News

New MetroBus Shuttle Service Begins Monday

Dianne Williams   
Director of Communications
314-982-1440

Metro officials announced today that starting Monday, November 28, 2011, a new shuttle route will be offered to MetroBus customers along Russell Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and Gravois Avenue. The new #180 Russell Shuttle will be in service Monday through Friday operating every 40 minutes during rush hour and will provide service in the McKinley Heights neighborhood along Russell Boulevard with direct access for MetroBus customers to the Civic Center MetroLink Station.

The shuttle service is being added in response to a recent favorable funding decision and to customer feedback to the quarterly MetroBus service change which goes into effect on November 28. Metro listened to input from customers regarding the scheduled service changes to the #14 Botanical Garden route, the # 80 Park Shaw route and the #8 Bates Morganford route.

In addition to adding the #180 shuttle service; in January 2012, Metro will return the #8 Bates Morganford to its pre-November 28 route to the Civic Center MetroLink Station and will expand the #80 Park Shaw to serve both the Civic Center and Central West End MetroLink Stations.

The service changes being implemented on November 28 are in response to current ridership demand and Metro’s current funding and future funding outlook. The additional changes described here are in response to customer feedback and can be maintained with stable local and federal funding. Any future changes in funding levels will necessitate a revision of service levels.

Metro will continue to monitor service performance and customer feedback, and will respond by providing the most effective service plan within our financial resources.

SUMMARY OF NEWLY ANNOUNCED SERVICE CHANGES

#180 Russell – This route will be operated as a van shuttle serving the McKinley Heights neighborhood along Russell Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and Gravois Avenue to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Service will operate Monday through Friday every 40 minutes from 5 a.m.to 8 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. This change will be implemented on November 28, 2011. This service will be replaced by the #8 Bates Morganford in early January.

#80 Park Shaw – This route will continue to provide service to the Civic Center Station and will be extended to also provide service to the Central West End MetroLink Station via Tower Grove Avenue. Service will operate every 40 minutes during rush hour and hourly during non-rush hour times. This change will be implemented in early January 2012.

New Shuttle Route/Service Changes continued

#8 Bates Morganford – This route will return to its pre-November 28 configuration, and will return to serving Russell Boulevard to the Civic Center MetroLink Station. Service will operate every 40 minutes during rush hour and hourly during non-rush hour times. This change will be implemented in early January 2012.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED CHANGES EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 28

#1 Gold – From the start of service to 7:00 p.m. on Weekdays, service will operate every 20 minutes instead of every 15 minutes, and all trips will operate from the Central West End Transit Center to the Clayton Transit Center.

#13 Union – Service will operate every 40 minutes instead of every 30 minutes.

#14 Botanical Garden – This route will be discontinued in the present form. Service between Central West End and Botanical Garden will be operated on the #8 Bates Morganford, and service between Tower Grove and the Hill area will be operated on the #80 Park Shaw.

#16 City Limits – The Jamieson Bridge will reopen in late November 2011. The #16 will resume regular route. The routing will be changed to serve the Senior Apartments on Hodiamont and Etzel. Southbound trips will access the Delmar Station westbound on Des Peres.

#30 Soulard – The first northbound trip adjusted to time connect with the #70 Grand northbound at Grand & Arsenal.

#33 Dorsett Lackland – Trip time adjustments to provide better connections with the Metrolink.

#47 North Hanley – The last northbound trip on Weekdays and Saturdays will leave 8 minutes later to connect with the Westbound MetroLink scheduled to arrive at North Hanley Station at 12:10 a.m.

#59 Dogtown – Service will operate every 40 minutes between Central West End and Webster Groves during the day, and every 60 minutes at night. Service between Central West End and Forest Park Community College will operate every 20 minutes during weekday hours.

#64 Lucas Hunt – Trip time adjustments to provide better connections with the Metrolink.

#70 Grand – The first northbound trip adjusted to time connect with the #11 Chippewa at Grand & Chippewa and the #30 Soulard at Grand & Arsenal.

Service updates on MetroBus operations can be found at www.metrostlouis.org in the Service Changes section. Customer Service representatives are available from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, by calling 314-231-2345 or 618-271-2345.