I'm in Minneapolis too. The buses are pretty good here, and if you've seen the website, you know they have a nifty online trip planner, which I've had a lot of success with.
It's true longer distances are a hassle. I took the bus to school once (from NE Mpls to Mendota Heights) and it took three transfers and two hours. It is normally a half hour drive. I see you're in Louisiana... it gets cold here and most of our bus stops are unsheltered. I'm really wimpy for a Minnesotan, so I don't use the buses very regularly.
The Twin Cities are catching up to the rest of the modern world. Soon there will be a light rail system spanning from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America and the MSP airport. Also a commuter line is planned to go from St Cloud MN to connect with the light rail. This commuter line will go straight through my neighborhood (NE Mpls) and connect up with the Light Rail. So one of these years, I'll be able to take the train system all the way to Mall of America or the airport. Pretty cool.
Also, I think DC is definitely the cleanest Subway system I have ever seen (well, it would tie with Singapore). I also like the Boston train system, and Chicago is pretty good too.