Hiawathaland Transit is the primary provider of mass transportation in Faribault, Northfield and Red Wing, Minnesota with nine routes serving the region in addition to countywide demand-response services in three counties. It is a service of Three Rivers Community Action. As of 2019, the system provided 283,931 rides over 55,108 annual vehicle revenue hours with 12 buses and 8 paratransit vehicles.[1]
History
Since the late 2010s, Hiawathaland Transit has expanded with greater dial-a-ride service hours, and the launch of the Faribault Northfield Connector.[2] In 2022, Hiawathaland Transit redesigned the routes serving Red Wing, with the new routes launching on January 2, 2023.[3] While the new routes served a greater area, headways for the routes were reduced from 45 minutes to one hour.[4]
Service
Hiawathaland Transit operates nine deviated fixed-route bus routes. Two routes serve Faribault, three routes serves Northfield, three routes serve Red Wing, and one regional route connects Faribault and Northfield. Hours of operation for the fixed-route system are Monday through Friday from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. for all routes except the Northfield Express Route.[5] This route operates from 3:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. Monday through Saturday when the local colleges are in session.[6] Regular fares are $1.25 for the local routes and $3.50 for the Connect Route.[7]
