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Brown County Browser: Brown County Heartland Express

We often get asked how do I use your service? Where do you operate? Who can use Heartland Express? I am going to try to answer these questions plus many more.

First of all we are fare free until Jan. 1 2021, and possibly longer depending on the wishes of the county board. The reason we are able to do this is that we are 100% fully funded through the federal government and the CARES Act so transportation is available for all.

Normally our fares are $1.50 in town; once you leave the city limits the fare is $3. We also have tokens that can be purchased in packs of 10 for $13 so you see a .20 cent savings per ride. The tokens can be purchased at many businesses throughout Brown County. Check our website for specific locations. They make great gifts for those that use the service.

If you need a ride make sure you call at least one business day before you need the ride. So a Monday ride request, would need a call before 3 p.m. on Friday. Our phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Our phone number is 507-359-2717, or 800-707-2717. We do take ride requests up to 14 days in advance. We are first come, first serve so the earlier you request your ride the better you are to get your requested time.

Brown County Heartland Express operates in all of Brown County, and we operate in the city of New Ulm from 6:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The rest of Brown County is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We try to build the schedule to make it as efficient as possible so that we can make it as economical as possible.

In September we were notified that of all transit systems in our region, Brown County Heartland Express is most efficient. This means for every dollar spent on transit in Brown County, $7.29 is returned back to the citizens of the County.

With COVID-19 we are doing everything possible to make riding the bus as safe as possible. Our drivers are wearing masks and we ask our passengers to do the same. If you do not have a mask one can be provided for you. We are also sanitizing the bus multiple times throughout the day, and making sure that you have a safe experience on the bus.

I also want to share that you now have an option to get to Mankato and points east and north. TRUE transit operates a bus and will pick you up in New Ulm and take you to anywhere in their system which is for the counties of Blue Earth, LeSueur, and Nicollet.

From Mankato you can make a connection to get to the metro area, or Rochester. The number to TRUE transit is 800-560-1575. They require a phone call at least one day prior so that you can be scheduled on their bus.

Thank you for riding the bus. If you have never ridden the bus, now would be a good time to try it out.

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