Arrowhead Transit

Arrowhead Transit
Arrowhead Transit logo
Arrowhead Transit bus in Virginia, Minnesota Arrowhead Transit bus in Virginia, Minnesota
Overview
Locale	Northeastern Minnesota
Transit type	Bus
Daily ridership	1,200
Annual ridership	500,832 (2024)
Key people	Brandon Nurmi
Headquarters	Gilbert, Minnesota
Website	arrowheadtransit.com
Operation
Number of vehicles	258

Arrowhead Transit is a public transportation system serving ten counties in northeastern Minnesota. Established in 1974, the system is operated by the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA), a nonprofit community action agency. Services include fixed-route buses, Dial-A-Ride, inter-county commuter routes, and a volunteer driver program.^[1]

Arrowhead Transit was started in 1974 to provide transportation for older adults in rural communities. AEOA, its parent organization, was formed in 1965 under the Economic Opportunity Act. In the following decades, Arrowhead Transit expanded its services to include the general public.

In 1979–1986, Arrowhead Transit participated in the formation of the National Association for Transportation Alternatives, which later became the Community Transportation Association of America.^[2]

In 1989, the agency established a regional headquarters in Gilbert, Minnesota. A facility in Grand Rapids was added in 1994.^[3]

In 2008, Arrowhead Transit launched the "Rural Rides" program to support transportation access for low-income workers. A new facility was also opened in International Falls.^[4]

In 2011, Arrowhead Transit began service in Pine County, its eighth county.^[5]

In 2013, Arrowhead Transit introduced a single toll-free dispatch number to consolidate scheduling services across all counties.^[6]

In 2016, the agency added a scheduled Tuesday route between Grand Marais and Duluth.^[7]

In 2017, the Minnesota Department of Transportation awarded a 2ドル.4 million grant to Arrowhead Transit to support Dial-A-Ride service expansion in Hermantown, Cook, and International Falls.^[8]

In 2020, Arrowhead Transit participated in the Federal Transit Administration’s Integrated Mobility Innovation program, piloting an on-demand volunteer driver service in the Duluth and Hermantown areas.^[9]

In 2021, the agency began operating in Isanti and Chisago counties, taking over services previously managed by Heartland Express.^[10]

In May 2022, Arrowhead Transit began coordinating with the goMARTI autonomous shuttle pilot in Grand Rapids to integrate with existing bus routes.^[11]

In early 2023, Arrowhead Transit reported more than 27,000 rides provided in International Falls and over 2 million miles driven system-wide.^[12]

In 2024, Arrowhead Transit assumed transit operations in Hibbing, Minnesota following the closure of Hibbing Area Transit. The transition included expanded hours, the addition of Sunday service, and new intercity routes.^{[13] [14]}

In May 2025, Arrowhead Transit added a scheduled route known as the "Boundary Waters Loop," between Ely and Virginia.^[15]

In May 2025, the agency supported local emergency planning efforts during the Jenkins Creek Wildfire in northern St. Louis County.^[16]

In June 2025, Arrowhead Transit launched a full comprehensive redesign of public transit in Chisago and Isanti counties.^[17]

In October 2025, Arrowhead Transit was named the 2025 Minnesota Transit System of the Year at the Minnesota Public Transit Association (MPTA) Annual Conference in Rochester. Assistant Director of Administration Colette Hanson also received the 2025 Transit Professional of the Year Award.^[18]

In May 2026, Arrowhead Transit started a consumer facing mobile app this month that allows users to book trips on their smart phones and track the bus in real-time.^[19]

Arrowhead Transit provides public transportation services to rural and small urban areas in northeastern Minnesota:

Dial‐A‐Ride is a reservation-based, curb-to-curb service. Riders must call at least one hour in advance to schedule a trip. Service is offered within the limits of the following cities:^[20]

• Aitkin
• Cambridge
• Carlton/Cloquet
• Ely
• Floodwood
• Grand Marais
• Grand Rapids
• Hermantown
• Hibbing
• International Falls
• Mountain Iron
• Pine City
• Two Harbors
• Virginia

Fares are 3ドル.00 per one-way trip. Monthly passes and ticket books available are 54ドル.00.^[21]

Fixed-route services operate in municipal areas such as Hibbing, Virginia, and Grand Rapids, based on scheduled stops and hours.^[22]

These routes connect towns across counties for a one-way fare of 5ドル.^{[23] [24]} Routes include:

• Braham Express – Morning and afternoon weekday service linking Cambridge, North Branch, and Braham.^[25]
• Chisago Lakes Commuter – Weekday loop between Center City, Lindstrom, Chisago City, Wyoming, and North Branch.^[26]
• North Shore Run – Weekly service between Grand Marais and Duluth.^[27]
• Boundary Waters Loop – Introduced in June 2025, this weekly loop travels through Gilbert, Virginia, Embarrass, Babbitt, Ely, and Tower.^[28]

This service supports non-emergency transportation (e.g., medical visits), staffed by volunteer drivers reimbursed at federal mileage rates. ^[29]

Beginning January 2025, this partnership includes scheduled bus and Dial‐A‐Ride access to all six college campuses. The purpose of the partnership is student fare tracking and connecting campuses with towns like Grand Rapids, Hibbing, and Virginia.^{[30] [31]}

Arrowhead Transit serves the following counties:

• Aitkin
• Carlton
• Chisago
• Cook
• Isanti
• Itasca
• Koochiching
• Lake
• Pine
• St. Louis

The service area covers over 20,500 square miles, making it among the largest rural public transit coverage areas in the United States by geography.^[32]

Arrowhead Transit reports unlinked passenger trips (UPT) to the Federal Transit Administration annually:^[33]

Year	Annual Ridership (UPT)
2014	631,971
2015	682,740
2016	609,964
2017	608,459
2018	686,152
2019	722,704
2020	543,467
2021	351,286
2022	474,012
2023	488,226
2024	500,832

Vehicle revenue miles (VRM) data reported to the FTA:

Year	Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles
2014	2,365,336
2015	2,287,681
2016	2,218,173
2017	2,626,397
2018	2,609,514
2019	2,664,196
2020	2,035,825
2021	2,005,239
2022	2,364,604
2023	2,295,161
2024	2,568,057

As of 2023, Arrowhead Transit operates a fleet of 258 revenue vehicles, with a maximum of 101 vehicles in daily service.^[34] Vehicle types include:

• Ford E450 ADA-accessible minibuses
• Blue Bird conventional-style buses
• Chevrolet cutaway vans
• Dodge Grand Caravans used primarily for demand-response service

All vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Arrowhead Transit has 14 transit garages, vehicle storage sites, and maintenance facilities across its 10-county service area. These locations support routine maintenance, fueling, and dispatch operations. Facility locations include:

• Aitkin – garage and storage
• Carlton – shared space for vehicle housing
• Cook County (Grand Marais) – garage and staging area
• Floodwood – garage serving western St. Louis County
• Grand Rapids – maintenance and operations center
• Hermantown – garage and vehicle prep facility
• Hibbing – maintenance and regional operations site (added in 2024)
• International Falls – full-service garage for northern service area
• North Branch – operations and maintenance site for Chisago County
• Pine City – maintenance and driver staging
• Sandstone – shared facility supporting Pine County service
• Cambridge – operations hub for Isanti County
• Gilbert – administrative headquarters and primary maintenance center

These facilities are distributed geographically to reduce deadhead mileage and improve reliability in rural areas.^{[35] [36]}

Arrowhead Transit reported total operating expenses of 11,731,066ドル in 2023, funded through a mix of federal grants, state aid, and local contributions.^[37]

According to the National Transit Database, the agency’s operating funding in 2023 was allocated as follows:

• **Federal grants**: 1,701,339ドル
• **State funds**: 4,142,110ドル
• **Local government contributions**: 5,887,617ドル

(There were no farebox revenues reported.)^[38]

In 2023, capital funding totaled 1,463,130,ドル consisting of 1,227,859ドル in federal capital grants and 235,271ドル in state funding.^[39]

In 2019, Arrowhead Transit received 952,807ドル from the Federal Transit Administration under the Integrated Mobility Innovation (IMI) program. The grant funded the development of an on-demand, first-/last-mile coordination platform utilizing volunteer drivers and technology pilot tools.^{[40] [41]}

Like other rural systems in Minnesota, Arrowhead Transit participates in the FTA Section 5311 Rural Area Formula Program and receives matching funds through the Minnesota Public Transit Participation Program administered by MnDOT.^{[42] [43]}

Arrowhead Transit hosts quarterly Transit Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings in each of the ten counties it serves. These meetings are open to the public and offer feedback opportunities for riders, local officials, and stakeholders. The agency also participates in planning efforts in collaboration with the Arrowhead Regional Transportation Coordinating Council.^[44]

RideSmart 2025 is a rural public transit redesign led by Arrowhead Transit, that took effect on June 2, 2025, in Chisago and Isanti counties in Minnesota. The project is changes to route structure, service boundaries, schedules, and public maps.

The redesign includes:

• Introduction of 12 routes, serving both cities and rural areas
• Expanded Dial-A-Ride service boundaries in Cambridge and North Branch
• Standardized loop scheduling
• Updated printed maps and schedules for rural riders
• Addition of weekend service options in certain areas
• Integration with the Transit Link (Metro Transit)

The planning process included public surveys, meetings, and input from locals such as healthcare providers, schools, employers, and municipal officials.^{[45] [46] [47]}

• Minnesota Department of Transportation
• Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency

• Official website
• Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency