Saving Taxpayers Big Money In Busing

February 20, 2026

Saving Taxpayers Big Money In Busing

This week as Chair, I led the Transportation Finance and Policy Committee in reviewing findings of egregious inefficiencies within certain high-subsidy bus routes. This report was a provision I passed into law last year.

High-quality transit options help reduce congestion on our roads and are mandated by law. However, several of Minnesota's bus routes are currently operating under extreme deficits. We learned some routes were being subsidized to the tune of $200 per passenger per ride, three times the average. This is unacceptable and a waste of your taxpayer resources.

A disproportionate number of these high-subsidy routes occur within the four "opt-out" bus services that function outside the scope of Metro Transit. These opt-out programs include Plymouth, Maple Grove, SouthWest Transit, and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority. You have likely seen these various colors of buses throughout the metro.

The bottom line is: this is horrible management. It should not matter what color bus people ride on, as long as it can pick them up and get them to where they want to go, while still respecting taxpayer resources. 

Click here for a more in-depth explanation of the history of bus operations.

As a committee Chair, I am committed to ensuring operational and administrative efficiency within all public transit systems. Last year, my work led to the suspension of the underused Northstar Rail Line, saving taxpayers $10 million per year.

My mission this year is no different. The work that we do this session to streamline busing will lead to taxpayer savings of over $20 million per year, while still providing high-quality options for riders, ON THE ROUTES THEY USE. It might just be a new bus provider and bus color.

I look forward to continuing to update you on our progress.

Click HERE to view this week's Transportation Committee in full:

DFL Attempts To Gut Inspector General Bill

House Democrats have finally realized that Minnesotans are furious about fraud and have begun to talk tough about enforcement. However, as they demonstrated this week, talk and action don't always go hand in hand.

DFL attempts to gut H.F. 1 – a bill to establish an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) within the legislative branch – prove their lack of commitment to rooting out fraud. The intent of the bill is to establish a fraud Inspector that would operate in a nonpartisan manner, independent of Governor Walz' executive branch, with the authority to investigate and prosecute fraud.

Afraid of what an independent audit might uncover about their own complicity in the theft of our tax dollars, the DFL embarrassed themselves and insulted the intelligence of the public by pretending that they were in favor of the bill, while simultaneously trying to change the legislation at the last minute to remove the OIG's independent prosecutorial authority.

As a member of the State Government Committee, my colleagues and I did not let them gut the meaningful parts of the bill. We will continue to advocate for the Inspector General bill that was worked on for months and had agreement with Senate Democrats and Republicans, the Administration, and House leadership.

Governor Walz' Bailout

After encouraging weeks of public disorder to distract from his role in Minnesota's fraud epidemic, Governor Walz is now suggesting that the state should spend $10 million more of our tax dollars to bail out Minneapolis businesses that were impacted by the mess that his "sanctuary city/state" policies created.

Given the Walz Administration's proven lack of responsibility with the public's money, I am opposed to the creation of yet another program tasked with handing out money. Instead, we should focus on lowering taxes and deregulating businesses to drive investment and long-term economic growth.

Driving Innovation With Autonomous Vehicles

To ensure that Minnesotans are not left behind when it comes to cutting-edge transit options, I will be chief author of a bill this year that will permit autonomous vehicle (AV) operations in our state.

I have been working closely alongside MnDOT officials and industry groups studying successful rollout operations in states that have already legalized autonomous vehicles to create legislation based on: Safety, Efficiency, Accessibility, Economy, and Trust. 

We understand that autonomous vehicles, to some, come with a little apprehension, but we also recognize that driverless vehicles are a large part of the future of transportation. 

Since our founding, technological innovation is what has driven the United States to become the most successful nation in the history of the world, and I am excited that Minnesota will be the next state to take this leap into the future.

As the legislative session progresses, I will continue to work hard to represent our district and to advocate for a more efficient state. I appreciate all the support you have shared and look forward to spending time with many of you in Lakeville this weekend.

Representative Jon Koznick

House District 57A

/RepJonKoznick

2nd Floor Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.6926