urbanSTL

One Journal article I read said that beginning in the 1960s, social welfare goals have been added to the expectations of transit thereby making transit less efficient.



In light of making transit efficient according to that article, I would recommend:



Eliminate Call-a-ride and forgoe related federal funding; spin it off and let private companies offer this social welfare program.



Increase fares for the elderly and students to be equal with standard users.



Sell existing buses for smaller ones on the County routes or spin off some bus routes for private companies to operate.



As a planning student I do not like any of these options which would greatly harm transit-dependent populations and infringe in the areas of justice, equity, and government responsbility to the American people.



Other solutions include selling park 'n ride lots to private companies for transit-oriented development or charging for parking.

Eliminate Call-a-ride and forgoe related federal funding; spin it off and let private companies offer this social welfare program.

Can't happen. Even if Metro were willing to forfeit all federal contracts under 504, it would still be compelled to provide the service under ADA.



(And, relatively few of us regard accessible public transportation as a more of a social welfare program than public transportation.)

publiceye wrote:

Eliminate Call-a-ride and forgoe related federal funding; spin it off and let private companies offer this social welfare program.

Can't happen. Even if Metro were willing to forfeit all federal contracts under 504, it would still be compelled to provide the service under ADA.



(And, relatively few of us regard accessible public transportation as a more of a social welfare program than public transportation.)

What is the proportion of Call-A-Ride trips by those who are entitled to the service under ADA, and how many non-ADA riders take it?



Compared to cab fare, it seems like the non-ADA fare could stand to go up a few dollars.

They only Non Ada trips are in the County outside Lindbergh. The fare per zone for non ADA trips is now $6.00. If you travel two zones, its $12 and for 3 zones its $18.



I believe the non ada trips make up less than 15 % of total trips.



Since we have increased the non ada fare over the past three years the number of trips has declined substantially.



ADA paratransit mandated within 3/4 mile or a fixed route bus route or train during the days and hours the service operate. It essentially a civil right and you can't get out of it.



Commuter service (express routes) no not carry a ada paratransit mandate, but all other fixed route service does.



One interest new item is that the paratransit buses now have a computerized GPS system to track the vehicles (they use the Sprint data network). The mobile data terminal has a map similar to that used in some rental cars, although we can sent data back and forth to the vehicle. It really amazing.

Thought this was pretty interesting.....Wonder if many people in St. Louis County feel the same about the upcoming light rail tax proposal.



OPINION SHAPER: County may have missed the train



By Mike Harkins



Until about a year ago, I never was a big fan of public transportation, such as buses or light rail.



I always thought it was meant for those less fortunate who couldn't afford an automobile.



My opinion changed last year when I visited Washington, D.C.



When I arrived at my hotel, I asked the concierge about renting a car. He said I did not need a car and would be much happier using the Metro, that city's subway/light-rail system.



I hesitated, thinking it would be dirty and probably dangerous. He assured me that virtually everyone used the system and it was clean and safe.



The next morning, off I went. I bought a $20 pass and hopped on a train. During the next five days, I visited virtually every museum and monument, and rode it as far into Virginia as possible, just to see the countryside.



I was extremely impressed with the efficiency, timeliness, cleanliness and safety of the entire operation.



http://stcharlesjournal.stltoday.com/ar ... h0.ii1.txt

I took the MetroLink while in town for a Rams game. It was fine (we live 3 hours from St. Louis and get up there a couple times a year).



But I think some people may be afraid of it. But when gas costs as much as it does, if MetroLink is a viable option, people need to get over their fear of other people and ride it.

My opinion changed last year when I visited Washington, D.C.



When I arrived at my hotel, I asked the concierge about renting a car. He said I did not need a car and would be much happier using the Metro, that city's subway/light-rail system.



I hesitated, thinking it would be dirty and probably dangerous. He assured me that virtually everyone used the system and it was clean and safe.<snip>



Yes, I was one of those who voted against the sales tax proposal to help fund a light-rail extension to St. Charles County. I didn't want those folks from St. Louis coming to our cities and bringing crime and drugs with them.

I don't even know what to say, other than that this idiot may be causing crime...in particular, one very violent, shocking crime. Must...not...kill...

What if we had been intelligent enough to realize back then that bringing MetroLink to our county might have been a good idea?

Hmm, methinks he has finally arrived at the root of the problem...

Who would have guessed back then that we would be paying $4 per gallon for gasoline or that Interstate 64, one of the metropolitan area's major traffic arteries, would be torn up in St. Louis County for two years?

See above.



Mandatory birth control. Think about it.

Maybe he was trying to break it softly to many St.Chuckians that they live under a rock.

Great article. See guys, there is hope.

METRO SUMMIT?

07.20.2008 9:00 pm

Monday editorial: Bus route

By Editorial Board

On July 31 — 15 years to the day after the first MetroLink train pulled out of Union Station amid much ballyhoo — politicians and civic leaders will gather at Washington University for what’s being billed as a “transit summit.”



Continued http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/the-pl ... bus-route/

Some recent news that hasn't really made the news is that the County has been shorting Metro in its recent budgets. In this year's and the coming year's proposed budget the County is allocating just 34% of a 1/2 cent transportation sales tax to Metro which was close to 50% as recently as 2023. This chart shows the drop: https://cmt-stl.org/st-louis-county-cou ... -for-2026/

And Metro's proposal to the County Council to fix the shortfall: https://cmt-stl.org/bi-state-developmen ... is-county/

I'm not holding my breath, but it is concerning, and really makes me think less of Sam Page for sure. 

Page has been a pretty awful County execituve. He has no vision, he has no charisma, he has no idea how to be a leader. The fact he ever got elected to any level of government is astounding.

I very much look forward to Brian Williams' platform on transit, development, and the budget. He desperately needs to win the primary next year.

This is just an extension of him being awful. Obviously they have been shifting the 1973 sales tax towards roads because those are far costlier to repair and maintain than operating transit. As we know, the County has been unable to pay for its budget. So they need to take money away from transit to pay for roads.

As much as people hate it, the only way out of this infrastructure cliff will be property and/or sales tax hikes and dense development. STL County has so much vacant or underutilized land around Metro stations that generates $0 in property tax revenue every year. This is also part of why Downtown Chesterfield is moving forward, the County needs more tax revenue.

Shrewsbury, Maplewood, Forsyth, Delmar, Wellston, Rock Road, UMSL North, and North Hanley all have massive pieces of completely unused land, underutilized land, and underused parking lots that generate virtually no money for the municipalities or the county. Incentivizing redevelopment around these stations alone could generate millions more in revenue and attract new residents. Unfortunately, no one in the county knows how to run a government, certainly not Page.

If Stenger is not a criminal, Page never gets elevated.


Time for Sam to go.


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https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/la ... increases/

Down-state public transit agencies to receive $129 million in new funding from the new transit bill approves by the Illinois legislature.

No idea what this means for MCT or SCCTD but those two combined have got to be the largest down-state agency.

The bill is also pretty good for Chicago, obviously.

I believe the bill also eliminates parking minimums around all MetroLink stations in Metro East. It also gives Bi-State (Transit Boards) the ability to build TOD.

“Specifically, the ban on parking mandates applies when the following is true:

a development project is for new construction or renovation and that is not a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or other transient lodging
the project is located within one-half mile of a public transportation hub (nodes) or one-eighth mile of a public transportation corridor (street segments)
A public transportation hub is a node that includes rail transit stations, a boat or ferry terminal that is served by a bus stop or a rail transit station, and street intersections where two or more bus routes meet and those bus routes have a combined frequency of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods.”

President Green to introduce a bill Friday to let voters repurpose NS metrolink money for bus rapid transit. the mayor is pissed, she didnt want a public vote

Lmao not wanting a public vote is so funny. I'm pretty sure it will easily pass too.

the way the economy is going, having this and earnings tax on the april ballot will be interesting. 

dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑

Nov 19, 2025

Fact Sheets behind the bill 

I hope it fails. Nobody voted for Bus Rapid Transit. 

I will have to do some research on BRT.  I much prefer light rail.  I can totally hear complaints if lanes were lost on Jefferson to provide a dedicated lane for BRT - and what about stop lights?

I already hear complaints about Tower Grove and Kingshighway ...

goat314 wrote: ↑

Nov 19, 2025

dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑

Nov 19, 2025

Fact Sheets behind the bill 

I hope it fails. Nobody voted for Bus Rapid Transit. 

the way its worded, if this fails, the tax goes away.  

dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑

Nov 20, 2025

goat314 wrote: ↑

Nov 19, 2025

dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑

Nov 19, 2025

Fact Sheets behind the bill 

I hope it fails. Nobody voted for Bus Rapid Transit. 

the way its worded, if this fails, the tax goes away.  

Spencer is a clown