HEART OF STEELE

Every now and then when I’m grocery shopping or visiting the library, the SMART bus pulls up to the curb and drops off a rider or two, and I remember to be grateful for my old, rusty, dented Honda Odyssey.

For just under four years before the pandemic hit, I went without a car. Like many other people, I just couldn’t afford it.

This was around the time ride-share services were coming into vogue, so while our urban area had bus service, I very often pulled up my app and booked a ride, often an entertaining experience. One driver told me about the romance novel he was writing, another showed me how to pop the cap off a bottle of pop with his knees.

Fortunately, my workplace and a small downtown with a grocery store, drug store, hair salon, hardware store, a movie theater, restaurants, a library, and a lovely park were just a few blocks from my house. I walked everywhere, no matter the weather.

I was in the best shape of my life. But that doesn’t work for everyone.

Some people live too far to walk for groceries or work, especially during a brutal Minnesota winter. Others are elderly or have a physical disability and can’t walk.

Steele County offers those folks–and anyone else who needs transportation–a way to get around. Last week, county commissioners got an update on the SMART Bus, which operates across Steele, Freeborn, Mower and Waseca counties.

While SMART (Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit) definitely serves riders who are older or disabled, anyone who needs it is offered safe, affordable transportation. Representatives who spoke at last week’s county board meeting said people often buy a monthly pass–$35 or $30 for seniors and students–so they can ride the bus, which runs in a one-hour loop with seven regular and eight alternate stops Monday-Friday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sundays, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Anyone can hop on the bus at one of the local stops or even schedule a time to be picked up, for those who live more than three blocks from a stop.

Having this service in the heart of our community provides an important part of the social safety net that catches people when they fall. If you’ve ever needed transportation–or if you’re looking for an interesting and rewarding job–visit smartbusmn.org.