Metrorail commuters surprised by politicians masquerading as holiday characters
The faces you see on Metrorail this time of year.
On Wednesday morning, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and a busy mass transit elf and their caroler boarded a Dadeland-bound Metrorail train from South Miami-Dade to spread holiday cheer among Transit Way/Metrorail commuters.
Paparazzi revealed that Santa was really Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn, Mrs. Claus was Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell, and the elf was Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava.
The festive bunch, which also included Palmetto Bay Councilman David Singer as the caroler, departed from Transit Way at the Park and Ride station at 20500 SW 112th Ave. for downtown Kendall to hand out gift cards to commuters. The holiday treat was a means to thank the masses for using mass transit rather than clogging city streets during rush hour.
The holiday jaunt on the sleigh, er, Metrorail car, promoted the 20-mile Transit Way/Park and Ride, which runs along U.S.1 from Florida City to the Dadeland South Station.
“South Dade is experiencing rapid growth and increased traffic congestion so mass transit has become more crucial than ever to the South Corridor,” said Cava. “Improvements to the overall system are necessary and key to increasing ridership and getting cars off our congested streets.”
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This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Metrorail commuters surprised by politicians masquerading as holiday characters."