Metropolitan Council, which manages transit services in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, took delivery of 26 MCI Commuter Coaches.

Metro Transit, a service of Metropolitan Council, is operating 19 of the new coaches on express routes that cover longer distances. Metro Transit launched its newest express-route to downtown Minneapolis September 28 as it unveiled a new Lakeville park-and-ride ramp adjacent to the freeway. State and federal government officials attended, including Minnesota's governor and the mayors of Minneapolis and several surrounding towns.

The Commuter Coach, based on the popular MCI D-Series, offers riders plush seating with head rests, individual reading lights, personal air-flow controls, and overhead storage.

The new buses, park-and-ride facilities and transit services are funded through the Urban Partnership Agreement, a federal-state project aimed at reducing traffic congestion, as well as by a grant from the Counties Transit Improvement Board.