Bi-State Development Agency

Metro Transit has hired 100 new bus drivers in the past year as it works to expand service and restore routes that were cut after the pandemic.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit, a disability advocacy group, released its June report card that assesses Metro Transit. The group gave poor scores in customer service and engagement with people with disabilities and failed Metro on Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

The public meetings this week are meant to kick off the yearlong environmental review process and come after some of the initial design and engineering work that’s already been completed.

The STL Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit report card gave near-failing scores in customer service and engagement with people with disabilities, and failed Metro for not being ADA compliant.

Transit officials say a $1 billion expansion of the MetroLink that would connect north and south St. Louis along Jefferson Avenue will rely on federal transit grants.

Riders have said Metro Transit's paratransit service is outdated and doesn’t meet their needs.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttiegieg said $196 million will go toward replacing 48 MetroLink light rail cars. The funding is one of the biggest grants MetroLink has received.

The 5.6-mile rail corridor would run north and south between Natural Bridge and Chippewa, providing access to Union Station and the new soccer stadium, CityPark.

The 7% reduction comes on top of a 5% cut in March. Transit officials say the latest cuts bring the bus service in line with the number of drivers it has.

A partnership with Chestnut Health Systems originated on the Illinois side of the St. Louis area’s public transit system in 2021 and expanded to two stations in Missouri earlier this year.