Bus Shuttles Will Transport Customers Between N. Hanley – Wellston Stations Saturday & Sunday

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Courtney

Metro will not operate trains between the Wellston MetroLink Station and the North Hanley MetroLink Station this Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6 due to construction near the UMSL South MetroLink Station. Customers will be transported by bus shuttles between those stations and should allow an extra 20 to 25 minutes for their commutes Saturday and Sunday. MetroLink will operate on a single track Friday evening to allow crews to prepare for the construction work.  Regular MetroLink service through that section of the system will resume at the start of service on Monday, May 7.

SERVICE DETAILS

Friday, May 4, from 11:30 p.m. until the end of service, To accommodate crews working on the UMSL South interlocking project, MetroLink will operate trains on a single track between the Wellston, Rock Road, UMSL South, UMSL North, and North Hanley stations. Red Line passengers should expect 5 to 10 minute delays. Blue Line Service will not be impacted.

Saturday & Sunday, May 5-6, Eastbound passengers at the North Hanley MetroLink Station will need to board shuttle buses which will transport them to the UMSL North, UMSL South, Rock Road and Wellston stations. When passengers arrive at the Wellston station, they can board the train and continue their eastbound trips.

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Work Will Cause Minor Delays for MetroLink Passengers Sunday

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Courtney

Due to construction work, MetroLink will conduct single track operations on Sunday at two different locations. The first location is between the East Riverfront and Arch-Laclede’s Landing stations. The second single track operation will occur late Sunday evening between the Wellston, Rock Road, UMSL South, UMSL North, and North Hanley stations. That work will cause 5 to 10 minute delays for some Red Line passengers.

Sunday, April 29, from beginning of service until the end of service, MetroLink will operate on a single track between the East Riverfront and the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Stations. Blue and Red Line passengers should allow an extra 5 minutes for their commutes.

Sunday from 11:30 p.m. until the end of service, To accommodate crews working on the UMSL South interlocking project, MetroLink will operate on a single track between the Wellston, Rock Road, UMSL South, UMSL North, and North Hanley stations. Red Line passengers should expect 5 to 10 minute delays. Blue Line Service will not be impacted.

 

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Ideal Aviation Illinois Celebrates Grand Reopening at St. Louis Downtown Airport

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Patti

Diane Earhart

Written by Special Contributor Diane Earhart; Administrative Assistant at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia, Illinois

The dictionary defines “ideal” as “One that is regarded as a standard or model of perfection or excellence; considered the best of its kind.”

 Ideal Aviation Illinois lives up to its name.

Ideal Aviation has been providing services to pilots at St. Louis Downtown Airport since 1983. In 2003, the business was expanded into a 25,000 square foot new hangar providing new services. Known as a fixed base operator (FBO), Ideal Aviation provides fuel, maintenance, flight training, aircraft rental, and storage to resident and transient pilots alike.

Ideal Aviation was founded by Cordell LaBrier together with his wife, Pam, in 1983, and now they have retired.

Ideal Aviation Illinois owner Bill Macon next to a 1941 Waco bi-plane

Enter Bill Macon. Macon is the owner of Ideal Aviation Illinois, LLC, and is ready to take the established FBO into the rest of the 21st century. Activities already started include updating their website (www.IdealFBO.net); a total remodel of the facilities to include updated pilots’ lounges, flight planning areas, and meeting areas; and increasing flight training. Coming soon to Ideal’s list of new services will be aircraft charters in a twin-engined Beechcraft King Air or in a brand new Cessna Citation jet.

Macon has a background in manufacturing, but now is ready to take flight. Literally. He’s also taking flying lessons and says, “This is a great opportunity to do something I love.” Macon, 53, comes from a family with a long history of aviation in St. Louis. In the 1930s and ’40s, Macon’s family owned Von Hoffman Aircraft Corporation where airplanes were built and Major Lambert (for whom Lambert International Airport is named) was the president of the airplane factory and also Von Hoffmann Flying School. Macon’s mother herself flew back and forth to Stevens College in Columbia, Missouri, in a Stinson airplane in the 1940s.

Bill Macon and Kim Luke, Ideal Aviation Illinois office manager

Ideal Aviation Illinois held its Grand Reopening and Open House yesterday. In addition to tours of the newly-remodeled facility, there were civilian airplane and helicopter displays, including a fully-restored 1941 Waco bi-plane, airplane rides, and complimentary BBQ and refreshments. Rides were offered for a nomimal fee in the Waco bi-plane.

Ideal Aviation is located at 2500 Vector Drive; Cahokia, Illinois 62206. For more information, call Ideal at 618-337-3400.

Metro owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and surrounding industrial business park.

 

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MetroLink Service Will Have Bus Shuttles from Stadium and 5th & Missouri Stations Sunday Morning

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Courtney

UPDATE 4/21/2012: As Metro previously advised, MetroLink trains will not operate between the Busch Stadium MetroLink Station and the 5th & Missouri Station Sunday morning to accommodate work on the MetroLink overhead wires. Red and Blue Line passengers will be transported by bus shuttles between those stations from the beginning of service until noon tomorrow, April 22. THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN THE BUS SHUTTLE ROUTE DUE TO A RUN/CYCLING EVENT TOMORROW ON THE EADS BRIDGE. The main bus shuttle will transport MetroLink passengers from the Stadium, 8th & Pine, Convention Center, and 5th & Missouri stations. The shuttle buses will pick up and drop off at each of these stations. The East Riverfront MetroLink Station will be served by a shuttle that will only operate between the East Riverfront and 5th & Missouri stations. Since the bus shuttles will not be able to access the Arch-Laclede’s Landing station due to street closures, those passengers will need to take the bus shuttle to the Convention Center station and walk to the Laclede’s Landing or take a Metro van shuttle from the Convention Center station to near the Arch-Laclede’s Landing station.

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Metro will not operate trains between the Stadium MetroLink Station and the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station on Sunday morning to accommodate work on the overhead wires for MetroLink. MetroLink customers traveling between Missouri and Illinois should allow an extra 20 to 30 minutes for their travels Sunday morning.

Red and Blue Line passengers will be transported by bus shuttles to the stations located between the Stadium MetroLink Station and the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station on Sunday, April 22 from the beginning of service until noon. Stations affected are the 8th& Pine, Convention Center, Arch-Laclede’s Landing, and East Riverfront. The platforms at these stations will be closed to customers but the shuttle buses will stop at each of these stations.  Metro will operate on a single track between the East Riverfront and the Arch-Laclede’s Landing stations from noon until the end of service Sunday night.

MetroBus shuttles will operate every 20 minutes between the Stadium and 5th & Missouri MetroLink Stations. Metro will have extra personnel at the affected stations to assist customers.

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE DETAILS

Red Line service will operate between the Stadium and Lambert Airport Terminal #1 MetroLink Stations, and between the 5th & Missouri and Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Stations.  Red Line passengers planning to continue eastbound from the Stadium MetroLink Station will be instructed to get off the train and board a shuttle bus for the trip to the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station, where they can board a train and continue their eastbound commute.  In Illinois, Red Line customers traveling to Missouri will be instructed to exit the train at the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station and get on a shuttle bus that will take them to the Stadium MetroLink Station, where they can board a train and resume their westbound travels.

No Blue Line service will be provided in Illinois on Sunday morning.  Blue Line service will ONLY operate between the Shrewsbury I-44 and Central West End MetroLink Stations.  In Illinois, passengers traveling westbound to Blue Line stations will need to transfer to a shuttle bus at the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station to take them to the Stadium MetroLink Station, where they will board a westbound Red Line train.  Passengers will need to transfer to a westbound Blue Line train at the Central West End MetroLink Station to continue their commute to Blue Line stations.

Eastbound Blue Line passengers will need to transfer to a Red Line train at the Central West End MetroLink Station.  Eastbound trains will stop at the Stadium MetroLink Station and passengers will be instructed to board shuttle buses which will transport them to the 5th & Missouri MetroLink Station, where they can board eastbound trains to continue their commute to all Blue Line or Red Line stations.

Blue and Red Line trains will operate on a single track between the East Riverfront and the Arch-Laclede’s Landing stations from noon until the end of service Sunday night. Passengers should expect five minute delays during the single tracking operation.

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Call-A-Ride Operator Dale Dean Commended For Bravery, And Is Called A Hero By Woman He Helped Save From Fire

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Courtney

Call-A-Ride Operator Dale Dean

Metro Call-A-Ride Van Operator Dale Dean doesn’t consider himself a hero. A humble man with strong faith, he just considers himself blessed to have been there to help. But Berkeley resident Dorothy Dixon considers Dean her hero. In February, Dean was dropping off a passenger when he saw Dixon’s house on fire, and rushed to alert her and get her out of the house. Recently, Dixon got to meet Dean once again, and give a big hug to the operator who helped save her life.

On February 7 around 6 p.m., Dean was driving a Metro Call-A-Ride customer home when he saw flames coming out of the roof on home on McKibbon Road. There were lights on and a car in the garage, so he thought someone might be in the house. He ran up and banged on the door. Dixon came to door, startled. She had been napping, and the banging woke her up. She had no idea that her home was on fire.

Dean then called Metro Call-A-Ride Dispatch to alert authorities, helped Dixon move her car, and let her stay with him and his passenger, who turned out to be Dixon’s niece, in the Call-A-Ride van, safe and warm while waiting for the fire and police crews to arrive.

Metro President & CEO John Nations, presents an award for bravery to Dale Dean. Dorothy Dixon joined Metro in commending him.

Dixon wanted to see Dean again to thank him for what he did so we invited her to the Metro Board of Commissioners meeting when Dean was scheduled to receive special recognition for going above and beyond the call of duty. He did not know that Dixon would be there. Her thank you was very emotional and she hugged Dean with tears in her eyes, and asked if there was anything she could do for him. Dean answered that he had been praying to God to use him to help others, and he believes this was exactly what he asked for.

A Call-A-Ride operator for 11 years, Dean lives in Pevely, Missouri with his wife Kirstie. He says he loves driving, and in addition to being very active in his church, he enjoys camping, fishing, bike riding and Cardinals baseball.

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Forest Park Trolley Seasonal Service Starts on Monday, April 16

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Courtney

You can always tell when it’s spring in St. Louis: blooming trees, Cardinals baseball, and tons of folks heading to Forest Park. One of the best options to avoid the traffic jams and parking issues is to take the Metro Forest Park Trolley.

Metro Transit is pleased to partner again this season with Forest Park Forever and its Park partners, the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Science Center, and Saint Louis Zoo, to bring this valuable Trolley service to the region. The Metro Forest Park Trolley will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 16 through October 31. The service will be extended during the peak summer tourist season until 7 p.m. each night from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The Trolley will take visitors to all Forest Park attractions, as well as the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station.

A one-day Trolley ticket for adults is $2 and children ages 5 to 12 ride for $1. Seniors 65 and older and disabled customers ride for $1 a day with a valid Metro Reduced Fare Permit. Children ages 4 and under ride free. Customers may purchase the trolley ticket aboard the Trolley bus and the ticket is valid for unlimited rides on a single day on this route only. That means park visitors can hop on and off the Trolley all day long with a valid ticket as they travel to the different attractions in the Park. All Metro tickets, passes and transfers will also be accepted on the route which is the #3 Forest Park Trolley. The Trolley will run every 20 minutes.

The Muny Trolley returns this summer as well. Metro Transit is partnering again with The Muny Theatre to provide Trolley services to the Muny. The Muny Trolley will operate between the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station and The Muny Theatre at 20-minute intervals from 7 p.m. to 8:42 p.m. and again from 9:22 p.m. to 11:28 p.m. on all performance evenings. The Muny performance dates are June 18 – July 1, July 5 – July 11, and July 16 – August 12.

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Metro Earns TSA Gold Standard Rating for Safety and Security

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Courtney

Recently, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recognized Metro as one of the 17 rail and mass transit agencies from across the country that earned TSA’s highest rating of “Gold Standard” on the agency’s most recent Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement (BASE) for their dedication to building a strong security system.

“Our top priority at Metro Transit is to move people safely and securely,” said Metro President and CEO John Nations.

According to the TSA, “the BASE program is designed to establish a security standard for individual system security programs and assess progress. This voluntary comprehensive review of transit agency security programs focuses on multiple categories identified by the transit community as fundamentals for a sound transit security program. They include a review of topics such as an agency’s security plans, security training, drills/exercise programs, public outreach efforts and background check programs. The BASE assessment analyzes the security program for each transit system and identifies vulnerabilities that are addressed.”

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) presented Metro with its prestigious “Gold Standard” rating for demonstrating the highest level of excellence for commitment to security and passenger
safety.

Metro Transit’s Security and Safety staff members are very proud to receive this prestigious level of distinction from the TSA for having a strong security program.  “We are highly pleased by the recognition of our dedicated effort to provide safety initiatives throughout our company”, said Sheila Hockel, Manager of Emergency Preparedness.

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Metro Gears Up for the Cardinals Home Opener Tomorrow

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Patti

Our Boys of Summer, the 2011 World Series Champions St. Louis Cardinals, will play their first home game of the season at Busch Stadium tomorrow afternoon. Since the Cardinals home opener is on a work day and parking in Downtown St. Louis will be at a premium, the best bet for Redbird fans (and Cubs fans) is to take MetroLink to the game and opening day festivities. To avoid the traffic, and the cost and hassle of finding parking, baseball fans can use one of the 19 free park-ride lots along the MetroLink line and take the train to the Stadium MetroLink Station or one of the other nearby MetroLink stations Downtown to join in on the fun at the rallies or to get something to eat before the game. Check our website for schedules and to find the closest park-ride lot to your home.

Metro will have additional staff members on the MetroLink system tomorrow to assist baseball fans. Extra trains will be added, as needed, before and after the game.

There are also plenty of MetroBus routes in Illinois and Missouri to get fans to Downtown St. Louis for the game tomorrow including the Redbird Express. It departs from the Water Tower at St. Clair Square in Fairview Heights, Illinois, with the first Redbird Express leaving 2 1/2 hours before the game and running every 5 to 10 minutes. Tomorrow for the home opener, the Redbird Express buses will begin running at 11 a.m. More information about the Redbird Express can be found at the St. Clair County Transit District website.

We are looking forward to watching some great Cardinals baseball this season and getting you and your family and friends to the games. Go Cards!

 

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Short Delays for Red and Blue Line MetroLink Customers

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Patti

MetroLink will operate on a single track during the day this week through Thursday and the work on the alignment may cause minor delays for passengers.

From 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 today through Thursday, MetroLink will operate on a single track between the East Riverfront MetroLink Station and the Arch-Laclede’s Landing MetroLink Station. Blue and Red Line passengers should expect 5 minute delays during those hours.

No maintenance work is currently scheduled for Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

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#90 Hampton Reroute and Forest Park Shuttle Service This Weekend Due to Forest Park Congestion

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Courtney

Apparently, traffic in Forest Park is a zoo already!  So this weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday only, the #90 Hampton will run its summer reroute schedule through Forest Park. Please see the attached reroute map.

MetroBus shuttle service will serve passengers starting at Forest Park – DeBaliviere MetroLink Station and throughout the park on the #3 Forest Park Trolley route and schedule.  The actual Forest Park Trolley’s designated wrapped buses will roll out on April 16th. Look for the MetroBus with “SHUTTLE” in the overhead sign to use the #3 route.

#90 Hampton (2).Doc Reroute 2012 Summer

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