Metro Transit: Light rail trains will be one car shorter on weekends starting Saturday
MINNEAPOLIS — Starting Saturday, light rail trains in the Twin Cities metro are going to be a little shorter on weekends.
The Blue and Green lines will be going from three cars down to two on the weekend.
Then, starting June 15, two-car trains will become the norm every day once the University of Minnesota is on summer break.
There will be adjustments for big events, such as Twins and United games, Pride Festival, Aquatennial and concerts. Starting in August, three-car service is also planned for professional and collegiate sporting events, the Twin Cities Marathon and major concerts.
The head of Metro Transit, Brian Funk, says it's to reduce wear and tear on the cars and to cut down on maintenance, a department that is currently understaffed.
The change is expected to save around $500,000 a year.
RELATED: Metro Transit "TRIP Agents" to start riding light rail trains in bid to boost safety
Metro Transit also wants to increase the frequency of trains from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes by mid-August.
In 2023, Metro Transit provided nearly 45 million rides, as ridership grew 16% from 2022, according to the Metropolitan Council. Close to 15 million of those rides were on the light rail train. However, ridership was only 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
Crime has defined the light rail in recent years, pushing riders away and making them feel unsafe. In February, a man was shot during a robbery on a light rail train in St. Paul. Last year, a WCCO crew rode on both the Blue and Green lines and witnessed open drug use.
Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales announced crime on light rail trains increased by 25% between 2022 to 2023, but reports of crime were starting to trend downward.
The Met Council this year approved and expanded its contract with Allied Universal, which provides security services at several locations. Employees are trained as Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP) Agents and began work in late February.