Author: H. Jiahong Pan 潘嘉宏

H. Jiahong Pan 潘嘉宏

H. Jiahong Pan 潘嘉宏

H. Jiahong Pan 潘嘉宏 (pronouns: they/them/theirs) is a Minneapolis-based introverted freelance journalist who reports primarily on their lifelong passion: transportation issues. Find them on a bus of all types, the sidewalk, bike lane, hiking trail or perhaps the occasional carshare vehicle, camera and perhaps watercolor set or mushroom brush in tow, in your community or state or regional park regardless of season. If you can’t find them, they’re probably cooking, writing, curating an archive of wall art or brochures, playing board games, sewing or cuddling with their cat. Follow on Twitter: @h_pan3 or Instagram: @hpphmore or on BlueSky: hpan3 dot bsky dot social See bylines after March 2020 in Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, Racket, Minnesota Reformer, Next City, The Guardian, Daily Yonder and MinnPost.

August 25, 2022-Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeg looks at Hennepin County plans to restripe Lake Street while onboard a Metro Transit bus. Hennepin County received $12 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s RAISE grant to restripe Lake Street with bus lanes. (H. Jiahong Pan/Minnesota Reformer)

Minnesota Projects Funded Through the Federal Infrastructure Bill

• September 12, 2023

Signed into law in 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is funding transportation infrastructure across Minnesota, from Little Falls to St. Paul.

Metro Transit revenue worker Kevin Davis checks the Go-To card of a University of Minnesota student. Provisions in the Transportation bill allow civilian workers like Davis to conduct fare inspections and issue citations. (H. Jiahong Pan/Minnesota Reformer)

New Transportation Law Hopes to get Minnesotans Moving

• June 1, 2023

Eight things you should know about the historic transportation bill and how it will affect drivers, cyclists, train users and walkers throughout Minnesota.

A Metro Transit bus with signs indicating that it is under quarantine is parked on the back side of the agency's Heywood Garage near Downtown Minneapolis. March 24, 2020. Photo: Henry Pan
A Metro Transit bus with signs indicating that it is under quarantine is parked on the back side of the agency's Heywood Garage near Downtown Minneapolis. March 24, 2020. Photo: Henry Pan

Amid Coronavirus Chaos, Metro Transit Allows Rear Door Boarding, Cuts Service, Neglects Operator Needs

• March 31, 2020

Front Door Boarding Suspended Onboard Metro Transit Buses After pressure from activists, last Wednesday, Metro Transit began to follow in the footsteps of other agencies who have taken preventative measures to stem the spread of COVID-19. They began to institute back-door-only boarding on many of its routes. Metro Transit became the second agency in the […]

A person on a bicycle waits for a Metro Transit articulated bus to cross the intersection at Lake and Pillsbury in South Minneapolis on the afternoon of March 18, 2020. As part of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Metro Transit instituted a number of changes, which include service reductions and enhanced cleaning. Photo: Henry Pan
A person on a bicycle waits for a Metro Transit articulated bus to cross the intersection at Lake and Pillsbury in South Minneapolis on the afternoon of March 18, 2020. As part of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Metro Transit instituted a number of changes, which include service reductions and enhanced cleaning. Photo: Henry Pan

How Metro Transit Is Responding To The Coronavirus

• March 20, 2020

Transit agencies across the nation are feeling the brunt of the coronavirus, and Metro Transit is no exception. While Metro Transit does not have definite numbers, Howie Padilla, Metro Transit’s spokesperson, says that “Ridership has definitely decreased.”  But they’re not worried about how much ridership has gone down right now. “Our priority is to serve […]

A TransitLink bus waits by the rangers' offices at Afton State Park while two people return to their cars after paying for their permit. Photo: Henry Pan
A TransitLink bus waits by the rangers' offices at Afton State Park while two people return to their cars after paying for their permit. Photo: Henry Pan

How I Rode Public Transit To Afton State Park

• February 28, 2020

In October, I took the bus out to Afton State Park, which is located on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border due east of the Twin Cities.  But wait, you might think. That’s impossible. There’s no bus service out that way. The nearest Metro Transit route is the 294, which goes to Stillwater and only runs during rush […]