DEAR FEDERAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY

EDIT: 25 April 2014, I filed a formal complaint with the FTA Inspector General, asking them to investigate and audit Metro and Prop A and Dooley, and asked them to refuse to give Metro anymore funds for the Cortex Metrolink station proposed between the CWE and Grand.

The Region 7 FTA office in Kansas City has promised that someone from the Federal office will be returning my call about Metro.

I started Occupy Public Transportation In St. Louis on March 24th, exactly one month ago.  At the beginning I only wanted to stop the fare increase and to get Metro to listen to their riders' needs (better service, bathrooms, improved bus stops and sidewalk conditions, etc).  But in the course of the last few weeks my research has led me to the conclusion that the entire agency needs an overhaul.

• First and foremost, Metro needs to be separated from Bi-State Development Agency. 

• Metro bus drivers deserve a new bargaining agreement.  I don't understand how an Agency that receives so much federal funding can be allowed to treat their employees this way.  6 years without a new contract! Not to mention the slow erosion of pensions and benefits, and the fact that new driver's start at $12 an hour is ridiculous!  And even the top pay of $21 an hour is not enough for that job.  It should be $25, and the starting wage should be at least $15.  http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/rider-alert-metro-whines-about-one-day.html

• The entire current executive leadership needs to be removed.  And it should be mandatory that ALL Metro executives use public transportation frequently.    http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/do-metro-executives-ride-public-transit.html

• John Nations needs to resign as CEO or be fired.  (And no CEO of Metro should be making five times what a bus driver makes!  No more $250,000 a year executive salaries!)

• There needs to be public toilets at all Metrolink and major bus transfer centers.  http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/bi-state-development-agency-is.html

• Metro has mismanaged funds: received large federal grants for Metrolink extensions without producing trains to those areas (because they did not do the work to build community support, and apparently did not anticipate how hard those communities would fight), and generally done nothing more than acquire real estate and line the pockets of a few corrupt developers and local politicians.   They do not currently have any new rail lines in construction, just vague "plans" that seem to keep hitting snafus (and excuses).   http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/again-metro-has-long-history-of.html  AND  http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-apalling-racist-fiasco-of-2005-and.html

• County Executive Charlie Dooley needs to be investigated and audited by the public.  The same "Public Transportation" bond issue that failed before voters in 2008 was repackaged as a "Public Transit" bond in 2010.  Far too many sources either hint or say outright that Metro-- having lost too many lawsuits regarding mismanagement of funds on the Shrewsbury Metrolink, and the barring of minority contractors- had to be given a 39.5 million dollar bailout (when their yearly operating expense was $42 million) for legal fees and settlements.  Dooley did this only because Metro agreed to help "pull the wool" over voter's eyes in regards to Proposition "A".(I don't have court-worthy documentation on all of this yet, but it is coming.) http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/again-metro-has-long-history-of.html      AND  http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/what-metro-is-doing-with-your-money-and.html  AND http://occupyurlife.blogspot.com/2014/04/occupy-saint-louis-county-executive.html

• The way that Metro does its survey and planning needs to change.  Their data is general population and employment statistics.  They admit that the buses are the bulk of their operation, and that north St. Louis city and county comprise their busiest transit hubs, yet they fail to survey the buses, or involve the communities in planning. When they do survey, almost always only once a year, and on the Metrolink, they do not gather the necessary information, or compute it accurately. Their starting point needs to be collecting the proper data on their riders-- who they are, where they travel and why, etc.  (In other words, they should serve their customers, and not the other way around.)   http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/what-metros-new-survey-should-be.html

• Metro needs to focus all of its Metrolink expansion in north St. Louis city and county.  This is the area they admit has the most need and most transit riders.  This is the area that is "incarcerated by lack of decent public transportation." There is plenty of existing rail, and plenty of room to develop more light rail.  That they have not seriously addressed this, and continue to make other arrangements-- like the big buses for the Lucas Hunt and Natural Bridge bus routes-- demonstrates that they have no long term plans for this area.  http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/brand-new-big-buses-for-4-64-and-70-but.html  AND   .http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/east-west-gateway-council-of.html

• More outreach needs to be done with street services in regards to bus stop placement and bus stop maintenance and needs (lighting, sidewalk maintenance). And Metro needs to improve all of its' bus stops generally (route and schedule information at every bus stop, trash cans, more benches and covered stops).  People should be able to navigate their way from any bus stop, even if they have never ridden the bus before!   http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-should-be-metros-new-bus-stop-plan.html

The person I spoke to said that they (the FTA) were "aware of some of the problems" with Bi-State dba Metro. (It is pretty  obvious that they have not been able to add more than 9 miles of light rail track since 1999, although they received a lot of federal money for the failed proposed St. Charles, and also Illinois extensions to Madison County-- which was rejected due to the same racism as in St. Charles.)

When they call me, I am going to ask them what I would need to know if I were to take over Metro operations tomorrow.  To be clear, I know that this will not happen (I actually would never want the Metro job, and wish I wasn't even spending my time on OPTINSTL-- oh to live in a fair and honest world!), but in order to change anything I always start from the ideal and work my way back from there.

So, if I took over Metro tomorrow, what would I need to know and do to make the necessary changes outlined above?
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/how-anyone-can-change-world-outlined-in.html 
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/i-want-to-live-in-city-with-great.html 

Feel free to call the FTA and ask them these questions yourself.  The more people that call, the more power we have, and the more likely we are to see changes.  You can file a complaint with the FTA Inspector General anonymously, and receive a PIN to track the progress of the investigation on your complaint.

FTA Region 7 Office, 901 Locust Street, Suite 404, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Telephone (816) 329-3920, Fax (816) 329-3921 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.)

BI-STATE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING PUBLIC TOILETS

Metro is a "doing business as" (dba) of Bi-State Development Agency.

Bi-State Development Agency was formed in 1949 for the purpose of "making the region more attractive to business".

What was their first job?  CREATING THE METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT.  Which is now a separate entity.

Bi-State did not even get into Public Transit until the 1960's, when they bought 15 failing private bus lines.

According to Wikipedia:
In addition, Metro also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport (formerly Parks) and the adjoining industrial business park, paddlewheel-style river excursion boats, the tram system leading to the top of the Gateway Arch, and the Arch's parking garage. 
 ...
The agency was created on September 20, 1949 through a compact between Missouri and Illinois and ratified by the United States Congress. Metro's broad powers enable it to cross local, county, and state boundaries to plan, construct, maintain, own, and operate specific facilities in its effort to enhance the quality of life in the region. Its service area encompasses 200 municipalities. The agency continued to operate streetcars from the St. Louis Public Service Company in St. Louis until May 1966 with the discontinuation of the Hodiamont line.^[4] First public support of transit came to the region in 1974. Buses continued to dominate Metro's fleet until a feasibility study in the late 80's suggested the construction of a light rail line from Lambert St. Louis International Airport to 5th and Missouri in East St. Louis via an abandoned segment of railway; that included abandoned tunnels under downtown St. Louis and the then disused Eads Bridge lower deck railway.

Metro's own Comprehensive Annual reports show that the only thing that DOESN'T operate at a loss in the Arch Trams and the parking garage!

Without the public transit they are a tiny little agency, operating on less than $5 million a year.  It's the public transit that brings in the 160 million of taxpayer money.  It's Metro that allows people like John Nations to get a quarter of a million a year salary and the "grooming" for a senate seat.

When Metro (Bi-State Development Agency d.b.a.) says that they are "not in the business of supplying public toilet facilities" they are lying.  They are in the business of whatever they want to be, as long as they can justify it fitting in with "making the region more attractive to talented young professionals". 

Business owners benefit from increased public toilet facilities, too.  For example, one of my favorite restaurants is The Kitchen Sink (TKS).  They started out next to the Debalivere Metrolink.  They moved to Union Blvd. last fall because the owner was tired of people coming in to use the restroom, and also peeing on the side of the building and in his entryway when the restaurant was closed.

Yesterday-- even though I don't drink an hour before I leave for the bus, and often go 5 hours without using a toilet when riding the bus and Metrolink- I found myself needing a bathroom at the Delmar Metrolink.  Every business I approached had a sign stating "NO PUBLIC RESTROOMS."

If you own a business near a bus or Metrolink stop, you should call Metro and demand they get in the business of providing toilets. 

Metro's money comes solely from public money.  We should have the right to determine how they spend it. 

There is a legal basis for their responsibility to provide toilets.  Hold them accountable for this!

JAM THE PHONE LINES! CALL EVERYTIME YOU RIDE!  DEMAND THAT THEY INSTALL TOILET FACILITIES!

From Metro's Website:

History

In the beginning...
In existence for more than 60 years, Metro Transit is one of the nation's oldest interstate agencies.  However, it hasn't always been known as Metro Transit.
It was established as the Bi-State Development Agency (BSDA) in 1949 through an interstate compact between Missouri and Illinois, ratified by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Harry S. Truman.  (The BSDA adopted the name Metro in 2003.)  The BSDA was created to serve the region on both sides of the Mississippi - to have a regional outlook not tied to any one municipality, county or state.  As such, it was given broad powers that enable it to cross local, county and state boundaries to enhance the development of the region.  
Although the Agency is now best known for its transit system, it would be 14 years - in 1963 - before it operated a public transit vehicle.  In fact, during its first year of operation, the BSDA:

• Commissioned a comprehensive plan for development of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District, outlining the major needs of the area and recommending solutions.
• Sponsored a study of the pollution in the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area.  This led to a successful program where local industries voluntarily agreed to treat wastes in order to reduce pollution.
• Completed a study of the sewer problems of St. Louis County, which led to the establishment of the Metropolitan Sewer District.
• Sponsored an area-wide survey of highways and expressways in Missouri and Illinois - one of the first instances of coordinated interstate highway planning.

CITIZENS FOR MODERN TRANSIT: MORE RICH PEOPLE THAT DON'T RIDE THE BUS

I found out about these people today, from this post: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/metro-optinstl-is-driven-by-you.html 

The Citizens for Modern Transit.  That this organization even exists is an insult to public transit riders.

They don't seem to do ANY outreach to areas that rely on public transit the most.  Looking at their "About" section they seem like the suburban "park and ride the Metrolink to Cardinals game" crowd.

The fact that they are behind the ridiculous proposal of adding another $9 million stop between the CWE and Grand for a new "business development" (for the corporation Cortex), pretty much makes them useless to those of us that have to ride the bus.

However, OPTINSTL recommends taking their "surveys".  The people that designed their surveys are huffing glue! They ask you a question about how many bikes and scooters and cars you own, with no choice for NONE, AFTER they have already asked you this, and you have to choose 1,2, or 3 cars or scooters, or something, to move to the next page of the survey.  Clearly they do not have the non-car household in mind at all!

Feel free to abuse them by checking "Other" and writing "you idiots I told you I don't have a car".  Later, when the survey won't let you move on without answering what options your employer offers, remind them of how you checked "unemployed" two answers back (also by checking "other".)

THIS IS THEIR SURVEY: http://cmt-stl.org/programs/cmt-surveys/

Add them to JAM THE PHONES LINES when you are tired of calling Metro and Mayor Slay and Metro East West Gateway Council of Governments and the County Executive's office!

Citizens For Modern Transit:
Making Transit a Priority for the Region

911 Washington, Ste. 200
St. Louis, MO 63101
314.231.7272

(Making Transit a priority????? FOR WHOM???)

Call them and ask them what they are doing to get a train to the parts of the city that use public transit the most.

Ask them why their survey is only designed for people that drive?  Ask them what they are doing to really "move transit forward"?

Ask them how often THEY ride public transit, and how long their trip is?  Then suggest they adopt the OPTINSTL survey to REALLY gather MEANINGFUL STATISTICS instead of crap about the park and ride crowd that owns cars.

http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/what-metros-new-survey-should-be.html

Look at this junk statistic they throw around on their website:

Every $10 million in capital investment in public transportation yields $30 million in increased business sales, and every $10 million in operating investment in public transportation yields $32 million in increased business sales.

Translation: Your money becomes profit for businessmen and developers.

Please, Public Transit rider, FLOOD THEM WITH FEEDBACK!

PUBLIC TRANSIT SHOULD BE DECIDED BY THE PEOPLE THAT RELY ON IT THE MOST!!!

OCCUPY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN ST. LOUIS!

PROP A: WHAT YOU VOTED ON

This is a scan of the language on the ballot.  "Pubic Transportation" which "includes" Metro transit, is my guess what the argument will be ("no we always meant that Charlie Dooley would decide what went to roads and what went to buses!")

http://occupyurlife.blogspot.com/2014/04/occupy-saint-louis-county-executive.html

Still have to file a Sunshine Act request to get the actual bond, but it is already obvious that they lied to the public.

This alone is the basis for a lawsuit.

Shall the County of St. Louis impose a countywide sales tax of one-half of one percent for the  purpose of providing a source of funds for public transportation purposes including the restoration, operation, and expansion of  Metrolink, MetroBus, dsabled and senior transportation, in addition to an existing sales tax of one-quarter of one percent for the same purpose?

Read this, too: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/what-metro-is-doing-with-your-money-and.html

HOW ANYONE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD, OUTLINED IN STEPS

1. PICK SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CHANGE
2. ENVISION THE END RESULT
3. RESEARCH THE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE OF THE THING YOU WANT TO CHANGE
4. IDENTIFY WHAT ACTIONS COULD POTENTIALLY CREATE THE CHANGES YOU SEEK
5. FIGURE OUT EVERYTHING YOU CAN DO ON YOUR OWN AND DO IT
6. STAY PASSIONATE, BUT DON'T LET IT MESS WITH YOUR HEAD 
7. YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MAY NOT BE INTERESTED
8. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

 
PICK SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CHANGE: METRO

ENVISION THE END RESULT: METRO provides services based on ridership and riders needs.  Facilities that are deemed important and necessary to riders are integrated into the overall development plans.  Executives have the public's interests at heart, and the agency is not run by or dictated to by businessmen.  The agency is totally transparent to the public, and the information about the agency's operations is made accessible and easily disseminated by the public.

RESEARCH THE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE OF THE THING YOU WANT TO CHANGE:  METRO has a lot of reasons why it can't provide better services, and why the current structure is the best.  First and foremost in your mind whenever you encounter a "problem" or "obstacle" to your vision is to realize that within every problem is the solution to that problem. 

Metro says it is not in the business of providing toilets:  Not true.  Metro is about "business development" and doing whatever is deemed necessary to make the city more attractive to "business development." Metro is run Bi-State Development Agency.  Initially Bi-State started out in 1950 as the Metropolitan Sewer District.  They didn't get into public transit until they bought some private bus lines in the late 1960's.   

The addition of Public Transit to Bi-State is what began to bring in the large government monies to subsidize the bus lines (business developers need cheap labor, and cheap labor doesn't generally own cars).

Bi-State dba Metro is actually about any business it chooses to be in.  Bi-State dba Metro also owns and operates the Arch trams and Riverboat attractions, and the St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia Illinois.  The trams are the only part of their endeavors that makes a profit.  Metro bus and metrolink, the airport, and the riverboat attractions all operate at a loss.

However, their other enterprises are in the amount of a 2 million or less a year.  METRO bus and trains are worth 225 million a year.

Moreover, ALL of the money from Metro bus and trains comes from the public: government money (income tax), sales tax (city and country), and state money (property taxes).  And then that 22% that comes from rider revenues.

A businessman like Metro's CEO John Nations is not going to get elected to a senate seat from running Bi-State, or get a $250,000 a year salary from the airport, trams and riverboat attractions.  it is the 225 million a year from Metro that gives him the platform.  In his current position, he gets to hob-knob with the local rich boys and politicians, and begin creating the network he will need if he gets to office.

No one at Metro is looking to make the transit system self-sustaining because that would remove the government monies.  They would have to really work with the public to make transit feasible for people of all income levels, and to make public transit the first choice of people that owned cars.  That is a lot for an agency that is set up exclusively for the manipulation of private interests and does not have to do any "real" work.

It would also create a situation where the transit agency would have to work AGAINST the interests of private business developers and local government officials in many instances.  (For example, challenging the city and county towns to let Metro decide where bus stops were placed and where trains would run, etc.)  It would mean wresting Metro's checkbook away from the County Executive and a separation of "transportation" and "transit" bonds. 

The current situation does not work in the transit riding public's interest.  That is fairly easy to demonstrate.

If the agency were run by someone with urban planning at heart, the buses and train would be the first and foremost priority, instead of  developing personal relationship with future campaign contributors.

The riding public would be consulted first on future train extensions and bus lines, with the thought of attracting passengers with cars by making public transit more convenient than driving.

IDENTIFY WHAT ACTIONS COULD POTENTIALLY CREATE THE CHANGES YOU SEEK:  This is the part that calls for flexibility.  If you don't need the cooperation of anyone else to make the changes, you can do the work yourself, but if you need the public you will have to "try and try again."

Don't be afraid to fail.  For instance, if the "Jam the Phone Lines" doesn't work- either enough people don't call, or the calls don't generate any changes- I will have to devise another strategy.

http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/why-flooding-metros-phone-lines-is.html
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/flooding-phone-lines-be-polite-but-dont.html
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/actions-to-take-to-change-public.html

However, it may be that a lawsuit challenging Bi-State's ability to run Metro, and the contention that Metro transit is owned wholly by the people (all of their income comes from public money, as outlined above), and that public transit is a necessity for approximately 75,000 people in the city and 25,000 people in the surrounding counties.  (Roughly 5% of the entire metro area, and 20% of the city.)

That is a strong enough reason for a lawsuit.  However, I am not a lawyer, so I still need to engage some other people-- that are lawyers.

http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/call-for-public-audit-of-metro-bi-state.html 
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/again-metro-has-long-history-of.html

FIGURE OUT EVERYTHING YOU CAN DO ON YOUR OWN AND DO IT:  This is fairly obvious.  But the most important thing is-- PACE YOURSELF.  I leaflet when ever I can. I talk to people when I can.

I call everytime I ride, about something-- questions about how they operate, demands for changes, and any problems I see. (A bus stop without a bus line number. problems with routes, etc.  Suggestions for immediate improvement.  The only thing I DON'T call about is the drivers.  They get enough calls about that and the bus drivers take enough crap about Metro's awful service.  I DO call about the fact that Metro has refused to reach a new bargaining agreement with the driver's union for 6 years.)

STAY PASSIONATE, BUT DON'T LET IT MESS WITH YOUR HEAD:  You are in this for the long haul.  Don't let them upset you.  The agency is going to say stupid things to you, insult you, insist that nothing that can be done.  You have to hang in there.  Don't work on it everyday.  Take a break.  Allot a certain amount of time each day or week or month and focus.

Live your life, but incorporate your activism into it.   I find out stuff about Metro all the time now, even when I am not talking to people about it.  I've started to look and listen.

Also, determine how much of troublemaker you want to be.  I don't believe in violence, and I don't want to take on so much that I have to worry about being arrested.  Most changes can be done legally.

There is always a risk, when challenging the current power structure, that draconian measures will be taken if you really become a threat.  The police and the military are controlled and used by private wealth to maintain private wealth and to create "order"--  meaning "business as usual."  However, in those circumstances, your actions will uncover any lurking fascism.  

And in that case, they will have to come right out in the open.  And generally, the public will respond in your favor.  It is worth it to challenge the power structure in any society, because that is what keeps fascism at bay.

This is one of the reasons that "Occupying" needs to become a hobby of every single person in this country.  By "occupying"-- learning about and monitoring-- all levels of government and public structures, we can exert our power and demand accountability.  We can keep fascism and violent upheaval at bay.  The more people that "Occupy" the less work there will be for any one of us.

YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MAY NOT BE INTERESTED:  The people closest you will be interested because they are interested in you, but they may not have the same passion or vision. After a while they may get bored with your cause.  This is normal.

Seek out the people that do, and form your alliances there.   Even when I am handing out leaflets, I ask people if they are interested in changing Metro to make it better for the people that ride it.  Not everyone is.  Save your leaflets and your energy.  Move on to the next person.  Identify the people most interested first.  The less motivated will become more interested as you continue to get results.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF:  In our society we are taught to believe that money is the only source of power.  But the wealthy are actually the least powerful among us.  ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.

When I was a radical political activist in my teens and early twenties (I am almost 50 now) we used to say "Money is the lowest form of participation."  TIME and IDEAS are the strongest.

Every person has something to offer.  The wealthy are the smallest part of the population.  There are far more of us than of them.  And without us doing the work or consuming to generate their wealth, they would have nothing.

Most social change has been generated by 3.5% of the population.  African-Americans are less than 20% of the population, and during the Civil Rights era, not all African-American's participated in the struggle.  Don't discount what a small but empowered group of people can do.  The powers that be cannot handle any disruption of "business as usual".  They are all about profits.  They count on the majority of the people being too downtrodden, or too unmotivated, or too divided, to work for change.

Prove them wrong.  Believe in yourself, your power, and your vision.

If you pace yourself and seek like-minded others, you will succeed.

FTA HAS SENT ME THE LINK TO THE METRO 2011 METRO COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL REPORT

One thing we don't have to file a Sunshine Act request for:

http://www.metrostlouis.org/Libraries/Annual_Financial_Reports/FY_2011_Comprehensive_Annual_Financial_Report.pdf

Now to sort through it.

I hope some Occupy Accountants and Financial Wizards will get on board soon.

The Table of Contents alone has supplied me with some information, and a quick glance at page 29.

Table of Contents:

Regional Statistics

Regional Population.........................................................................................................96

Regional Per Capita Personal Income

.............................................................................97

Regional Unemployment Rate .........................................................................................98

Regional Top Businesses ................................................................................................99

General population statistics are sited, but nothing on their riders, or changes in their riders.

Page 29:
Metro shows increased ridership and boardings from 2005 through 2009 on their website.  

Page 29 says "unemployment" has caused them to LOSE riders.

PROP A:

Missouri Sources

. Funding for Missouri projects comes from the City of St. Louis, St. Louis

County and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The City of St. Louis and

St. Louis County collect revenue from ½ cent and ¼ cent local sales taxes. Beginning this

fiscal year with the passage of Prop A, St. Louis County collects an additional ½ cent and the

City of St. Louis collects an additional ¼ cent. Both the City and the County appropriate all of

their receipts from the ¼ cent sales tax to Metro. The City of St. Louis appropriates virtually all

of its revenues from the ½ cent sales tax and Prop A to Metro. St. Louis County splits revenue

collected from the ½ cent sales tax between Metro and County road and bridge projects. They

also appropriated $39.5 mi

llion of the Prop A funds to Metro, of which $3 million was set aside

for future capital projects. Excluding Prop A, the County appropriated approximately $34.0

million and $34.8 million to Metro in FY 2011 and FY 2010, respectively. From FY 2002

through FY 2008, the County’s ½ cent sales-tax appropriation to Metro was indexed with the

Consumer Price Index. At least 2 percent of the appropriations to Metro from the ½ cent sales

tax must be used for transportation for developmentally disadvantaged persons. The balance

is usually required to fund Missouri operations. MoDOT provides Metro with limited operating

and FTA discretionary capital assistance.

Absolutely nothing going on with Metro in MO or IL:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/12304_14366.html


Statistics on boardings and fare box recovery, and miles/fleet/ etc.  There are conclusions to be drawn from this that no one bothers to (or does not want to) make.  They attribute the decline to "unemployment" and not reduced service. In 2011 service area decreased, according to a footnote, because of the cancellation of bus lines to Gray Summit, while rider demand increased.

METRO, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT YOUR STATISTICS NEED TO BE BASED ON YOUR TRANSIT RIDERS AND NOT GENERAL POPULATION STATISTICS.

Another very telling thing on this page is that they do not report the money they make from their business enterprises-- or how much of it goes to Metro.  I hope it is in this report somewhere.

http://www.metrostlouis.org/Libraries/Annual_Financial_Reports/FY_2011_Comprehensive_Annual_Financial_Report.pdf

Page 10 - The years are 2009 2010 and 2011

Metro Transportation System

Service area square miles

449

579

558 *

Metro Bus

Fleet size – total vehicles

449

412

432

Passenger trips

32,679,788

24,256,126

26,215,139

Revenue miles

16,938,053

16,082,275

18,198,927

Farebox recovery

22.3%

20.7%

19.9%

Metro Link

Fleet size – total vehicles

87

87

87

Passenger trips

19,423,931

15,828,981

16,209,098

Revenue miles

3,398,923

2,913,199

3,147,407

Farebox recovery

28.5%

30.4%

27.8

Demand response

Fleet size – total vehicles

129

147

144

Passenger trips

665,137

545,606

568,419

Revenue miles

4,903,975

4,616,903

4,626,716

Farebox recovery

4.8%

4.2%

4.7Will be adding more, check back.

Litigation is on page 29 of the report, page 50 of the PDF (all previous pages listed are the PDF page) Here is a nice pack of lies.

Metro is also the defendant in several lawsuits arising from matters other than workers

compensation and personal injury litigation. These matters principally relate to,

environmental cleanup, breach of contract, and

alleged violations of equal protection and

credit protection requirements. In the opi

nion of management, including its General

Counsel, the ultimate resolution of these matters is not likely to have a material effect of

the Metro’s financial position.

On page 56 of the document, page 75 of the PDF, they contradict themselves (not the first time-- still sorting through the Prop A doublespeak before I post that) 

In the ordinary course of business, a number of claims and lawsuits arise from individuals

seeking compensation for personal injury, death, and/or property damage resulting from

accidents occurring in the operation of the system. In addition, Metro has been named

as a defendant in a number of lawsuits relating to personnel and contractual matters.

Management does not believe that the outcome of these claims will have a material

adverse effect on Metro’s financial position. However, in the event of an unfavorable

outcome in one or more of these matters, the impact could be material to Metro’s

financial position or results of operations

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

METRO RESPONDS TO THE NEW SURVEY I DESIGNED FOR THEM

I hope everyone will do the survey voluntarily and post it here, too.  Because they are totally out of touch with their bus riders.  And it is ridiculous that the biggest part of their service is buses, and they only survey the Metrolink.

They don't know their customers' needs or they pretend they don't.  They need overwhelming evidence of how difficult it is to get around in a timely manner on their buses! 

They need to be confronted with how ridiculous so many of their routes and transfers are, especially travelling from north St. Louis and county.

Take the survey by calling customer service and volunteering the answers to the questions in the post (actually compiled from the surveys in use in bigger cities- conducted as I outline).
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/what-metros-new-survey-should-be.html

They could save some money on words.  So many pretty words, that don't really say anything at all.  Thanks Metro!

Thank you for your feedback regarding Metro customer surveys. I appreciate your comments regarding the potential for a “take one” survey or comment card made available onboard vehicles. I will discuss this with our Market Research and Customer Service staff. In the past, our front-line supervisors routinely collected customer feedback via comment cards, but the volume of information made it difficult to enter a database, and we found that the trends present in that information mirrored the information collected via other mechanisms, including our Onboard Survey (detailed below) and Customer Contacts database (assembled from customer contacts presented via telephone, e-mail, postal mail and social media).

You may not be aware that Metro does conduct onboard surveys, most every spring as funding permits. This Onboard Survey project serves as Metro’s primary market research effort for collecting a wealth of information about its bus and rail customers, including key data related to demographics, travel patterns and behavior, usage characteristics, loyalty and turnover intentions, and attitudes toward service.  Historically, the Onboard Survey effort has provided Metro with numerous operational benefits such as:

·         Measuring the “attitudinal pulse” of our customers

·         Providing crucial insight into who our customers are and how to best serve them

·         Determining key service factors driving customer satisfaction

·         Improving Metro’s ability to manage customer turnover and increase ridership

·         Providing necessary information to make data-driven service planning decisions

·         Enabling the examination of specific customer segments and their unique characteristics, preferences, and behavior, allowing the development of transit service best suited to their needs

·         Providing critical data required for Federal Transit Administration reporting (e.g., Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Program Guidelines) and federal and state grant documentation support.

In recent years, the survey has been divided into two components: an Onboard Travel and a Customer Satisfaction survey. The Onboard Travel survey is designed to help illuminate how/when/where customers travel, including origin and destination locations and route pairs. The Customer Satisfaction Survey provides meaningful feedback about customer satisfaction with specific components of Metro service. We employ a stratified random sampling strategy for conducting both surveys. This sampling strategy is designed to create samples that are reflective of system-wide passenger characteristics and travel behaviors.

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

 

METRO RESPONDS TO MY POST ABOUT BATHROOMS

All the improvement posts on this blog I send to Metro via their Customer Feedback Form.

They gotta a lot of pretty words.  I am reprinting them here, but they don't mean a thing, until they walk their talk.

Also, this email fails to mention that the restrooms at Riverview are maintained by the little privately owned store.

Further, the "public safety challenges" are no greater than a restroom at a park, and certainly less hazardous than having to pee behind a building or tree. 

Does these people not have bladders?  IT SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO RIDE THE BUSES AS PART OF THEIR JOB.  Things would change real fast.

And "where they make sense from the perspective of volume".  That means Metrolink.  That is the only part of Metro that gets any play.

Ridiculous. 

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

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: 314.982.1479
jnmefford@metrostlouis.org

MAN GETS GRAZED BY BULLET BOARDING BUS

This just in from Channel 4: http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Police-Man-grazed-by-bullet-while-boarding-St-Louis-Metro-bus-255211851.html

What do people in that neighborhood call it?  "DUB-ville"? ("Dead Upon Birth")

All of the powerful, brilliant men that run this city seem unable to comprehend why North St. Louis is so violent.

It couldn't possibly be the $8,000 average yearly income, or lack of jobs in the community, or the deplorable state of the neighborhoods, or the schools that keep closing, or the lack of decent public transportation.

No.  It must be all those crazy people.  You know, the descendents of slaves that had to fight to get equal rights.  That are still living in poverty despite the wealth their ancestors created for this country.

There are two cities in St. Louis.  Not north and south, but black and white.

If you keep ignoring the poverty and hopelessness, surely it will just go away, right?

Of course, urban African-Americans have always had to deal with a high level of violence and crime in their neighborhoods.  The violence in the "hood" follows the same patterns as the Irish in New York in the 1800's or the Sicilian Mafia in the latter half of the 20th Century.

Crime and violence in poor neighborhoods and among poor people follows certain patterns.

But now the whole society has gotten more violent.  Especially at schools.

It's the Adam Lanza's and the James Holmes' and the Boston Marathon bombers that no one can predict.

There isn't much we can do about the suicidal random shooter.

But there is a lot we could do to make our poor communities less violent, and more prosperous.

But that would mean actually doing something that benefits ALL the people, and not just the greedy few.

The answer is not more police and more guns, the answer is community development and improvement.  The solution is understanding that we all live in this city together, and the better it gets for those on the bottom, the better it will be for all of us.

Wake up St. Louis!  Occupy!

METRO REFUSES TO SUPPLY THE PUBLIC WITH A BOND WE VOTED ON, THE CONTENTS OF PROPOSITION A

So Shirley**, at Metro, refused to take my call today and said that I had to file in writing to get a copy of Proposition A, the bond that we the public were told was a half cent sales tax increase to go to Metro.  (Actually it was a transportation bond, the one that failed in 2008 and was repackaged to sound better.)

(See this: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/call-for-public-audit-of-metro-bi-state.html

I called the nice people at the Board of Elections.  They can only supply me with what was on the ballot.   They told me Metro "should have a copy."

Ridiculous.

Just called Charlie Dooley's office.  They have to get back to me.  Apparently after something gets voted on in St. Louis they hide it from the public.

I told the lady at the County Executive office that not only did I want the actual language of the Prop A, but I was also gonna need a break down of how much money that half cent has added up to, and how much of those funds made it to Metro.

St. Louis PLEASE!  WE HAVE TO START OCCUPYING THIS CITY AND ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!

THIS CITY SHOULD NOT BE RUN BY THE LOCAL 1% GOOD OLE BOY NETWORK!

WE VOTED ON THIS BECAUSE WE WANTED THE TAX TO GO TO TRANSIT!

OPTINSTL NOW!!!!

**Shirley made $55,000 four years ago.  Wonder if she has had a raise?  Wonder if all these Metro employees appreciate the fact that the transit riding public is who they answer to?  Shirley, WE pay your salary.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/metro-transit-agency-employee-payroll/html_1396d59c-088b-11e0-ad1c-0017a4a78c22.html?appSession=066100520353457

Bryant, Shirley A

Legal Counsel

Paralegal/Specialist Exempt

$55,076.75

METRO: HAVE YOU CONSIDERED RE-ROUTING BUSES WHEN THERE IS A CARDINALS GAME?

I'm almost fifty years old, and the Cardinals have played baseball every year that I have been alive.

That means there has been heavy traffic downtown after a game, every year that I have been alive.

On Saturday the number 40 bus was so far behind schedule because of the game that, according to a guy that had been waiting, the bus was an hour and a half late.

I was waiting at Grand and North Broadway, having gotten off the Grand bus, at 5:15.  The bus was scheduled to come at 5:26 according to the trip finder.

It showed up about 5:50.  There was a man that had been waiting since 4:15, and a lady with two little boys waiting for the southbound 40 (I was waiting for the northbound 40) that ended up taking the Grand bus because at least she could get close to her house.

So, Metro, after how many years of buses downtown after a Cards game, you still can't figure out that you need to re-route the buses?

And seriously, you couldn't have some sort of recorded message (not just email alerts-- again, not everyone has data on their cell phone plans) on the customer service line when buses are stuck in traffic or MIA?

At least the 40, when it finally came, was the cleanest, newest bus I have ever been on.  Not a bed bug or anything else in sight.

AGAIN? METRO HAS A LONG HISTORY OF MISMANAGING AND UNDERESTIMATING PROJECTS

Metro loves telling everyone how smart they are, and how great they are at planning and managing their money.  But it is all a big fat lie:

"Costs on rise for Metro's North County Transit Center"- from St. Louis Post Dispatch 

http://www.stltoday.com/news/traffic/along-for-the-ride/b9d5cc90-3ac9-5f2c-ac99-8da7d863beb8.html

From the article:

The price tag for Metro’s North County Transit Center on Pershall Road has shot up, leaving a funding shortfall of $1.4 million on the first phase of work.
The center is expected to be a hub of bus operations when it opens sometime before August 2015, officials said.
...
Metro staff said the 2010 estimate was based “upon a basic passenger waiting station and a bus transfer loop with little to no amenities.” Since then, there have been “unforeseen” code requirements and additional items that were not part of the original plan.

First of all, ANOTHER bus center?  And with NO "Amenities" (that means bathrooms).

I REALLY HOPE those unforeseen code requirements are TOILETS! 

AND: Is this money Metro could have spent on a train?

Second, the things they list are all the same things that happened back in 2003-2005 that resulted in this lawsuit and countersuit.  A suit that ending up costing Metro 40 million dollars in fees, court costs and the resulting payment.

http://www.dowdbennett.com/news/jury-orders-transit-agency-to-pay-the-firms-it-sued/ 


Well, I know where they could get that 1.5 Million.  Fire John Nations and six other Metro executives!

METRO SAYS BATHROOMS ARE TOO EXPENSIVE TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN

Metro needs more toilets: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/metro-bus-and-train-stations-need-more.html

I think I have already covered that a lot of money could be freed up if the executive salaries were cut.  And if funds were publicly audited and if Metro got out "business development".

All that aside, it does not appear that anyone at Metro has ever done feasibility studies to see what the costs would actually be.  And if they did do a study, it seems likely it would conducted using the same tired, ineffective (and possibly blatantly corrupt) models it uses for determining all of its projects.

First of all, not only could their be a small charge for using the restrooms, they could plug in "sanitary facilities" payments into the passes.  Especially the new debit card type passes.  And single "sanitary facilities" purchases attached to passes sold at Metrolink stations.

Further, vending machines, located outside the facilities, could sell toilet tissue, wipes, toilet seat covers, anti-bacterial wipes for toilet seats and door handles, tampons, etc.  I say outside because it would discourage theft.  Whatever privacy issues people have they would overcome, or learn to bring their own.

The city and counties could be encouraged to pitch in.  St. Louis would be well-served to install public toilets in more neighborhoods.  I haven't seen this in many U.S. cities, but I did in Europe.  (Many Los Angeles Metro stations have pay toilets.  Without the pay vending machines on the outside.)

As for attendants, I think two part-time employee with two stops a day could manage it.  Especially if security checked the condition and stock every few hours.

Going to the toilet is a basic human necessity.  I find it shocking that an advanced country does not address this.

Ridiculous.

Overall public health would improve.

And tourism.  "St. Louis has a great public transit system WITH PLENTY OF TOILETS!"

Metro, can't you even try?  Haven't you even bothered to investigate this- one of the top complaints of your most frequent customers?

METRO: YOUR TRANSPARENCY IS VERY OPAQUE, UNTIL IT WORKS IN YOUR FAVOR

When I emailed Metro with my long list of questions, including how many buses in operation, and bus drivers working, on an average weekday, they responded with the number of buses, actual vehicles on the road for all of the lines, 310, they said, but told me I had to file a Sunshine Act request to find out the amount of bus drivers.

Yesterday they posted this: http://www.nextstopstl.org/11397/metro-explains-monday-metrobus-delays/

70 bus drivers out of a total of 572 total called out.  Guess things are only readily transparent when it serves their purposes.

(My estimate, supported by questioning random bus drivers, is that about 360 work on any given regular weekday, not including paratransit.)

In working to uncover the utter mismanagement of funds that led to the shut down of 24 lines in 2009, and which Metro blames the impending July fare hike necessity, I have uncovered more and more corruption, scandal, and mismanagement, not too mention outright deception to the public.

ST. LOUIS, PLEASE BEGIN DEMANDING TOTAL TRANSPARENCY AT METRO AND ALL OTHER AGENCIES THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL MONIES!

THIS IS YOUR CITY!  OCCUPY IT! 

THERE NEEDS TO BE A PUBLIC AUDIT OF METRO BI-STATE! http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/call-for-public-audit-of-metro-bi-state.html

(Metro insists that my desire to know these details is "irrelevant" and "ridiculous".  Only by dissecting every aspect of their daily operations can we really come to the truth about where our money is really going.  Since the operation of the buses and trains is supposed to be their primary function, I thought it was best to start with that.  Of course, now I need to find out how many of these drivers are part-time, etc.)

CALL FOR A PUBLIC AUDIT OF METRO BI-STATE

More on the Minority Contractor vs. Metro Bi-State lawsuit that cost Metro 39 million dollars.

(Read my rampage about this:
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/what-metro-is-doing-with-your-money-and.html)

US Missouri courts register over 3000 legal cases against Bi State Development Agency.  Most are personal injury or wrongful death.

https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/nameSearch.do

I think the public should be allowed to examine the records of these proceedings.  (And I really hope that this was hidden from the media and that they weren't just bought off on not reporting it.  I hope local media didn't ignore this purposefully.)

Also obtaining the exact wording of Prop A from 2010. I don't think that laws and legislation and bond props should be so hard to understand clearly. It hurts my pride that I was duped into voting for this.  I want to read and understand exactly how this happened.

EDIT: FROM METRO'S 2009 Report, page 14:

Missouri Sources

. Funding for Missouri projects comes from the City of St. Louis, St. Louis

County and the Missouri Department of Transportation (“MoDOT”). The City of St. Louis and

St. Louis County collect revenue from ½ cent and a ¼ cent local sales taxes. Both the City

and the County appropriate all of their receipts from the ¼ cent sales tax to Metro. The City of

St. Louis appropriates virtually all of its revenues from the ½ cent sales tax to Metro. St. Louis

County splits revenue collected from the ½ cent sales tax between Metro and funding road

and bridge projects within the county. The County appropriated approximately $40 million to

Metro in FY 2009. From FY 2002 through FY 2008, the County’s ½ cent sales tax

appropriation to Metro was indexed with the Consumer Price Index. At least two percent of

the appropriations to Metro from the ½ cent sales tax must be used for transportation for

developmentally disadvantaged persons. The balance is usually required to fund Missouri

operations. MoDOT provides Metro with limited operating and FTA discretionary capital

assistance.

Still going through the report-- but the B.S. about Prop A is actually "hiding right out in the open" in that paragraph.

Also looking into:

How Metro's funds are awarded and audited. I contacted the DOT but they sent me an email directing me to the Federal Transit Authority.   

There must be some sort of appeal we can make, or petition, to some governing body, to get absolute transparency on financial matters, planning, structure.  I do not think I should have to file a Sunshine Act request to find out how many bus drivers work on the average weekday.

Also, there must be some precedence, in this country or somewhere in the world, where a Business District or Business Development Agency was separated from it's public transit agency.  Metro needs to be separated from Bi-State Development Agency.

And a more balanced committee needs to chair it.  The more I investigate East West Gateway Council of Governments, the appointing of people by the Governor, the more I see how public transit needs to be determined locally.  And NOT for purposes of owning real estate, developing business, and paying for future political campaigns.

I also think the County Executive needs to be audited.

I haven't found it yet, but I know the solutions are out there.

St. Louis deserves a world-class transit system.  And I know that it is possible- with the funding it has now.

EDIT: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2010/04/former_st_louis_mayor_sues_metro_freeman_bosley_jr.php 

Page 22 is enlightening, sadly the full court documents are not available at this link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/30306078/mokan-naacp-v-metro

EDIT: These records are from 2010, and you have to search by individual names, but here it is:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/metro-transit-agency-employee-payroll/html_1396d59c-088b-11e0-ad1c-0017a4a78c22.html

Robert Joseph Baer, CEO, John Nations predecessor: $190,000

Ray Friem: Chief Oper Ofcr-Transit Serv/Chief Operations Officer $174,350.00

Jessica Mefford Miller:  Chief of System planning and development: $86,000.00

Dianne Williams, Director of Communications: $85,696.00

Bus driver I knew the name of: $43,784.00