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AROUND THE INDUSTRY

Public Transit Agencies Show Holiday Spirit This Winter

As Christmas nears and temperatures fall in much of North America, public transit systems and employees across the country are doing their part to help less fortunate residents in their service areas. Among those are Natalie Barnes, a bus operator with the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS).

Barnes has been recognized for her assistance to a homeless man on board her bus. She had met the rider before and he stayed on board her bus until the end of the line. As they chatted during Barnes’ break, the rider said he had been homeless for the past week because the home where he was staying had been condemned. He asked if he could ride along for the night to stay out of the cold and she agreed.

“At some point in our lives, everybody needs help,” Barnes said. “I wanted to do what I could to help Richard in some way.” She got him food during a layover and contacted a friend who worked for a local community outreach agency; the organization got him into a temporary shelter and has been working to find permanent housing.MCTS noted that Barnes, a two-year employee, also helps riders who need something to eat by bringing extra peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when she is driving. This was her third agency commendation for outstanding service.

Barnes’ story has spread beyond Milwaukee. Time magazine named her an “Everyday Hero for 2018” and she was invited to be in the audience of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Metro Transit Police in Minneapolis-St. Paul are reaching out to help individuals seeking shelter on public transit—and they have a few new tools at their disposal.

Police now have access to vouchers that can be used to get people into a federally funded rental assistance program. Such vouchers are typically hard to come by, but the Metropolitan Council’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) secured nearly 100 of them this fall.

The vouchers are being directed to adults (ages 18-61) who have a disability and have previously engaged with Metro Transit Police or other service providers. Individuals must also be prepared to live independently.

“We hope to have a handful of families placed in permanent housing by the end of the year,” said Terri Smith, the council’s HRA director.

The vouchers are part of a larger and ongoing effort to assist individuals taking shelter on public transit.

Earlier this year, the Metro Transit Police Department formed a dedicated group of officers, known as the Homeless Action Team, who spend their nights helping people in need.

This fall, the team received two paratransit buses, including one with a wheelchair lift, to transport people to emergency shelters. While these shelters are routinely full, a new facility is reserving spaces only for people brought in by transit police.

Lt. Mario Ruberto, who leads the department’s homeless outreach efforts, said the officers’ regular presence has helped them earn trust and begin making inroads.

“They’re waiting for us and they want to talk to us,” Ruberto said. “They know we’re there to help.”

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