"For the elderly, I think it's kind of a fear to begin with that they're going to get lost," McInnis said.

When she has questions, McInnis said, the bus drivers and other passengers are friendly and helpful.

"If you miss the bus, you know you're still going to get home," she said.

Not everybody is as confident. "We certainly have heard some apprehension on the phone among some riders," said Beth Wiggins, vice president of community services at DARTS, a nonprofit that serves senior citizens and their families.

DARTS is considering a volunteer "bus buddy" program, pairing novice and experienced riders to ease nerves.

Phyllis Lokker and her husband, Carl, the caretaker at Orchard Square, are already happy to fill that role.

They like to take people on bus trips to the Mall of America, just to show how easy it is.

During the class at Orchard Square, Carl Lokker pulled out his prepaid fare card and explained how it worked.

Phyllis Lokker popped out of her seat at the end of the session, heaped praise on the bus drivers and issued a playful challenge.

"It's so much fun to get on the bus," she said. "Live dangerously. Get out of your comfort zone."