NextStop Blog

Metro transit will be putting its first articulated buses into service in the St. Louis region on the #70 Grand Line in June.

The 60-foot rebuilt buses, which pivot or bend in the middle, are the most cost effective way to ease overcrowding and add more capacity to Metro’s busiest bus route.

To celebrate the newest addition to the MetroBus fleet, one of the articulated buses will be transformed into a gigantic rolling work of art that will travel back and forth on the #70 Grand Line for the next year. All ages are welcome to help paint murals on the bus on May 31.

The murals that will be painted on the articulated bus at the event were designed by The Firecracker Press in St. Louis. The bus will be painted by using a paint-by-number approach which makes it easy for all .

“Since Grand Boulevard itself traverses such a varied and diverse stretch of St. Louis, we asked The Firecracker Press to feature a sampling of the notable civic landmarks, iconic buildings and prominent features of the Grand Boulevard streetscape,” said David Allen, Director of the Metro Arts in Transit Program.

Allen added, “The design features a warm color palette intended to remind riders that St. Louis’ warm summer days are ahead when they are braving cold winter temperatures. The design will also prominently display the slogan “It’s Grand!” across the top panels of the bus.”

The 60-foot articulated buses will begin operating on the #70 Grand Line starting June 9. These vehicles will accommodate nearly 25 percent more passengers than the 40-foot buses currently on the route. The large capacity buses are part of Metro’s ongoing effort to build a better transit system for the St. Louis region.