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Transit Accessibility: Community Engagement

ADA Compliance Review

Metro Transit engaged a nationally recognized ADA consultant, ADA Guru, to conduct an in-depth analysis of our policies and procedures for all transit modes. This comprehensive review of Metro Call‑A‑Ride, MetroBus, and MetroLink Services and included a thorough review of documents, staff interviews, disability community feedback, and onboard service observations. Information gleaned from these methods was synthesized by ADA Guru into a report organized by relevant disability law and further compartmentalized by mode.

At the April 11th Community Open House, ADA Guru presented a summary of the ADA Compliance Review. The recording and materials from this presentation are available below.

Since receiving the consultant’s final report, Metro Transit has been actively implementing the recommended improvements across all transit modes, focusing on improving Call‑A‑Ride service and operation, and enhancing usability and access on our fixed-route system to decrease demand for ADA Paratransit.

We greatly value the input and guidance received during these last few months. The insights from the ADA Guru Report, the ADA Community, and Community Open House events in April and May have been instrumental in shaping our approach to creating a more inclusive transit system. We are confident that the steps we are taking will lead to significant improvements, and we look forward to your continued support and collaboration.

The full report, synopsis, and cover letter are available for download.

Metro Transit is committed to improving accessibility across the Metro Transit system and enhancing the customer experience. Over the last several months, we have taken several steps to make improvements – please check the updates section below to see the progress.

Communication and engagement with our customers are critical toward the success of these goals. Your feedback and comments are an important resource that helps advance improvement efforts and ensures they are effective.

Past Events

Community Connect

Community Connect is where the heart of public transit meets the voice of the community. Interact directly with Metro Transit teams, hear about the latest updates, and influence the decisions that shape your daily commute. Together, we’ll explore the latest news, upcoming changes, and strategies for a sustainable, efficient, and user-focused transit system.

ADA Community Open Houses

These events, both in-person and virtual, gave members of the community the opportunity to hear from Metro Transit leadership and team members, get more information on transit services and programs, and share comments and feedback.

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Call‑A‑Ride operator helps rider to board a Call‑A‑Ride van. The doors are open and the ramp is lowered.

Accessibility Advisory Committee

The St. Louis Metro Transit Accessibility Advisory Committee consists of transit users with disabilities who meet several times a year to serve as a conduit for communication between customers who are part of the disability community and various departments at Metro. We are working to make this group more formal, more visible, and more representative of the entire disability community in our region.

Meetings are held virtually through Zoom. If you are interested in participating or learning more about this opportunity, please visit MetroStLouis.org/ADAcommittee or contact Amy Parker, ADA Coordinator, at 314-982-1525 or ADACoordinator@MetroStLouis.org.

Accessibility Updates

Metro Transit is taking a holistic approach to ensuring accessibility on the transit system. This includes expanding ADA paratransit capabilities and enhancing MetroBus and MetroLink features to serve the disability community more effectively. Updates include:

  • We are updating the Call‑A‑Ride Reservations window. After carefully considering customer comments and partner feedback online and at public and virtual meetings in April, Metro Call‑A‑Ride will not implement next-day only reservations, but will instead move to a booking window of up to 3 days in advance for trips for disabled customers, effective Friday, July 5.
  • Metro Transit worked with ADA consultant ADA Guru to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the accessibility of our transit system. The process was vital in identifying key areas for improvement, and we are already taking action on recommendations from the report. We welcome the community to view the full report and summary report.
  • Metro Call‑A‑Ride has launched a new streamlined phone system with a single phone number – 314-982-1505 – that customers can call and then select the specific service they require. Metro Call‑A‑Ride’s phone provider was updated in May 2024.
  • Metro Transit is finalizing the details to upgrade Call‑A‑Ride reservations and scheduling software. The goal is for the new software to be in place and operational by the end of the year.
  • Metro Call‑A‑Ride is increasing opportunities for pre-booking regular trips for customers who regularly book 5+ days per week to and from the same destination.
  • The electronic-fare option continues to be popular with Call‑A‑Ride customers who wish to purchase and use fare from their smart device.
  • Metro is working to improve usability of MetroBus and MetroLink for customers with disabilities as work continues on both short-term and long-term improvements to the customer experience.
  • The On the Way with ADA Program is available and allows ADA Paratransit customers to enjoy unlimited free access to MetroBus and MetroLink services, providing a free transportation option that does not require scheduling trips in advance.

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