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Metro Quarterly Service Update Scheduled for August 14
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Metro’s quarterly service change goes into effect on Monday, August 14, and will modify the operations of 33 MetroBus routes in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
The most significant change will be that all MetroBus routes currently serving 18th Street & Clark Avenue near Union Station will move back to the Civic Center Transit Center at 14th and Spruce Streets. The Civic Center Transit Center has undergone a complete transformation, including the construction of an indoor waiting area, concessions area and public restrooms, and triple the number of bus bays, to accommodate all 23 MetroBus routes that serve downtown St. Louis.
Photos: View the latest images from the Civic Center Transit Center.
Be Prepared: Learn about changes coming to your MetroBus route.
In addition, four existing MetroBus routes will be split into eight new routes. The new MetroBus routes will provide passengers with better reliability and shorter, more direct service.
Metro regularly monitors and reviews feedback from riders and bus operators, and uses the feedback and other trip data to make updates to MetroBus routes and schedules each quarter. These service updates improve on-time performance and MetroLink connections, and are a part of Metro’s commitment to build a better experience for the transit riders throughout the region.
Riders may contact Metro Transit Information at 314-231-2345 or 618-271-2345. On August 14, Metro Transit Information will begin operating new, expanded service hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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I notice there are many instances of multiple buses leaving civic center at the same time, although the early part of their routes largely overlap. I assume this is related to coordinating bus transfers, but it drastically reduces options for those living around the city center. We are now stuck with the same every-40-minute schedule as those who live farther out, even though multiple buses would potentially serve. It also ignores anyone who transfers from buses to trains, which run every 6-12 minutes. A majority of those trains are now useless to those seeking a bus transfer. So you have created a bus system which caters only to those living outside the city, and a train system with a majority of its schedule only usable by people who drove to the train or are lucky enough to live in walking distance. One reason to live near a city center is convenience, but leave it to backwards St. Louis to create a suburban mass transit experience in a downtown setting. If the main bus routes are designed for longer commutes, there should be shorter, more frequent circulators available similar to the new Market street route that hit population centers north and south of downtown.
Roy, thank you so much for providing your feedback as it relates to MetroBus service. If you are unaware, the #99 Downtown Trolley operates every 20 minutes. The rationale around the Civic Center Transit Center is allowing the buses to connect at the Civic Center Transit Center with other buses and MetroLink. Our priority is bus to bus connections, then train connections due to train frequency. We will closely monitor customer feedback about this new service plan, as well as pay close attention to how the service operates to determine what changes may be needed in the near future. I encourage you to let us know how the new service impacts the trips you make aboard Metro. You may reach us at [email protected], at 314-982-1406, or by speaking directly with one of our MetroBus managers that will be stationed at the Civic Center Transit Center.
Obviously I am aware of the Downtown Trolley, and always marvel at its emptiness. Perhaps you should put more focus on getting people to and from downtown, because as it is you just substantially reduced those options. My point was there should be similar lines to the trolley which loop just south and north of downtown, directly connecting neighborhoods like Soulard, Cherokee, and the Grove with each other/Downtown. This is especially needed now since the new bus schedules are designed solely for longer distance commuters.
Roy, all great ideas. Under our current budget parameters, we’re unable to offer additional service options similar to that of the #99 Downtown Trolley. That being said, we’ll make sure to pass this along to our long-range planner to include in Metro ReImagined (more info –> https://www.metrostlouis.org/nextstop/help-us-chart-a-new-vision-for-metrobus/).
Thanks Matthew. Sounds like we found a good use for that sales tax from the soccer stadium vote! And sorry for any snark in my comment. This new schedule is adding about an hour to my workday, as well as restricting me to a very specific window I can leave and get a ride home. So I’m a bit rattled. My commute went from good and flexible to frankly kind of garbage. Given my proximity to the transit hub this should alarming to anyone who cares about transit in the city. It’s a giant step in the wrong direction for creating a vibrant, pedestrian friendly city. Thanks again for listening.
Roy, always happen to listen and forward requests to the proper people on our side. The more we can talk and walk through these changes, the better transit system we can create. Have a great weekend.
I see that you all no longer post the turning directions to the routes , which I found to be useful when routes change and the map isn’t detailed enough.
Is it possible to get them back?
Jay, we removed turning directions when we switched over to the new redesign due to its lack of popularity. That being said, we can email you turning directions if you’d like. What route/s were you looking for?
I’m looking for the turning directions to the New 20 S. Broadway route.
Thank you.
Jay, I sent you an email.
Great, my weekend commute to work went from one hour to two hours. And just how does splitting up the 40 Broadway make commuting better if passengers from up north have to transfer from the 40 North Broadway just to continue down the same street? As if weekend schedules aren’t difficult enough to get around, Metro has now created a system that’s an even bigger headache. I wouldn’t have too much of a problem if connections were better, but there’s still a huge gap between the 40 North Broadway’s arrival to Civic Center and the 20 South Broadway’s departure.
Dailey, thank you for letting us know about your concerns related to changes coming to the #40 Broadway MetroBus route. As you’ve discovered, come August 14, the #40 Broadway will be split into two routes — the #40 N. Broadway and the #20 S. Broadway. Using ridership data and on-board observations, we discovered many of the passengers using the #40 Broadway rarely ride the entire route from north to south. In fact, we found most passengers on the #40 Broadway board in the north and exit in the northern section of the route or in downtown St. Louis. By splitting the #40 Broadway route, it will allow for more reliable, better on-time MetroBus performance. As for south part of the route, the #20 S. Broadway, we’ll also be able to serve newer destinations such as the Veteran’s Hospital at Jefferson Barracks and to the South County Mall, making important connections with the #48 S. Lindbergh, the #73 Carondelet and the #17 Oakville.
After looking at the revised schedule for the 21 Watson Rd my commute to and from work just received a new “crimp”. With the first eastbound leaving the Community College at 4:44 am and arriving at Shrewsbury at 5:08 and the train leaving at 5:13 am I can tell you 5 minutes is not enough time to make the connection. With bad knees, if I wait on the elevator, I miss the train, if I walk around to the ramp at the other end of the platform I miss the train, not to mention 3 flights of concrete stairs. Why did the bus times change for this route? prior to this they worked.
John, the time change is actually a result of the feedback you provided to us this spring. As you’ve noticed, come August 14, the schedule for the #21 Watson Rd will provide better connections with MetroLink at the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 MetroLink Station as well as with the #11 Chippewa MetroBus route. For the most part, we consider a standard connection time of five minutes. As always, we will closely monitor customer feedback about this new service plan, as well as pay close attention to how the service operates to determine what changes may be needed in the near future.
If you take a bus to the city, the leaving times are all the same now. What is the point of having all the buses that run down Gravois leaving at the same time?
Before there was always a bus to get you to Soulard or Russell/Gravois or to Lafayette/Tucker. Now there are no options.
All of the buses leaving Soulard in the morning are on the same schedule too. There are giant gaps of time with no buses arriving to take anyone to the Civic Center.
Elizabeth, first off, thank you for sharing your feedback. With 23 routes now serving the Civic Center Transit Center and with other multimodal options like MetroLink nearby, scheduling bus routes is a unique challenge for our planners. For the most part, under this particular service plan, we really wanted to streamline the bus-to-bus connection. For a majority of passengers, they will use the transit center to make important bus connections (and some may transfer to MetroLink). The grouping of 30-minute or 40-minute MetroBus trips to the Civic Center Transit Center at one time allows for routes to converge around the same time, providing passengers with a five to 15 minute layover before departing. Again, our priority is bus to bus connections, then train connections due to train frequency. We will closely monitor customer feedback about this new service plan, as well as pay close attention to how the service operates to determine what changes may be needed in the near future. I encourage you to let us know how the new service impacts the trips you make aboard Metro. You may reach us at [email protected], at 314-982-1406, or by speaking directly with one of our MetroBus managers that will be stationed at the Civic Center Transit Center.
Hello,
I’ve noticed for a while now that the connection timing from MetroLink to bus has been less than optimal. On Saturday evenings catching the #11 at Shrewsbury I frequently find I miss the bus by literally 1 minute, and then waiting 40 for the next one. Or if I’m lucky I might be able to sprint down the platform, stairs and block to try and catch it at the second stoplight. With the recent schedule changes it appears that will now be part of my commute every day of the week. Is it possible to give some consideration to timing so things are maybe not quite so frantic?
Thanks
Hey, Marcus! Thanks for letting us know about your experience with the #11 Chippewa and the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 MetroLink Station. When putting together a schedule, we usually have one priority connection point. With the #11 Chippewa at Shrewsbury it is the #21 Wastson Rd MetroBus route. We do try to connect the train with bus leave times, but it is not always possible. Also, trains run more frequently than buses, connectivity is emphasized on the bus to bus. If you provide us a more specific time, we may look into this particular connection.
Hey Matthew,
On weekdays it will be the bus departing at 6:33p I’ll likely be just missing.
Thanks Marcus!
Help! I work for a Cardinal Glennon Hospital and I am also a monthly bus pass customer. I am experiencing issues with the 70 Grand Northbound bus for months. It never seems to be on time. I NEED to connect with the Metro train at 651p daily. Why can’t this bus make it there to meet the connection? I then need to catch the #11 going south. I am a female trying to get home safely but I end up having to wait for the next #11 or #73.(45mins or more) Can’t make it home to make a dinner because I end up taking a #30 and walking home. These days, its getting to dangerous. Frankly, I’m considering going back to driving. It’s sad because I generally enjoy the bus and I’m trying to support public trans. IDK…do you having any comments or suggestions?
Sorry for the delay Valere and we apologize for your frustrating experience riding Metro. We are currently evaluating why the #70 Grand is having trouble staying on time. It sounds as if you do have some options, so to better assist you with the best route we would need to know your final destination. Please call customer service at 314-231-2345 and we will personally assist you.