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MVTA reports double‑digit ridership gains in Shakopee, outlines 2026 service changes and warns of legislative risk
Summary
Luke Derwent, MVTA CEO, told the Shakopee City Council that ridership in Shakopee rose more than 18% from 2024 to 2025, highlighted Connect on‑demand growth and proposed route and schedule changes for 2026. He warned that House File 411 risks reducing local decisionmaking and could raise fares for suburban riders.
Luke Derwent, chief executive officer of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, told the Shakopee City Council on April 7 that MVTA saw strong ridership gains in Shakopee last year and plans targeted service changes for 2026.
Derwent opened his annual update by outlining MVTA’s network and recent performance, saying MVTA operates 24 routes including express services (routes 490 and 493) and local on‑demand Connect zones. “We have over 12,000 trips that were provided here in that year of service,” he said, citing the first year of the Prior Lake–Shakopee Connect zone. He added that Shakopee’s ridership was “over 18% increase in ridership from 2024 to 2025,” well above MVTA’s system average.
The presentation emphasized Connect, the app‑based on‑demand service Derwent described as both affordable and increasingly used by commuters. He said Connect trips average a 15‑minute wait time in the Prior Lake/Shakopee zone — below MVTA’s 20‑minute target — and noted demographic findings: about 48% of Connect customers report household incomes under $25,000 and “49% of those customers say that if they didn't have Connect, they'd have to use Uber and Lyft.” Derwent framed Connect as a lower‑cost option (Connect fare $3 each way) compared with other regional fares.
Derwent also outlined planned 2026 route adjustments in the Shakopee area: replacing some low‑ridership weekend local routes (497/499) with Connect service, restructuring route 49 for faster travel to Marsh Road and Southbridge, and combining the 495 and a local “4‑fund” circulator into an hourly seven‑day service to increase efficiency while reducing per‑ride subsidy. He said MVTA will reopen the Eagle Creek Park‑and‑Ride for express service and test reduced Friday express schedules to better match post‑pandemic demand.
Derwent raised concerns about House File 411 and a related legislative “high‑subsidy” report. He said the report omits capital and federal subsidies and uses a simplified fare‑minus‑cost equation that understates regional investment. “If it were to pass… it would remove bipartisan local election representation and decision making, obviously, from the board of suburban providers,” he said, warning the change could lead to service reductions and higher fares for Shakopee riders.
Councilors asked practical questions about concert service at the new amphitheater, marketing to local residents, and connections between Canterbury and downtown Shakopee. Derwent said MVTA will promote reverse‑commute messaging and stand up circulator service in the entertainment district so local residents can use transit for concert nights as well as for commuting. He also described ongoing coordination with other transit providers and employers to align return schedules for large events.
The council thanked MVTA for the update; Derwent invited follow‑up questions and said the agency will continue to monitor wait times, adjust service four times per year and work with local partners to promote ridership.
Next steps: MVTA will continue outreach and refine the Connect marketing strategy for Shakopee, and councilors said they would monitor the progress of House File 411 and related regional conversations.
