MORE PRETTY WORDS FROM METRO AND A FEW WORDS OF MY OWN

Metro sent me some more "feedback" on my suggestion that they provide toilets.  It's the same thing they said in the last post, about my first post on this subject.

Here: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/metro-says-bathrooms-are-to-expensive.html
and
Here: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/metro-bus-and-train-stations-need-more.html

Metro executives, and people in power generally, I would like for you to understand something.  People like me are tired of "business of usual."  I get that you are just "doing your jobs" and "this is how it is" but you see, THAT IS NOT WORKING.  FOR MOST OF US.

Not just bus riders in Saint Louis, Missouri, but on every part of this planet, and in every section of society.  That the BASIC NEEDS of humans are routinely ignored in favor of profit, and that our entire world has become a "for profit" venture, designed to benefit only a small percentage of the population.

Now, it might be working for you.  That's great.  As I have said many times before, if you all had to ride the bus every day, everywhere you went, your perspectives would be a lot different.

But the real bottom line is: Public Transit Agencies should NOT BE ABOUT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.  If the funding for necessary structures is not available and your customers need it, someone on your staff should be looking into it.

Truly powerful people do not accept limitations.  Truly powerful people do what is best for everyone, and not what is best for themselves alone. 

Metro SHOULD be in the business of getting better facilities and street services because their riders depend on it. 

FROM ANY POINT OF YOUR SERVICE THERE SHOULD BE A TOILET WITHIN-minimum- 90 MINUTES.  And 60 minutes would be better.  Now, you could have a lot fewer facilities if your system had more Metrolink services in the areas with the most transit riders.  But this needs to be part of your overall plan.

I HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT BEING A FORWARD THINKING HUMAN BEING, WITH THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE AHEAD OF YOUR OWN JOB COMFORT.

So I am going to continue to send my requests for better service, regardless of how tiresome you find them,  I find the lack of toilets tiresome. 

I find the fact that your agency- and everyone else "in power"-- does not have an ideal that it is working from, and only deviating from that ideal when all possibilities have been exhausted. 

The solutions are out there.  Apparently you cannot see them.

Metro's response:

In response to customer requests, Metro has begun to integrate public restroom facilities in select MetroBus and MetroLink facilities. I believe I discussed this with you, but to reiterate we currently provide public restrooms at Riverview and Hall Transit Center; Clayton MetroLink Station; and Belleville MetroLink Station. In 2015 we anticipate opening one new transit center (North County Transit Center) and opening an expanded Civic Center Transit Center. Both of these new/expanded facilities will include public restrooms.

Metro is not in the business of providing public restrooms throughout the entire region, or even at all MetroLink stations and MetroBus Transit Centers. These facilities, even the pay facilities we have explored, are expensive to purchase and maintain and in some locations present public safety challenges. Resources devoted to constructing and maintaining public toilets reduce available resources for operating public transit. Metro’s policy moving forward is to integrate public restrooms at new or reconstructed facilities where they make sense from the perspective of customer volume and public safety, and where funding permits.

Thank You,

Jessica Mefford-Miller
Chief of Planning and System Development
Metro
707 North First Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63102-2595
Ph: 314.982.1479jnmefford@metrostlouis.org