MN: Did Rochester buses make life harder for veterans?

Dear Answer Man: As of Nov 23, 2025, the Rochester VA Clinic is no longer on the Rochester Public Transit bus route. This alienates a huge demographic of the community that relies on public transportation to get to critical appointments. How can veterans who don't drive get to the VA Clinic? I'd suggest adding a stop to Route 206 seven times a day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. would re-establish this important public service. — Veteran Jared.

Dear Jared,

First, thank you for your service. And thanks to all veterans.

I'd like to point out that, yes, you are correct about some things here, but — and this is important — Rochester Public Transit (RPT) hasn't abandoned veterans.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start with some information from our good friend at the city of Rochester, spokeswoman Megan Moeller.

Yes, Moeller said, RPT did make stops at the VA Clinic before fall 2025.

So, why did RPT stop the VA Clinic stops?

Well, in late 2025 RPT, in an effort to "reduce operating costs and ensure the long-term sustainability of the transit system," reviewed ridership patterns and numbers to prioritize those routes ans stops with the highest demand and need.

" Routes 206 and 306 previously provided overlapping service south of Highway 52," Moeller said. "Based on ridership data, Route 206 carried significantly more passengers traveling south of Highway 52, while Route 306 experienced consistently low ridership in that segment."

To that end, Route 206, which did not stop at the VA Clinic was continued, but Route 306 was adjusted and stopped at Walmart South. Moeller said the city understood that it was eliminating direct service to the VA Clinic, but the number of people stopping at that location was extremely small.

How small?

"While we hesitate to put a price tag on the value of each ride, this particular stop sees about 20 boardings and departures annually, resulting in a cost of more than $2,200 per ride for service to the VA," Moeller said.

Fear not, you supporters of veterans in Rochester. The city and RPT have another solution. The ZIPS paratransit service, which is available to individuals with disabilities who are not served by the regular fixed-route system, can provide rides to the VA Clinic.

"Eligible Veterans may qualify for this service and can apply through our standard ADA paratransit eligibility process," Moeller said. "If approved, ZIPS provides door-to-door transportation with advance scheduling which will be perfect for the Veterans."

As for your suggestion to add stops to Route 206, Moeller said that route was being combined with Route 101 to form a new Route 120 (starting April 26).

"This new route will already cover a longer corridor, and adding a deviation to serve the VA Clinic would significantly increase travel time for all riders," Moeller said. "We encourage veterans who need direct access to the VA Clinic to apply for our ZIPS Paratransit Service, which provides convenient door-to-door transportation."

Answer Man hopes this helps you — and all veterans who need a ride — get to and from necessary appointments. The VA Clinic is there as a benefit for your service. It's only reasonable you are able to safely arrive.

Answer Man is always a great place to stop for knowledge. Send questions to Answer Man at [email protected].

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