Metro has recently begun its Bus Stop Evaluation Program, an effort that will examine every bus stop in the Missouri MetroBus system. The goal of the program is to help make the existing system more efficient, better for customers, and more sustainable. Metro will relocate or even eliminate bus stops, as necessary, to provide consistent spacing of bus stops and to increase service speeds.
Metro’s effort with this program is commendable and long overdue. Poor stop spacing and slow service speeds have long been a complaint of MetroBus riders. Metro’s outreach and effort to seek public comment, however, has been disappointing.
Metro first announced the program on its NextStop STL blog on July 22 but did not include any specific details. Almost immediately thereafter, stickers began appearing on select bus stop signs indicating that Metro had proposed them for elimination. For a while, the stickers were the only way to identify which stops had been marked for elimination. It was not until yesterday that Metro finally published complete lists of bus stops proposed for elimination to its NextStop STL blog. Bizarrely, there is not even a peep of the Bus Stop Evaluation Program on Metro’s main website.
It’s unacceptable that details of a program that will affect the commutes of 100,000 daily riders is relegated to blog posts that will quickly be buried over time. The program should have a featured spot on the Metro homepage. Not every bus rider is a regular everyday commuter and the stickers are difficult to spot and read.
Regardless, all bus riders should click on over and follow the NextStop STL blog for details of the Bus Stop Evaluation Program. Lists of bus stops proposed for elimination have been published for the 33 Dorsett-Lackland, 45 Ferguson Florissant, 57 Maplewood Wildwood, and 91 Olive bus lines. If you have an opinion on the proposed changes, you better make it quick: the comment period for the 57 and 91 bus lines ends August 8th!
Cross-posted at nextSTL.