» Metro in 60 Seconds

We hear a lot of questions at Metro about why we operate the why we do. One of the most persistent questions is:

Why don’t we use turnstiles at MetroLink stations?

The reason for the proof-of-payment system used on MetroLink is that the system would never have been built if it had been designed as a “barrier” system with turnstiles and station attendants as you see in New York and Boston.

The cost of such a turnstile system was far beyond the resources of the St. Louis region, which was financially unable to contribute money for the construction of the original line from 5th and Missouri in Illinois to North Hanley. The “local share” required to match federal construction funds was provided by the City of St. Louis trading the MacArthur Bridge to the Terminal Railway Association in exchange for the Eads Bridge and downtown tunnel, with the value of the trade calculated as the “local share.” Only after the first MetroLink line was built in 1993 did the region levy sales taxes for future construction.

The proof-of-payment system is the current industry standard. Some systems have applied it after determining that they would lose less money to fare evasion than it would cost to build and maintain a barrier (turnstile) collection system. Light-rail systems constructed in the past 20 years are all proof-of-payment systems like St. Louis. They include San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Buffalo, Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix (under construction), Denver, Los Angeles. Most of the light-rail systems (not subway) in Europe are also proof of payment, as are some of the bus systems.

Nationally, the rate of fare evasion is 6 percent. According to audits of our system, MetroLink experiences a 4 percent fare evasion rate (MetroBus and Call-A-Ride require fare payment upon entry of the vehicle). While a system that allowed no fare evasion is ideal, building and maintaining an effective barrier system, like turnstiles, would be an incredible and prohibitive cost to the system. Los Angeles Metro (MTA) recently decided to test turnstiles on several of their light-rail stations, but only after they reached a critical mass of ridership and system coverage:

“Turnstiles have been discussed by our policy-makers for many years,” said Jane Matsumoto, a deputy executive officer at MTA who manages the TAP program. “In the past, we did not have the ridership or the coverage of service we do now. Proof of payment was much more manageable then.” – LA Times, Aug. 17, 2009

The Transport Politic has questioned the cost-return for investing in turnstiles. The author estimated that it would take 45 years for St. Louis to make up the cost to install and maintain turnstiles at MetroLink stations.

Does that mean that MetroLink will always use a proof-of-payment system? No. As Los Angeles Metro is discovering, when a system reaches a critical point of ridership and system coverage, the cost-benefit of a barrier system becomes much higher, and it becomes more profitable to invest in turnstiles. As Metro ridership and scope hopefully increase in the future, we will have to evaluate the next steps in fare collection and enforcement to accommodate the needs of the system.

In addition to the blog and Metro’s official Twitter feed, STLMetro, we are now on Facebook at www.facebook.com/STLMetro. 

Become a fan, leave comments, suggestions for improving service, find out Metro and transit news, share information about Metro with your friends, and engage with other St. Louis transit supporters.   If you have an idea for information you want to share with your friends (what Metro does, how we are funded, etc.), let us know.

We know everyone is busy. There is a lot of information out there to ingest. So this post is designed to be a 60-second summary (actual time may vary!) of the draft “Moving Transit Forward” plan presentation that we released yesterday.  You’ve got 60 seconds for the future of St. Louis transit, right?  Let’s go.

What is “Moving Transit Forward”?

STL region’s vision for transit restoration, growth and enhancement: 5-year, 10-year, 30-year.

How do we make transit decisions?

The planning team studies land use and regional data on population, employment, travel patterns and projections, and incorporates public input via community workshops, meetings, and websites.

But…East-West Gateway Council of Governments selects projects for design and construction.

Projects must be eligible for federal funding, and must have financial support at local and state level.

Using which criteria will we select projects?

1. Best service for as many people as possible.
2. Cost effective
3. Encourage economic development
4. Help mitigate congestion and pollution
5. Contribute to strength of region’s core

Assumption:

Service restoration and any expansion will require additional financial resources.

THE PLAN

First Step

Service restoration of MetroBus, MetroLink and Call-A-Ride to pre-March 2009 levels

Passenger Amenities and Technology

Smart Cards
Computer-aided dispatch/automated vehicle location (used in CTA’s BusTracker)
More transit centers
Web- and cellphone-based applications

Light-Rail

Potential corridors:

Planning, design, construction requires about 10 years, costs $60 million per mile
Final planning & design phase will determine stations, end points

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

Potential corridors:

Planning, design & construction requires about 5 years and costs approximately $30 million per route
Final planning & design phase will determine stations, end points

Commuter Rail

Potential corridors:

Success depends on federal and state support of high-speed rail initiatives
Costs approximately $20 million per route if federal and state governments build rail infrastructure

How would we fund the plan?

Additional local funding is required for sustaining system, restoration and expansion.
Additional state funding is required to implement full scope of projects.
Federal funding is required for any major expansion project.

When could we see these projects?

1-5 years

1. Service Restoration
2. Planning and engineering for next light rail route
3. Three bus rapid transit routes
4. East-West Gateway selects light rail and BRT routes
5. Passenger amenities and technology

5-10 years

1. One light rail extension constructed and operating
2. Fourth BRT route
3. East-west Gateway selects next options for expansion
4. Additional transit centers

10-30 years

1. Second light-rail alignment
2. Begin planning and engineering phases for third light rail extension

Commuter rail?

Depends on federal and state support for high-speed rail

St. Charles County, Jefferson County, and Madison County, IL?

Depends on intent and funding from these counties

What happens now?

Seek public input through February 2010
Seek Metro Board of Commissioners approval in February 2010
Seek plan adoption from East-West Gateway Board
Final plan recommendation released in March 2010

There you have it. We are still seeking public input on the draft through February, so please check out this the long-range plans’s online survey to give us your feedback on the specifics of the plan.  If you have any questions about the plan, please let us know at blog@nextstopstl.org.

It’s that time of year in St. Louis – INCLEMENT WEATHER!  St. Louis weather is notoriously fickle, jumping from a blustery chill to warmer temperatures in a matter of days.   Metro Transit Operations has to be ready for the worst wintery weather, including snow and ice, and all of the slushy, slippery and wet conditions that follow.  The following actions go into preparing the system for snowy weather:

Sidewalks, platforms, and parking lots

Maintenance crews are mobilizing to remove snow and ice from sidewalks, parking areas, and MetroLink platforms. We keeps large containers of salt on platforms for easy application. Locations with the highest number of passengers receive priority attention, but Metro addresses needs at all locations.

Keeping MetroLink running

MetroLink trains operate on steel rails and are powered by electricity delivered by wires above the trains. Heavy ice and snow buildup on the rails and wires make operation difficult or impossible. Wires in locations prone to ice build-ups already have been protected by the installation of wire caps designed to minimize electrical faults caused by wet weather. The trains are also equipped with heated, ice-cutting mechanisms that use a hard surface to cut through any ice or snow that collects on the overhead wires. Using the ice cutters require the trains to reduce their top speed to 45 mph from the normal 55 mph. If the tracks get too slippery, boxes inside the train will drop sand onto the rails to increase friction.

Metro will run the trains all night to keep the tracks and wires clear of snow and ice build-up, but will not carry passengers after the regular weekday schedule ends.

Delay for MetroBus routes

If roads become icy and slippery, expect some delays on MetroBus routes. Just like other vehicles, they are subject to poor road conditions during snowy weather, and may take longer to reach riders.

Snow schedules for Metro Call-A-Ride

Call-A-Ride passengers should turn to TV and radio news to find out whether a snow schedule is implemented for paratransit service. Expect delays of up to two hours behind a scheduled trip if the snow schedule is in effect.  Metro Call-A-Ride passengers who think they may want to cancel a scheduled trip are urged to do so as soon as possible

Travel home safely

Snowy weather is beautiful, even as it wrecks havoc on St. Louis transportation. Just remember to dress warmly and be safe out there as everyone is heading home and traveling through our first snowfall of 2010.