MVTA Ridership Growth Driven by ‘Local Forward’ Planning  

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) recorded significant ridership gains in 2025, with total trips reaching 1,538,182, equating to a 7.8 percent increase over 2024. Growth across both fixed-route and on-demand services reflects the results of customer-centered planning, a strong regional economy, and a continued focus on connectivity to regional public transit. 

“MVTA’s ridership growth is a direct result of focusing on what our customers and communities need and how they travel today,” said Luther Wynder, MVTA Chief Executive Officer. “By using data to guide decisions and listening to public feedback, we are redesigning service that is reliable, responsive, and aligned with economic opportunity across the south metro.”

Efficient Planning  

MVTA’s fixed-route service accounted for 1,114,548 trips in 2025, up 6.1 percent from 2024, an Express ridership increased 10.4 percent, reflecting renewed demand for service to downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul, and regional destinations. Route 490, connecting Shakopee, Minneapolis, and the University of Minnesota, recorded the highest percentage gain at more than 36 percent.

This growth has been supported by MVTA’s “Local Forward” strategy, which uses a Transit Propensity Index (TPI) planning metric adopted in 2025 that evaluates routes based on geographic coverage, population and employment density, minority and low-income populations, zero-car households, and people with disabilities. Through TPI analysis, MVTA has restructured and consolidated underperforming routes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. For example, Route 420, which runs between Apple Valley and Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, experienced a 25 percent ridership increase following service refinements informed by TPI data.

Local Forward further combines detailed trip data, performance metrics, and direct community feedback to continuously refine service. The initiative is designed to drive efficient, responsive, and effective service that delivers a high-quality rider experience. TPI analysis helped MVTA maintain local ridership levels in 2024 even after cutting service by 10 percent in 2023.

MVTA’s on-demand microtransit service, MVTA Connect, also continued its strong upward trend. Annual ridership reached 211,818 trips in 2025. That growth represented an increase of 33.7 percent over 2024. The service plays a key role in extending coverage, improving first- and last-mile connections, and ensuring transit resources are deployed where demand is strongest.

Growing the South Metro Economy

Transit remains a critical economic driver in the south metro. More than 60 percent of trips taken on MVTA services are employment-based, directly connecting residents to jobs and employers to talent. MVTA’s service area includes seven cities across Scott and Dakota counties, serving a population of more than 318,000 people or more than 10 percent of the Twin Cities metro region. 

In 2025, MVTA launched the South Metro Transit Coalition of Business to strengthen partnerships with regional employers and collaborate on effective, efficient transit solutions for the workforce. The coalition’s kick-off meeting for its inaugural 21 members took place on Feb. 11 and initiated discussions about collaboration, data sharing, and employer/workforce education. 

“By aligning service planning with economic development and employment centers, MVTA is strengthening the south metro’s workforce and supporting long-term vitality in one of the region’s fastest growing areas,” said MVTA Community and Economic Development Director Joya Stetson. 

Satisfaction and Rider Loyalty

MVTA’s customer-focused approach continues to earn high marks from riders. Ninety-three percent of riders report they are likely to ride with MVTA again. Riders cite reduced stress (88 percent), saving money (74 percent), and the ability to get work done while commuting (70 percent) as key reasons they choose transit.

Through engagement efforts and initiatives such as Local Forward, MVTA is committed to a an efficient, responsive system.  

For more information about MVTA services, visit www.mvta.com or call MVTA Customer Service at 952-882-7500.