ST. LOUIS– Metro Transit officials say they’re hopeful that recent trends indicating an easing of the agency’s issues with hiring drivers can help stabilize Metro Bus service in the region, but say it could be up to a year away from having the resources necessary to consider expanding frequency of services.
The comments from Metro Transit leaders came during a Thursday online conversation hosted by Citizens for Modern Transit, a regional transit advocacy group, and come ahead of a new round of Metro Bus schedule adjustments that will take effect on Monday.
Charles Stewart, Metro Transit’s Chief Operating Officer, said the changes taking effect amount to a 5% cut in service. A total of 26 routes will see reduced frequency on weekends with four being temporarily suspended.
The changes have been prompted by a lack of ridership and the fact that Stewart said Metro is still short roughly 200 bus drivers.
“June 12 hopefully improves service for a lot of people. I'm sure it has some negative impact on some but again it's something we need to do to move forward,” he said.
“Our demand may have changed as a result of COVID. We may not see some of the same riders that we've seen in the past with the same kinds of needs that they've had in the past so we need to assess that as well and provide the right service for the community,” Stewart said.
If COVID changed ridership patterns, transit advocates have also suggested that service cuts have, too, prompting a vicious cycle. The latest changes are meant to improve reliability and reduce cancellations that could come due to workforce shortages.
“Service in the future might look different than it does today and that's ok, it needs to match where the demands are and where they're projected to be but we're in the beginning stages of that process here at Metro now to get out of that cycle,” said Jessica Gershman Assistant Executive Director of Planning and Systems.
Here are the MetroBus changes, according to Metro’s website. There are no changes to MetroLink schedules.
MetroBus | Schedule Adjustments
#1 Main Street-State Street (IL) | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance.
#2 Cahokia Heights (IL) | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance.
#6 Rosemont (IL) | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance.
#8 Alta Sita (IL) | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance.
#30 Arsenal | New Schedule: Weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance.
#49 Lindbergh | New Schedule: Schedule adjustments to weekday afternoon trips to improve on-time performance.
#90 Hampton | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance.
MetroBus | Schedule and Routing Adjustments
#3 Sauget-Water Street (IL) | New Schedule | New Map: Route adjustment to serve 8th Street in both directions, adding early morning and late afternoon trips on weekdays.
#9 Washington Park (IL) | New Schedule | New Map: Route extended to include 62nd and Forest Streets on select trips.
#13 Caseyville (IL) | New Schedule | New Map: Weekday and weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance. New time points added at Tucker Drive by Tyson Foods and E. Scates St. in Caseyville.
#21 Watson Rd | New Schedule | New Map: Weekday and weekend schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance. Routing change at STLCC-Meramec.
MetroBus | Reduced Service on Weekdays and Weekends
#1 Gold | New Schedule: Weekday service will end at 10 p.m. Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency and will end at 8 p.m.
#4 Natural Bridge | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on hourly frequency.
#5 Green | New Schedule: Weekend service will be temporarily suspended.
#8 Shaw-Cherokee | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency.
#9 Oakville | New Schedule: Weekend service will be temporarily suspended.
#10 Gravois-Lindell | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on 40-minute frequency during the late afternoon and hourly during the evening.
#11 Chippewa | New Schedule: Sunday service will operate on 40-minute frequency until the evening, then hourly until end of service.
#13 Union | New Schedule: Weekday service will end at 10 p.m. Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency and will end at 8 p.m.
#16 City Limits | New Schedule: Sunday service will operate on hourly frequency.
#18 Taylor | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency.
#19 St. Louis Ave. | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency.
#32 Dr. ML King | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend service will operate on hourly frequency.
#33 Midland | New Schedule: Weekday service after 6 p.m. and weekend service all-day will operate on 80-minute frequency.
#34 Earth City | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency.
#35 Rock Road | New Schedule: Sunday service will operate on hourly frequency.
#40 N. Broadway | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend service will operate on hourly frequency until 6 p.m., then every 80 minutes until end of service.
#41 Lee | New Schedule: Weekday service after 6 p.m. and weekend service all-day will operate on two-hour frequency.
#42 Sarah | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency.
#56 Kirkwood-Webster | New Schedule | New Map: Weekday service will end at 8 p.m. Weekend service will be temporarily suspended. Routing change at STLCC-Meramec.
#58 Chesterfield Valley | New Schedule: Weekday service after 6 p.m. and weekend service all-day will operate on 80-minute frequency.
#59 Oakland | New Schedule: Weekday service will end at 8 p.m. Weekend service will be temporarily suspended.
#61 Chambers | New Schedule: Sunday service will operate on 40-minute frequency.
#64 Lucas-Hunt | New Schedule: Weekend service will end earlier during the evening.
#70 Grand | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on 20-minute frequency until 5:30 p.m., then 30-minute frequency until end of service.
#76 McDonnell-Waterford | New Schedule: Weekday and weekend service will end at 8 p.m.
#77 Village Square | New Schedule: Sunday service will operate on two-hour frequency.
#94 Page | New Schedule: Sunday service will operate on 40-minute frequency.
#95 Kingshighway | New Schedule: Weekday service after 8 p.m. and weekend service all-day will operate on 40-minute frequency
#98 Ballas-North Hanley | New Schedule: Service will operate on two-hour frequency weekday and Saturday evenings and all-day on Sunday.
#100 Hazelwood | New Schedule: Weekend service will operate on two-hour frequency.