TRUE Transit is headquartered in the VINE Adult Community Center located in downtown Mankato, with buses traveling all over Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur Counties. Staff includes the VINE transportation manager, transportation operations supervisor, transportation schedulers, and bus drivers.
The Transit Advisory Committee is comprised of VINE staff, representatives from the three supporting counties, and other shareholders. This committee meets quarterly to promote and guide the program, and provides feedback and recommends changes to the VINE Faith in Action Board of Directors.
Duane has been driving people and product around for nearly 50 years. He started delivering pizza when he was just 18 and then graduated to Pepsi (naturally), but his favorite kind of driving was racing cars for about 21 years. He has slowed down now to drive for TRUE Transit and enjoys it because he loves talking to people. When Duane’s not driving for TRUE Transit, you can find him with his grandkids or in a bowling alley.
Roger has been a farmer his whole life, but when a little extra income was needed his wife suggested he start driving school bus. After 16 years of driving kids to school he changed to delivering mail. A few years ago he retired from the post office, but kept busy helping his sons with farming. Then his wife heard about TRUE Transit over the radio and called to set him up for an interview. Roger enjoys hearing passenger’s stories and driving around the area he grew up in. When not on the bus, Roger keeps busy on his farm, tending to the crops and animals and chasing his grandkids around.
You may recognize Mike as the guy who took out Perk at Play in basement hockey or as a former teacher in Waterville and the Waseca Prison, but now he drives for TRUE Transit. Mike grew up riding around Le Sueur County with his dad delivering gas. When he heard about the opportunity to relive those days with TRUE Transit, he jumped at the chance. He loves telling stories about the area and talking sports with passengers.
Kyle was born and raised right here in Mankato, and he takes pride in serving the community he’s always called home. For him, driving the bus is more than just a job—it’s a chance to connect with people from all walks of life. He says one of the best parts of the role is getting to meet so many friendly passengers and hearing their stories along the way.
Outside of work, Kyle’s life is happily centered around his family. He stays busy keeping up with his kids. Whether he’s behind the wheel or at home with his children, Kyle enjoys being part of a community where people look out for one another.
Kim has been driving kids around Waterville for over 20 years and used to be a traveling salesman, covering southern Minnesota and northern Iowa before coming to TRUE Transit in 2021. Kim enjoys the scenery of the countryside and talking to people on the bus. When he is not busy spending time with his family, including his 18 grandchildren, Kim likes working in his woodshop and wildflower garden.
George has been a professional driver for more than 25 years. Originally from Kansas, he eventually settled in Minnesota after marrying his wife, a Wisconsin native. He began his career in Rochester as a delivery truck driver, restocking vending machines across the region. Later, he transitioned to transporting people—something he jokes is much easier than moving products, since passengers “load and unload themselves.”
After retiring, George and his wife moved to Mankato to be closer to their grandchildren. While his wife spends much of her time helping with the kids, George returned to driving part-time. He says his favorite part of the job is knowing he’s making a difference by helping people get where they need to go. To him, public transportation saves riders money, time, and headaches.
When George isn’t behind the wheel, you can find him enjoying time with family, working in his garden, savoring a good cup of coffee or at church.
Paul grew up in Illinois, but moved around a lot with the Air Force. He eventually settled in Mankato as a Lutheran Minister. After working in tech support for Verizon Wireless for 17 years and chatting with over 90,000 customers, Paul decided to pick up a part-time job driving a school bus. He started working for TRUE Transit in 2024 to keep busy in the summer when the kids were out of school. He enjoys chatting with riders, getting to know them and helping them with their transportation needs. When Paul’s not driving a bus, he enjoys volunteering at his church, helping with their music program and crocheting items to give away to others.
