Can the Greenline Get Back to Normal
By Jason Shiggs, SUPC Vice Chair
I have always said, "It doesn't matter if you spend a billion dollars; if people do not feel safe, they will not use it." What is "it"? In this case, we are talking about the Greenline Light Rail Train between Saint Paul and Minneapolis. In recent years, traveling on this train was downright terrifying. You would see people doing drugs, people in unstable mental states, and many homeless people. Basically, it was not the environment any morning commuter with options would deal with.
That is changing.
In the spring of 2026, Metro Transit, via the Metropolitan Council and with the help of state and local government, is making the biggest push to promote safety on the Greenline. They are not doing it with AI or robots, but with people—lots of people dressed in bright blue jackets (Community Service Officers) who are clearly visible, traveling in groups of two to four. You will see them on the platforms, on the trains, and patronizing some of the local businesses along the route.
So what do they do? They make sure people are using the train the way it is meant to be used. I talked to one worker. She said they do check to make sure your fare is paid, but that is not her biggest concern. It is making sure that when there is a person on the train causing a disturbance, she can take appropriate action to alert transit security, inform the transgressor of the resources that are available to help and remove the person. She stated they are pretty quick and usually can get someone off the train within a stop or two. A word about transit security: these are the people dressed in black. They are not sworn officers. They don't have guns—or at least none that you can see. Which is a plus. They are the security that is available when a Metro Transit officer isn't.
Another thing you'll notice about the people in bright blue is that they are not trying to seem like they are there to overwhelm anyone with force. They don't have guns—or at least none that you can see. They are pleasant. It is the perfect response to the current situation. Addicts and the homeless do need help and a place to stay. However, as a society, we should not have to tolerate bad behavior on everyday commutes. And if a situation arises, we can take appropriate actions to quickly remove the person from the train and offer access to the help they need.
I hope the people in the bright blue jackets are around for a long time.
I haven't seen any drama on the train for while, but what I do see is a Greenline train that is clean and orderly—or what some would call "normal."
Resources:
See Metro Transit Safety and Security Action Plan Qtr4, 2025
See Metro Trans Public Safety
https://www.metrotransit.org/public-safety
Summit University Planning Council wants to know how you feel about the Greenline train.
Please click here to take our survey (2 minutes):
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVoXtkaiHgHKpSzuel...
