Southwest Transit

Founded:	1986
Headquarters:	14405 W. 62nd St, Eden Prairie, MN
Locale:	Carver & Hennepin Counties, MN
Areas Served:	Southwestern Twin-Cities Metropolitan area, including: Carver, Chanhassen, Chaska, & Eden Prairie
Service Type:	Express, Paratransit/On-Demand
Routes:	3 (+/-)
Hubs:	5 Transit Stations (1 closed)
Operator:	Transdev - Eden Prairie (Formerly First Transit)
Annual Ridership:	446,391 (2023)

SouthWest Transit operates transit service in the southwestern Twin Cities metropolitan area. The bus and maintenance operations are currently contracted to Transdev (previously First Transit).

Overview

SouthWest Transit was formed in 1986 under an agreement between the cities of Chanhassen, Chaska, and Eden Prairie, MN to provide the communities with transit service. This was done as a result of the Minnesota State Legislature allowing suburban communities to opt-out of the Metro Transit system and collect their property tax revenue to provide their own transit service directly. In 2001 the source of transit funding shifted from property taxes to the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax.

SouthWest Transit currently operates a fleet of 60 buses on 3 routes providing mainly express service to the downtowns of St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN as well as the University of MN and Edina, MN. They also operate Southwest Prime, which provides on-demand transit service in Carver, Chanhassen, Chaska, Eden Prairie, Shakopee, Victoria, and parts of Bloomington, Edina, Minnetonka, and Richfield Mondays through Saturdays.

Routes

Map & Schedules
Note: See Route Alerts to find out if there's bus service running on a route during a holiday.

Express

• 600^* (Mon-Fri) - Downtown Minneapolis - SouthWest Station - SouthWest Village - East Creek Station
• 695 (Mon-Fri) - University of Minnesota^u - SouthWest Station - SouthWest Village - East Creek Station
• 698 (Mon-Fri) - Route 698 has 4 branches which are as follows:
  • 698 - Downtown Minneapolis^** - SouthWest Station - SouthWest Village - East Creek Station
  • 698C - Downtown Minneapolis^** - SouthWest Station - SouthWest Village - East Creek Station - Carver Station
  • 698T - University of Minnesota^u - Downtown Minneapolis - SouthWest Station - SouthWest Village - East Creek Station - Carver Station
  • 698U - University of Minnesota^u - Downtown Minneapolis - SouthWest Station - SouthWest Village - East Creek Station

^* - Operates as a Reverse Commute, Westbound trips begin at Gateway Ramp. Eastbound trips end at 2nd & Washington

^** - Route begins/ends at Washington Ave. & Hennepin Ave./2nd Ave N within Downtown Minneapolis

^u - Route begins/ends at Oak St. & Delaware St. within the U of M campus

Fares

Bus Fares	Non-Rush Hours	**Rush Hours
Ages 5 & under (limit 3)	Free w/ Paid Fare
Youth (6 to 12)	$1.00	$2.50
Adults (13 to 64)	$2.50	$3.25
Seniors (65+)	$1.00	$2.50
Persons with Disabilities	$1.00	$1.00
Disabled Veterans	FREE w/VA card
SW Prime	$5.00/one-way
SW Prime Essential	$2.50/one-way*
SW Prime MSP Airport	$10.00/one-way*
SW Prime MD	$5.00/one-way*

**Note: Rush hours are Monday through Friday, 6-9 a.m. and 3-6:30 p.m.

^* - SW Prime Essential, MSP Airport, & MD rides must be booked over the phone

Facilities

Administrative Offices

• Address: 14405 W. 62nd St., Eden Prairie, MN
• E-mail: customerservice@swtransit.org
• Phone: (952) 949-2BUS (2287)

Park & Ride Stations

• Chanhassen Transit Station - 500 Market St., Chanhassen, MN - Temporarily closed
• SouthWest Station - 13500 Technology Dr., Eden Prairie, MN
• SouthWest Village - 650 SouthWest Village Dr., Chanhassen, MN
• East Creek Station - 2120 N Chestnut St., Chaska, MN
• Carver Station - 1607 Hartwell Dr., Carver, MN

Vehicle Maintenance

• Leonard L. Simich Maintenance and Administrative Facility - 14405 W. 62nd St., Eden Prairie, MN

Fixed-Route Roster

• The Metropolitan Council's fleet numbering scheme designates the 5000 series for Southwest Transit coaches. However, Southwest Transit buses do not bear the leading digit. Therefore, when using a tracking app such as Pantograph or TransSee to search for a bus, you will need to add a leading 5 to the fleet number. Example: Coach 121 can be identified as 5121.

Active

Fleet Number(s)	Thumbnail	Build Date	Manufacturer	Model	Engine	Transmission	Notes
121		2012	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500
190-193		2021	MCI	D45 CRT LE	Cummins X12	Allison B500	Options to be exercised from AC Transit contract Conditioned on approval by Metropolitan Council on 3/25/2020
235-240		2012	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500
374-375		2015	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500	2014 models
427-430, 452-453		2015	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500
460-463		2014	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500
473-477, 479		2015	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500
523-524		2015	Gillig	Trolley Replica 29' (G27E102?2)	Cummins ISL9		See series page for detailed disposition info
705-710		2017	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500
831-837, 839-841		2019	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISX12	Allison B500
843-847		2019	Prevost	X3-45	Volvo D13	Allison B500R	Ordered in March 2018
902-905		2011	MCI	D4500CT	Cummins ISM	Allison B500
915-916		2019	MCI	D45 CRT LE	Cummins X12	Allison B500	Ordered in May 2018 2020 models

On Order

Fleet Number(s)	Thumbnail	Build Date	Manufacturer	Model	Engine	Transmission	Passenger Seats	Notes
(4 buses)			MCI	D45 CRT LE CHARGE				Options exercised through State of Washington contract Funded partially by an FTA Low-No Grant

Retired

Fleet Number(s)	Thumbnail	Build Date	Manufacturer	Model	Engine	Transmission	Notes
101		2000	Chance Coach	AH-28	Cummins ISB	Allison B300R
102		2001	Chance Coach	AH-28	Cummins ISB	Allison B300R	Retired in June 2011 Sold to Schmitty & Sons/Grey Line Minnesota as 102.
103		2005	Optima	AH-28	Cummins ISB	Allison B300R
202-203		2003	Ford/Champion
215-219		2001	Ford/Champion
307-308		2001	MCI	D4500	Detroit Diesel Series 60	Allison B500	Renumbered? 307 was listed as 807 on eBay in St. Paul, MN in August 2019.
351-356		2001	MCI	102-DL3	Detroit Diesel Series 60	Allison B500	An unknown unit was listed on Craigslist in Hutchinson, MN on 8/8/2019.
400-411		2003	Gillig	Phantom 40' (C27D102N4) (C20D102N4)	400-404 & 411: Cummins ISL 405-410: Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR	400-404 & 411: Voith D864.3E 405-410: ?	Suburban configuration Retired in November 2018. View the series page for detailed disposition info.
469, 471, 476, 477, 478, 480, 485, 488		1988	Gillig	Phantom 40' (40/102TB/6V92T)	Detroit Diesel 6V92TA	Allison HT-747 Allison HTB-748	Unknown total amount of units. Owned & operated by Laidlaw Transit Services. Ex-BART Express 19103, 19105, 19110, 19111, 19112, 19114, 19119, 19122; transferred in mid-1997. Retired circa 2007-2008. View the series page for detailed disposition info.
544-549		2003	MCI	D4500	Detroit Diesel Series 60
584-591		2005	MCI	D4500	Detroit Diesel Series 60
601		2001	NFI	D40i	Cummins ISC	Allison B400	Ex-New Flyer demo; bought in 2005. Retired on 12/30/2010. View the series page for detailed disposition info.
602-604		2006	NFI	D40LFR	Cummins ISL
608-617		2006	Gillig	BRT 40' (G29D102N4)	Cummins ISL	Voith D864.3E	Suburban configuration
762-768		2007	MCI	D4500CT	Detroit Diesel Series 60	Allison B500	2008 models Retired in Mid-2023 View the series page for detailed disposition info.
773		2007	GMC Glaval	? Titan
813		2008	Ford Glaval	? Universal 25'
827		2008	Ford Turtle Top	? ?			25' model.
971, 986		2009	? Glaval	? Titan 32'
1062		1984	MAN	SG-310	MAN D2566 MLUM	Renk-Doromat 874B	Ex-Metro Transit same number.
1307		1984	MAN	Americana (SL-40102A)	MAN D2566 MLUH	Renk-Doromat 874B	Ex-Metro Transit same number.
?		2008	? Turtle Top	? Van Terra			1 unit.

Southwest Prime Roster

• The Metropolitan Council's fleet numbering scheme designates the 5000 series for Southwest Transit coaches. However, Southwest Transit buses do not bear the leading digit. Therefore, when using a tracking app to identify a bus, add a leading 5 to the fleet number. Example: Coach 121 can be identified as 5121.

Active

Accurate as of 11/2021.

Fleet Number(s)	Thumbnail	Build Date	Manufacturer	Model	Engine	Transmission	Notes
123		2020	Dodge	Grand Caravan	Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L V6	Chrysler Ultradrive 62TE 6-speed automatic
568		2014	Chevrolet Glaval	G4500 Titan II	GM Duramax 6.6L V8	GM 6L90-E 6-speed automatic
569-572		2015	Chevrolet Glaval	G4500 Titan II	GM Duramax 6.6L V8	GM 6L90-E 6-speed automatic
624		2016	Ford	Transit	Ford 3.5L EcoBoost V6	Ford 6R80 6-speed automatic
778, 816		2008	Ford Glaval	E-450 Universal 25'	Ford Power Stroke 6.0L V8	Ford TorqShift 5R110 5-speed automatic
877, 895		2018	Chevrolet Turtle Top	G4500 Odyssey	GM Vortec 6000 LQ4 6.0L V8	GM 6L90-E 6-speed automatic	2017 models
907		2019	Dodge	Grand Caravan	Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L V6	Chrysler Ultradrive 62TE 6-speed automatic
913-914		2019	Ram	ProMaster	Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L V6	Chrysler Ultradrive 62TE 6-speed automatic
931, 941, 952, 959, 981-983, 988		2019-2020	Dodge	Grand Caravan	Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L V6	Chrysler Ultradrive 62TE 6-speed automatic	2019 models
996-997		2019	Ram	ProMaster	Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L V6	Chrysler Ultradrive 62TE 6-speed automatic
61079		2013	Ford Glaval	E-350 Universal	Ford Triton 5.4L V8	Ford TorqShift 5R110W 5-speed automatic

External Links

• www.swtransit.org

References

v·d·e Fleet Vehicles Fixed-Route Fleet · SW Prime Fleet · Retired Fleet Facilities Garage Leonard L. Simich Transit Stations Carver · Chanhassen · East Creek · SW Station · SW Village Routes Express 600 · 695 · 698/698C/698T/698U Special Services State Fair Special Discontinued 603 · 631 · 633 · 634 · 636 · 638 · 639 · 661 · 680 · 681 · 682 · 683 · 684 · 685 · 687 · 688 · 689 690/690A/690C/690E/690F/690H/690P/690V · 691 · 692 · 693 · 694 · 696 · 697/697E · 698A/698G/698H/698L/698V · 699/699C/699L Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Agencies