By Morgan Wolfe/Murphy News Service
The Metro Transit light rail began running through the heart of the University of Minnesota’s campus last June, but some students are still are clueless about the ridership benefits to which they’re entitled.
The light rail runs on a honor system, where riders are supposed to pay for before boarding the train. The Metropolitan Council released an audit last fall that revealed a major flaw in the system – not everyone pays.
The Green Line runs from Minneapolis to St. Paul, and U senior Emily Hardel says she has taken a train to St. Paul a couple times.
“If I was riding between East and West Bank [on campus],” Hardel said, “ I’d probably risk it and not pay.”
Luckily for Hardel, she doesn’t have to risk it.
The University’s Safe U website, University students and faculty can ride the trains for free from the West Bank stop to the Stadium Village stop near TCF Bank Stadium. They just need to pick up a Campus Zone pass card at Coffman Memorial Union’s Information Desk.
Hardel and several other students were shocked to discover that students had the deal. Some students, such as senior Amber Mills, knew about the pass but didn’t know how to get one.
The pass differs from the U Pass. The U Pass is an unlimited light rail and bus pass that only students and faculty can purchase each semester for $100.
Mills doesn’t have a U Pass, even though she frequently rides the light rail.
“Driving in the cities is a pain,” Mills said. “But I never pay to ride the light rail.”
Mills isn’t the only one who doesn’t pay. One in 15 people who use the Green Line do not pay, the audit showed.
“I see a lot of people, all ages, get on the train without paying,” Griffin Buck, a student who rides the light rail every weekday, said.
Metro Transit Public Relations Manager Howie Padilla said that as long as people continue to be dishonest, there will be problems as Metro Transit police combat scofflaws by monitoring at the station platforms.
Metro Transit released a report that showed that out of the 543,689 fares checked on the Green Line since service began in June, 5,348 violations had been issued.
“Part of the problem is people just need to be educated more about the trains and the resources they have access to,” Padilla said.
Students looking for a Campus Zone pass can find one at Coffman Memorial Union’s Information Desk, the St. Paul Student Center Information Desk or at the Parking and Transportation Services building.
Reporter Morgan Wolfe is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.
Blue Line
Number of rides Fares checked Violations Compliance rate
| 9,492,957 | 857,837 | 7,271 | 99.15 percent |
Green Line
Number of rides Fares checked Violations Compliance rate
| 6,507,036 | 543,689 | 5,348 | 99.02 percent |
Source: Metro Transit Police Department. Green Line 2014 ridership from June through December.