Mark Hughes "went over twice" last year on a Metro Mobility bus after a driver improperly secured his wheelchair. One of the mishaps left him with a concussion, and two wheelchairs were destroyed. Then Metro Mobility vehicles damaged his garage three times while trying to navigate his driveway.

Yet Hughes, who has mild cerebral palsy and lives in Cottage Grove, continues to take Metro Mobility just about every day. The federally mandated transportation service for people with disabilities and certain health conditions is a lifeline for him and some 18,500 other Twin Citians certified to use it. Last year, Metro Mobility transported nearly 2 million people.

"It's better than nothing," Hughes said. But "it needs to be overhauled."

The Star Tribune interviewed 10 customers of Metro Mobility following the release of an audit by the state's watchdog agency last month. The audit noted missed goals for timely pickups and dropoffs, more than 5,000 ride requests that were denied last year, and other problems.

Their stories have common themes: Inconsistent service, long waits for buses, rides that don't show up, untimely dropoffs that imperil jobs and medical appointments, circuitous routes that make little sense, rides that were denied, and drivers who they say aren't trained properly.

Every time a ride is denied, and a pickup or dropoff is delayed, "it has a deeply calamitous, consequential effect on that person's life," said Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, who chaired a hearing on the Office of the Legislative Auditor's report before the Senate Transportation Committee last week.

"That's something we would never tolerate in our own lives — not even one time, and we're asking other people to tolerate that," Dibble added.

Service lapses

Users of Metro Mobility must book their rides one to four days before their trip. If a bus arrives 29 minutes late for a pickup, it's still considered on time. The maximum amount of time permitted for a ride aboard a Metro Mobility vehicle in the Twin Cities service area is 2.5 hours — roughly the time it takes to drive to Duluth. This is largely because buses frequently pick up multiple customers, often in routes that don't make sense.

James Almen, of St. Paul, uses Metro Mobility to get to work in Little Canada, but sometimes buses will travel farther, to places like Stillwater, for other pickups before dropping him off. "I've been on the bus for an hour and 20 minutes when I live 10 minutes from work," said Almen. "It's an odd way to do things."

Almen, who is blind, says he's grateful for the service. "I just wish it was better."

When asked about her experiences aboard Metro Mobility, Julie Betzel,of New Hope, shared a transportation diary of sorts:

  • On April 30, she was picked up more than two hours late after the driver took an unscheduled break and didn't notify anyone.
  • On May 6, Betzel was picked up almost an hour late for a medical appointment that she scheduled two months ago. Two people had to be dropped off before she reached her destination with 5 minutes to spare. The return driver couldn't find the address and had to be replaced by another driver, who was a half hour late.
  • On May 7, Betzel was taking Metro Mobility to work when the driver couldn't find the address of another passenger, who was then dropped off before her. Her trip took an hour and a half, though her workplace is just over 2 miles from her home. The return ride was 45 minutes late.

"This has resulted in missed appointments, jeopardized employment and negatively impacted my physical and mental health," Betzel said.

She's filed complaints over the years, but the state audit found that the Metropolitan Council, which oversees Metro Mobility service, doesn't have a comprehensive approach to handle them. Some are fielded by the two private operators providing the service, which may or may not forward them to the council.

Both operators, Transdev, with U.S. headquarters in Illinois, and Transit Team of Minneapolis, referred questions to the council.

A Facebook group called MN Metro Mobility Riders and Supporters helps fill in the gaps for users with information and support.

The intention is to make the service better, said Tim Marciniak, a Metro Mobility customer since the 1980s who created the Facebook page. He's advocated for a Passenger Bill of Rights, an oversight commission appointed by riders, and a social media presence to help passengers experiencing sudden changes in their schedule.

"The Met Council gives Metro Mobility providers too much opportunity to make a profit without much oversight or incentive to improve or adequately maintain the service for the riding public or its employees," Marciniak said. Others, like Hughes, say Metro Mobility should be operated by Metro Transit, not private contractors.

Not everyone gives the service bad reviews. Kerri Shay, of Minnetonka, characterized her experience with Metro Mobility as "remarkable. The drivers have been super friendly and helpful. I'm glad that people with disabilities have a service like this."

And Darius Larson, a student at North Hennepin Community College, says Metro Mobility is a "real lifeline." He has cerebral palsy and can't drive. "It's allowed me to be independent and I don't have to rely on my parents."

Improvements in the works

Met Council officials say they are working to improve Metro Mobility service, including bolstering staff to field complaints, upgrading the fleet, and improving technology. So far this year, no rides have been denied, and on-time performance is about 93%, according to the council.

"We have a common goal to provide a high level of service for people with disabilities, who deserve nothing less," said Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle at last week's Senate hearing.

These efforts come as ridesharing giants Uber and Lyft are threatening to leave or curtail service on July 1 due to a dispute over drivers' pay. Michael Sack, a member of the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities, said Metro Mobility is not a viable option for people with disabilities who use Uber and Lyft. If any of those services leave, he said, it will cause "unnecessary havoc and confusion to the disability community."

And the attention comes as Minnesota's population is rapidly aging — the number of people 65 or older across the state is expected to double by 2030. Many in this silver tsunami will likely have disabilities or health conditions that would qualify them for Metro Mobility service.

Star Tribune reporter Susan Du contributed to this story.