Metro Transit rewarded Nadine Babu of St. Louis Park with a year
of free rides after recording its 3-billionth customer on
Thursday, Nov 29.  Because it was impossible to pinpoint exactly
who would be the 3-billionth customer, Metro Transit asked
riders to write an essay explaining why they choose public
transportation.  A judging panel chose Babu's essay as the
winner and she received a Go-To card with a year's worth of free
rides on Metro Transits buses and trains. Four runners-up
received a month's worth of free rides on a Go-To card.  After
compiling rider data, Metro Transit picked Thursday as the
closest day to celebrate the milestone.  Babu, the CEO and
social media strategist at her company, Babu Social Networks,
said in her essay: "I ride the bus for so many reasons -- it's
safe, reliable, inexpensive, convenient, and you can text,
e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, etc. and ride without any
consequences. You have a customer for life in me!"