Author: H. Jiahong Pan 潘嘉宏

H. Jiahong Pan 潘嘉宏

About 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.

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 […]

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Market Street In San Francisco Goes Car Free

• March 25, 2020

In January, San Francisco closed a near 2-mile stretch of Market Street to cars while I was in town recently. I wasn’t expecting it. I already finalized my plans to visit family for the Lunar New Year when I learned that San Francisco would be closing lower Market Street to cars while I was visiting. […]

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

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 […]

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Winter Is Here: More Winter Biking Tips

• December 2, 2019

Last month, Alicia Valenti wrote about her tips and experiences bicycling in the winter as a Minnesota transplant. “I got into summer biking and then didn’t want to stop once it got cold,” Alicia told me recently.   Like Alicia, I’m a transplant who didn’t want to stop biking once it got cold, partly because biking […]

Rush Hour traffic on N 12th St between Chestnut Ave and Linden Ave. On November 20, 2019, a person on a bike was killed in a collision with a truck ahead of where this photo was taken. July 16, 2019. Photo: Henry Pan

Human-Protected Bike Lane to Form, in Wake of Recent Killing

• November 21, 2019

Yet another person riding a bicycle was killed in the Twin Cities yesterday. This person was killed by a vehicle driver at N 12th St and Linden Ave in Downtown Minneapolis. A box truck driver, who was towing construction equipment, made a right turn and collided with the bicyclist.   It’s not the first time […]

Parking Validation: What If I Don’t Drive?

• November 11, 2019

You’ve probably been offered parking validation, as I have, at restaurants, grocery stores — even the county Human Services office where I receive benefits (while working three jobs and freelancing on the side).  But what if, like me, you don’t have a car? Which of these places will validate your visiting them by riding transit, […]

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What You Can Do to Ensure the Unhoused Have a Place to Stay in Light of the Green Line Shutdown

• August 28, 2019

Last week, Metro Transit replaced overnight service on the Green Line with buses.   Maintenance needs are the main reason that overnight Green Line service needs to end, according to Metro Transit officials. “We are making this change to allow for safer and more timely maintenance along the Green Line corridor,” said Metro Transit General Manager […]