Met Council to Transport Essential Health Workers

Posted on April 14, 2020 by Jenna Kellerman

Metro Mobility is now providing free door-to-door service from home to work and work to home for any person who works at a healthcare setting, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

With Metro Transit service reductions, those who are dependent on transit to reach their jobs may not have the transit access they previously had. This new service will provide solo or very small group on-demand rides for essential healthcare workers to and from work and home.

“Healthcare workers are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing critical services to those who need them most. Our strengths lie in getting people safely where they need to go, and right now, our health care heroes need protected, reliable transportation,” Charlie Zelle, Chair of the Metropolitan Council.

To participate, essential healthcare workers need to provide their employee identification badge that shows they are employed in a healthcare facility. These trips will follow all state guidelines for physical distancing and will only transport as many customers as is safe for the vehicle. Drivers are also taking extra time to wipe down interior touch points with disinfectant after each passenger trip and buses pull into the shop for sanitization at least daily.

Scheduling trips

The system is set up to provide rides anywhere throughout the seven-county region.

• Healthcare workers just need to call the number associated with their home address to schedule a ride. See the Transit Team Map and Contact Information.
• Tell the reservationist their name and that they are a healthcare worker, where to pick them up and drop them off, and what day and time.
• Healthcare workers can schedule a ride up to four days in advance, although the Met Council will try to accommodate same day requests whenever possible.
• As service demands allow, the goal is that each bus will arrive within 20 minutes of the agreed-upon pick-up time
• Changes or cancellations should be made at least one hour in advance.

Learn more at Metro Mobility Transport for Essential Health Workers.