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Metro Transit Announces New Missouri MetroBus Service Plan

Metro Transit is announcing the new MetroBus Service Plan which will impact every bus route in the City of St. Louis and in St. Louis County. The new MetroBus Service Plan, which will be implemented on September 30, is the culmination of the 2-year Metro Reimagined project. The new MetroBus Service Plan will provide customers in Missouri with more frequent service, improved weekend service and more convenient options for getting around town.

“More than two years ago, we recognized that we needed to make significant changes to the MetroBus system to better meet the mobility needs of our riders. In response, we launched Metro Reimagined, an in-depth look at our transit system, to identify the enhancements we needed to make,” said Jessica Mefford-Miller, Executive Director of Metro Transit. “This has been a customer-focused approach from day one, and the new service plan we are launching in September will deliver the service our customers need – today and into the future.”

Research, customer engagement and community outreach identified faster, more direct trips and more frequent service as high priorities that bus riders want from their transit service. Through the newly finalized Metro Reimagined service plan, Metro Transit is increasing the frequency of most MetroBus routes. Ten routes, which carry nearly half of current MetroBus customers in Missouri, are offering service every 15 minutes or faster on weekdays. In comparison, the MetroBus system currently only has one bus route that offers that 15-minute frequency. In addition, the new service plan includes 35 MetroBus routes that will offer 30-minute frequencies, instead of the 40-minute or 60-minute service many routes operate on today.

Weekend service is also being improved through the Metro Reimagined plan. Nearly all MetroBus routes will have Sunday service, including many routes that currently do not operate on Sundays. Service levels will also be consistent on Saturdays and Sundays. This improved service provides better options and more reliability for customers over the entire weekend.

Under the new finalized Metro Reimagined plan, MetroBus routes are organized into four categories:

• Frequent: 10 high-frequency routes offering service every 15 minutes or faster
• Local: 35 MetroBus routes offering service every 30 minutes
• Community: 6 routes providing important connections in low-ridership areas
• Express: 6 routes providing direct connections with limited stops to key destinations

Specific details about the new plan, including new route maps, schedules and route information, are available at metrostlouis.org/reimagined. Customers may also contact Metro Transit Information for details or for assistance planning their new commute. Metro Transit Information is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. by phone at 314-231-2345 or by text at 314-207-9786.

Metro riders can also plan their new transit commute directly from their mobile phones by using the Transit app, available on iOS and Android devices. By going to the Settings menu and selecting ‘Metro Reimagined’, customers will be able see new schedules, route maps and see what their transit trips will look like starting September 30.

Metro Reimagined – Background

The Metro Reimagined project was launched in 2017 to effectively position the Metro Transit system to meet the evolving transportation needs of the St. Louis region. After months of research, system analysis, and rider and community outreach, Metro was able to identify enhancements to the transit system and develop a new service plan that improves the customer experience and provides more frequent and more convenient transit options.

Community engagement and rider input have been a key part of the Metro Reimagined plan, starting in Spring 2017 when customer outreach first started. A draft plan was shared a year later, and customer feedback was collected and incorporated into a new draft plan, which was shared with the public in October 2018. Rider input has been an important part of each stage of the planning process, and adjustments to the service plan were made to retain service in areas, where possible, in response to the feedback.

About Metro Transit

Metro Transit operates the St. Louis region’s public transportation system which includes 400 clean-burning diesel buses that serve 83 MetroBus routes in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois. Metro also operates MetroLink light rail vehicles on 46 miles of track serving 38 stations in the two-state area, and operates Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 122 vans. Metro Transit is a Bi-State Development enterprise.