Metro Transit added new routes and increased frequency on its bus service in Missouri and Illinois on Monday.
The transit agency hired 100 new drivers over the past year in order to restore MetroBus routes and expand coverage. Since the pandemic, Metro Transit has cut or reduced dozens of routes as it struggled to hire bus operators.
“We've been in recovery mode trying to build back up our workforce and therefore put more service on the street,” said Jessica Gershman, assistant executive director of planning and system development at Metro Transit. “So the December change is sort of the biggest implementation of that vision for restoring service.”
The changes affect 25 Metro Bus routes, including several in north St. Louis County and six in Illinois.
Robyn Wallen, a member of the St. Louis Metro Alliance for Reliable Transit, said restoring service to parts of north St. Louis County is a welcome relief for many riders.
“We're happy to see the movement with Metro, that they are listening to our cries for better service, and we hope to work with them more in the future and see more changes,” said Wallen, who also serves as the transportation committee chair for the Missouri Council of the Blind.
Metro used travel patterns, economic data and feedback from riders to make the changes, Gershman said.
“It's not been something we've been able to flip a switch overnight, but getting close to that 80% of pre-COVID service, which means miles on the street, is a big accomplishment for us,” Gershman said.
Some routes were combined so riders could take a single bus to reach a destination. For example, the new No. 40 Broadway-Halls Ferry bus replaced two routes for a continuous ride to the North County Transit Center, Riverview Transit Center and downtown St. Louis.
Other routes were expanded to reach more locations. The No. 49 Lindbergh route will now serve Mercy South Hospital, a destination that was cut during the pandemic.
“Mercy South was one of the big things that we were very concerned about,” Wallen said.
Wallen said she hopes Metro Transit will add more routes to west and south county areas to meet needs there and attract new riders.
In the coming weeks, Gershman said over 700 bus stop signs will be added or changed to reflect the route adjustments.
“Be patient with us as we switch over. There will be that short period of time where the head sign on the front of the bus and the number on the sign might not match,” Gershman said.
Details on the changes, including new schedules and route maps, can be found at metrostlouis.org/upcoming-schedule-changes/. Customer service hours will be extended this week to help riders through the transition.
