EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, UNITED STATES, October 1, 2024 -- SouthWest Transit (SWT) has wrapped up its first-time service to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival and announced it to be a success, with ridership exceeding 32,000. Rider feedback reported in surveys during the RenFest was highly positive, with a 95% satisfaction rate for both the service and for SWT overall.

Erik Hansen, CEO, stated, “We’re thrilled with the positive feedback from our community on our recent initiative. This success highlights our commitment to improving our services to better meet community needs. By connecting riders to events like the Renaissance Festival, we not only enhance their experiences but also strengthen our mission to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transit solutions.”

The Renaissance Festival is only the beginning of SWT’s plan to increase the diversity of their special events services. In addition to the RenFest, SouthWest Transit has announced service to other events this fall such as the Wild and Timberwolves, while continuing their traditional offerings of the Vikings, Gophers, and concerts. Looking forward to 2025, SouthWest Transit intends to add more cultural events and festivals to their shuttle service lineup.

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About SouthWest Transit

SouthWest Transit is an award-winning Transit agency serving the southwest Twin Cities area through fixed route transportation, microtransit, and shuttle services. The agency is committed to serving the needs of their customers through diverse and innovative transit solutions that build the community and connect customers from where they are to where they want to go. Visit www.swtransit.org for more information and follow along on LinkedIn (Southwest Transit-MN).

Media Contact:

Erica Schulte King 
SouthWest Transit 
eking@swtransit.org