DEAR METRO: RIDERS NEED DRINKING FOUNTAINS AS WELL AS TOILETS

Sitting at the Delmar Metrolink the other day, in the hot sun, was a woman waiting for a bus that runs every 40 minutes.  She was 60ish, African-American, in somewhat fragile health, and on that day, dry as dust.

"Why don't they have a drinking fountain?" she asked.  "All this money we pay, and we can't get a drinking fountain."  She didn't have even a quarter to buy water from one of the local restaurants.

"We need bathrooms, too," I commented. 

"Yes, but right now, I am so dry, I couldn't even go to the bathroom," she said.  "I need a drink of water!"
 
The need for bathrooms has already been well documented on this blog.

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

But we need drinking fountains, too.  Riding your buses is thirsty work.  There is rarely enough shade at bus stops and terminals, and often there is no shade.  Too often there are no places nearby where a person can get a drink of water for free.  If you want water you will need to pay at least a quarter to get a cup from a fountain machine, or buy a plastic bottle of water. Of course, that is the same as needing the toilet.  You have to buy something at most places. 

If I were driving a car for an hour and a half on the highways, there would be ample rest stops where I could get water and go to the bathroom.  But during my daily three hour trip on the buses (90 minutes one way, on three bus lines each way, with at least a 20 minute wait between one of those transfers) there is no consideration for my most basic needs.

It's the 21st Century and we can send a man to outer space, but we don't have public facilities in our earthbound cities.  Legislators, lawmakers, and the media argue endlessly over when life begins in a woman's uterus.  Corporations are ruled to be "persons".

But the one thing that all people have in common (except for corporate "persons") is a bladder and bowels.  One thing we all need to survive is water.

Our city and nation, our entire planet, is ruled by shareholders and executives seeking profits for themselves.  They don't care about us, and they never have.  We are cash cows to be milked for labor and then again for taxes.

We, the people, pay for everything but get very little in return.

Maybe when we are all thirsty and incontinent enough, we will begin to demand our fair share.

Let's start with public toilets and drinking fountains at St. Louis Metro transfer centers, and go from there.

BUS STOPS: CHESTERFIELD STEPS IN WHERE METRO HAS FAILED

So Chesterfield is going to pitch in on getting some bus stops with shelters.  I am glad that Chesterfield is stepping up to the plate.  Metro's deplorable CEO John Nations is the former Mayor of Chesterfield.  It is good to know that Nations attitude towards public transit riders is not shared by all of his neighbors.

From:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/71253dd7-dd14-5589-ab69-cf56542ff0a6.html

Chesterfield’s City Council on Monday night gave initial approval an cooperation agreement between the city, Metro, and the Chesterfield Valley Transportation Development District for of bus stop shelters in Chesterfield valley and in other areas of the city in which there are Metro bus routes. A final vote on the legislation is set for June 16. 

The article states that the shelters will be installed in Chesterfield and also in other areas of the city.  In Chesterfield the bus stop trashcans will be maintained by the Chesterfield's waste management provider.  The trash around bus stops is an issue for everyone.

 http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/04/metro-does-not-take-responsibility-for.html

Too bad Metro gave away $5 million in "contributions to outside entities" (political campaign contributions) in 2013.  That would surely pay for some new shelters and maintenance. ($5 million is also the exact amount that Metro is demanding riders pay for in the next two years through the fare hikes.)

OPTINSTL thinks it might be a bad idea to leave the planning and construction up to Metro.  Mismanagement of funds is systemic at Metro.  After the Shrewsbury debacle, and their continued insolvency and inability to complete  Metrolink expansion to north Saint Louis and Florissant, they need to be audited and overhauled before they are entrusted with any new projects or public money.

At the very least, I hope that someone from Chesterfield will be appointed to audit the planning and construction very closely.

OPTINSTL would like to suggest that Chesterfield add bus schedules and route information, and perhaps install recycling bins that issue public transit credits for plastic bottles.  Also, I hope they will work closely with street services to make sure the new shelters have sufficient lighting and sidewalks in good condition.  Not just in Chesterfield, but all over the city.

Bus stops: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-should-be-metros-new-bus-stop-plan.html

Recycling: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/06/metro-could-save-on-trash-cans-with.html 

It is a shame that Metro has not placed a greater priority on surveying its' bus riders.  (They do a once a year survey, a very incomplete survey, on the Metrolink.  But the bus is the biggest portion of their service, and north St. Louis City and county constitute the greatest share of riders.  Metro executives and planners know almost nothing about their best customers.)

If Metro did thorough surveys, they could tell the city of Chesterfield the bus routes that were used the most.  The #91 and #258 easy guesses, but what about the many riders that make one or more transfers?

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

OPTINSTL spoke with a rider on the #90 bus that lives in Baden and works in Chesterfield.  It is a two hour ride each way.  He takes the #90 to the Metrolink, and then the Blue Line to the #258.  There are no shelters at either of his bus stops.  (And no public bathrooms at all along the way.  When will this most basic of human needs be addressed?)

Improved bus stop shelters will help a lot, but Metro still has a long way to go in becoming a truly viable public transit agency. 

TIME TO SEND METRO A MESSAGE:

JULY 1ST! BOYCOTT METRO!  STRIKE CITYWIDE! DON'T RIDE!

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.

METRO, OPTINSTL IS DRIVEN BY YOU

Metro, you not only drive me (verrrryyyy slowwlllly) where I am going, you also drove me to activism.

Just when I think you can't be anymore ridiculous, you prove me wrong.

Today, on my transfer from the #16 at the Delmar Metrolink, as I ran around for twenty minutes trying to find a bathroom before I peed my pants (the hot dog place is gone, and the library doesn't have bathrooms, and the restaurants only have them for customers) I picked up a West End Word.

Imagine my delight at finding an article about a new $9 million station at Sarah street, that includes a bike rack and other "amenities".  (What amenities??? Despite the fact the most humans possess bladders, the news also does not consider toilets worthy of reporting.  Metro claims they have "amenities" at every station- but since they don't have toilets at most Metrolink and Metro bus centers, we have to assume they mean something else.  Like ticket machines, and security, and signs, and bike racks, or something.)

Of course, Metro, me and all the other real public transit riders know what this proposed new station is really about.  This is about Cortex getting to put its name on a piece of real estate under the guise of "job creation" because it is "key to achieving the company's goals." 

This is about Cortex, not YOU public transit rider!

Dennis Lower, president and CEO of Cortex, said the proposed station is key to achieving the company's goals of being an international standard for innovation communities."

Cortex has its sights set on the creation of a sustainable, walkable twenty-four/seven community and becoming a center for job creation," he said. "Our redevelopment plan includes work spaces, residential development, retail establishments and evening destinations. The development will attract international businesses with expectations of reliable and convenient public transportation. The MetroLink stop will serve the Cortex workforce and will be viewed as a regional connector."

http://www.westendword.com/Articles-Area-News-c-2014-04-08-192011.114137-9-Million-Price-Tag-On-Proposed-MetroLink-Station-For-Midtown.html

Metro, Mr. Lower, and the rest of you lot, we need a metrolink or two in north city and county.  We need toilets at every facility.  We need real jobs and real community development, not something that taxpayers fund for private companies to put their name on and claim credit for.  We do not want our $1 of funds to make Cortex $4 richer.

(Metro claims that every a dollar a "community" puts towards public transit "the community" gets $4 in return from Metro's government funding.  Pretty vague statistics meant to disguise what is really going on.)

Yes, Mr. Lower, we know that Metro CEO John Nations can expect a nice fat campaign contribution to his political career when he dumps Metro (he likes to tell his employees that he is only doing this for a few years to get his political career lined up-- of course, the private car and $250,000 a year salary don't hurt him either).

Mr. Lower, your company is named for part of the human brain, but you aren't very smart.  There is nowhere "greener" than a community without cars.  And you know there are a lot of places that need housing and retail and work spaces in this city.  But you aren't really planning on doing anything new or innovative, are you?

And seriously-- 800 boardings a day-- and almost 20 years to add 1000 more?  Pathetic.

And when you say "job creation" I wonder if you really mean minimum wage jobs in retail and restaurants, that workers will ride the bus two or three hours to get to?  With a big huge corporate Cortex logo on the building.  And "international businesses" setting up shop.  (Nice doublespeak for "multinational corporation".)

Yeah. We get it.

Mr. Lower, you seem like another crap human being.  Sorry. Your big cortex and you can't do anything more than figure out a way to spend $9 million dollars ripping out the current CWE station, moving it a few blocks, rebranding it with the Cortex logo, and building up another "development" that may or may not catch on, and may or may not include local companies, and may or may not have anything to offer anyone but yourselves and few already rich developers and politicians?

Just so that it is easy for your white collar workers to park and ride the Metrolink and bring their bicycles? Wow.

I mean that is JUST what St. Louis needs right now-- ANOTHER METRO STATION in between Grand and CWE.  You know, if the parts of the city that relied on public transit the most had a train, and there were bathrooms, and programs for low income to get discount passes, and "feasibility studies" weren't based on 80 participants, a big bioscience center, and greedy businessmen, but instead on transit riders needs-- yeah, great go forth with your little plan!

But there are lots of other very obvious CEREBRAL INNOVATIONS this city needs, and I guess you geniuses won't be the ones to provide them!

Hey Metro executives, I forgot to charge my phone last night, or you would have heard from me A LOT today, but I am gonna call you EXTRA tomorrow!  We have a lot to talk about.

Like how you say you don't have the $9 million, and you are going to the Federal Transit Authority.  You don't deserve one dime of federal money (income taxes), state money (property and income taxes), or city money (sales taxes).   You don't deserve our fares!

Tomorrow I am calling the FTA, too.   I bet they know just what I can do to stop you.

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 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

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?

DEAR METRO: SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU

Dear Metro (in particular, Chief of Planning and System Development):

1) What funds are going into developing sanitation facilities (toilets) at Metro bus transfer centers and Metrolink stations?  What consideration is being given to this most basic of human needs?

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

2) You say that one million people ride public transit every year.  How do you count the number of individual people that ride?  I can see where it would be easy to count your 55 million boardings, but how are you counting individuals?  Do you do surveys? Do you know what neighborhoods use your services the most? What are your busiest buses?  What are your busiest transfer centers?  What are your least-used bus and train lines?

http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-much-does-metro-know-about-its-most.html

3) You say that you are connecting people with jobs, yet your own maps (actually the East West Gateway Council of Governments' maps) of areas with the lowest ownership of cars are underserved, as are many of the areas with the most jobs.  The connectivity between the areas is also badly served in all but a few places (Central West End, Downtown).  Shouldn't that be your highest priority? What are you doing to change that?

4) When will more Metrolink service be available in north Saint Louis, and south city areas such as South Grand and Dutchtown?  Can you provide the public and OPTINSTL with maps of existing tracks, development plans, and feasibility studies?  If so, how do we access them?

5) You allow universities and employers to subsidize transit passes for employees, seemingly at their discretion.  You also sell "semester passes" to college students. Do you have any plans in development to offer passes at a discount to low-income people on welfare, and the unemployed?  Have you reached out to these agencies to look for ways to provide low cost passes to the disadvantaged-- which would seem to be your largest rider base?

6)  Can you point me to the official story of how the proposed St. Charles Metrolink was rejected? What lessons did Metro learn from this? Also, why was a train put into Shrewsbury when north Saint Louis has the greatest need?  Can you offer any assistance to the public and OPTINSTL on how to make sure future trains are not blocked?

http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-apalling-racist-fiasco-of-2005-and.html

7) Many of your bus stops are badly placed and many are not marked with the identifying information for the bus lines that stop there. None of them have schedules, routes, or fares posted.  There seems to be a lack of coordination and planning with the cities (who decide where the bus stops can be placed) on trash cans, lighting, sidewalk repair and so forth.  Especially in low-income areas where families with young children ride the bus, this seems like it should be an obvious priority.  What plans are in place to create better bus stops?

In particular, to post route, schedule and fares?  I have suggested two sheets of acrylic, three sided (the top would be sealed to prevent moisture from precipitation) with holes at the top and bottom, to be bolted to the metal poles that the bus stops signs are mounted on.  I was told it was too expensive.  Can you direct me to the feasibility study that was done that determined this cost was too high?

EDIT: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-should-be-metros-new-bus-stop-plan.html

8) Are there any plans to extend the Customer service information?  It is nice that you started the phone and email alerts, but many low-income people do not have data service on their phones.  When people need to reach Metro the most, it is usually late at night and on weekends.

9) You are raising fares by 5%, but offer no explanation of how the three fare options all will equal the same amount of money -- 2.5 million dollars per year.  Can you direct me to the studies that were done, and how each of the three options totals up?

10) You also own Downtown St. Louis Airport, and the Arch and Riverboat Trams.  How much of the revenues generated from those entities are used for public transportation?  Have you investigated selling these entities to private companies?  If so, have you done any discovery of what impact this would have on the public transit system?  Would sale of these entities provided you with needed funds to improve existing services?

11) Can you explain why there is not more outreach work done-- such as rider surveys, and having Metro officials available on buses and Metrolink to make feedback more convenient to the riders?  To come to your hearings, those of us that don't have the money to buy bus passes have to pay to come, in addition to having our day disrupted.  And you would reach a much greater portion of customers by coming to them.

EDIT: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/todays-hearing-on-fare-increase-at.html

12) Why doesn't Metro require employees that are not drivers or train operators to ride public transportation from the closest park and ride location from their homes, at least once a week?

13) In 2009, a year after the economic collapse in the U.S., and after four years- by your own statistics-- of increasing ridership, you had to severely cut services.  Do more riders equal more revenue?  And how so?  Can you direct me to the mathematical algorithms and statistical models (excuse me if my terminology is wrong) that you use to determine how many riders and at what fare structure you need to increase services?

http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/why-were-so-many-bus-lines-shut-down-in.html

14) Your website says that for every $1 a community invests in public transit, it receives $4 in federal money via Metro/Bi-State.  Can you explain to me exactly how that works?  Where does the $1 come from, and who gets paid the $4 in return? Also, is this true equally, for all communities?  And if so, does that mean that lower-income areas are lower served, because they have fewer dollars to contribute?

14) The Loop Trolley Transportation District was just awarded $25 million from an Urban Circulator Grant.  The reasons for the Public Transit riders to oppose the proposed Trolley are numerous.  What partnerships are Metro building with local communities to put Urban Circulators in areas that really need them?  How much exploration has been done on Urban Circulators?

 http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-loop-trolley-is-about-getting.html

EDIT: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-loop-trolley-sucking-up-more.html

That is all for now.  If you can respond to these questions by email, please do.  If I need to come to Metro and pick up the hard copy print outs, please let me know.  If there is another agency or person I need to address, please let me know who they are.

Thank you.

EDIT: This was emailed to the Chief of Planning and System Development.

METRO BUS AND TRAIN STATIONS NEED MORE PUBLIC TOILETS!

Buses aren't just slow and exhausting, they are dehydrating.

This is a common complaint and topic of conversation (second only to fares and slow service) about riding Metro transit.

My average trip by public transportation-- from the time I leave my front door, and including all the waiting between transfers-- is two hours.

An hour before I leave I stop drinking.  I'll go to the bathroom a few times, and always right before I leave.

Because at most Metrolink stations and Metro bus centers, there are no bathrooms.  And if you have to get off the bus to go to the bathroom, you are going to be late.  (And you might have a really long wait between buses.  Also, you may not be able to find a place that will let you use their bathroom without buying something, and if all you have is bus fare, well, then...)

If I am going somewhere for awhile, no problem re-hydrating.  But when I am going to a lot of places, with a lot of stops along the way (like job-hunting), I just go thirsty.

It is ridiculous, RIDICULOUS! and shameful that Metro does not address this.  They have all these excuses to make, and blame to place elsewhere, but USING THE TOILET IS A BASIC HUMAN NEED!

Metro is planning to use some of its development money (which the government does not allow them to use to improve existing services) to re-do the Civic Center bus bay.  Apparently, there are 16 bus lines that come through there and only 8 bays.  Even though the bus bay is not overcrowded, and runs fine the way it is.

(There is enough room for the buses to park in the bay while driver's take their breaks.  I catch the #74 there frequently and the driver's always have a 20 to 40 minute break-- at least in my observations.  Usually they will let people board and wait on the bus before they leave to go on their breaks.  Yet another reason to love bus drivers.)

Metro needs to address this issues and dump that plan for the Civic Center Bus Bay.  I am sorry that Metro executives are so clueless on what their priorities should be.

The North Hanley station needs bathrooms the most.  I'd be willing to bet that some of the longest transit trips have a stop at North Hanley.  To get from north St Louis city or county to one of those jobs in the county and Earth City and other middle-class suburbs, you have to get to North Hanley station.

And there are NO BATHROOMS.

Even a few porta-potties would be an improvement!  But there needs to be serious consideration to this MOST BASIC HUMAN NEED! There should be bathrooms, at the very least, at EVERY SINGLE METROLINK AND BUS TRANSFER CENTER!

Really, Metro, what is it going to take for you to wake up to the reality of life on your buses?

EDIT: Hey Metro, like Los Angeles, you could charge 25 cents to use the Metro bathrooms.