Blog: News, Updates, and Reports from CMT

The Missouri 2019 Legislative Session kicked off last week in Jefferson City, Missouri.  There have been several transportation funding bills already introduced: SB 190 – Onder – Requires a portion of sales and use tax revenue to be deposited into the State Road Fund SB 201 – Romine – Replaces the current motor vehicle registration fee system … Continued

Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) is seeking an intern for the Summer and/or Fall 2019. CMT offers paid internship positions every spring, summer and fall, allowing students and recent graduates the opportunity to work closely with our team and gain insight into the public transit arena in addition to nonprofit management, administration, advocacy and fundraising. CMT … Continued

The ripple effect of the government shutdown has made its way to Missouri’s roadways. Rural transit providers throughout the state are currently operating without FTA Section 5311 and 5310 funding, leaving agencies to rely on other funding sources or reserves to continue to provide critical transit services to residents.OATS Transit, for example, which provides service … Continued

CMT hosted its latest Talking Transit event on Jan. 9 with an interactive update on the Metro ReImagined Study.  Jessica Gershman, Manager of Long-Range Planning at St. Louis Metro, gave a short presentation outlining the recommendations under the Metro Reimagined plan for the region, followed by an interactive exercise with attendees prioritizing improvements they would … Continued

In an effort to actively address local challenges and continue to help our community regain confidence in safe and secure rides aboard MetroLink, the East-West Gateway Council of Governments’ Board of Directors authorized an 8-month, $400,000 MetroLink Security Assessment in March 2018. The assessment has been completed, and final security recommendations will be submitted in … Continued

The 2019 legislative session is fast approaching, and it’s imperative the topic of transit investment remains top of mind among elected officials. Transit systems across the nation receive approximately 40 percent of their annual operating budgets from their respective states. This is not the case in Missouri. For more than a decade, the state legislature … Continued

Bi-State Development officially announced their new CEO in December at a signing event at their headquarters. Taulby Roach, CMT Board member and longtime transportation consultant for St. Clair County, was named Bi-State Development Agency’s next president and CEO. Roach began his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bi-State Development on January 1, 2019, with his top priorities focusing … Continued

  CMT teamed up with the MetroLink Police Unit, Metro Transit, and UMSL today  to highlight transit as a viable winter transportation option in the St. Louis region during the Toasty on Transit event.  To help keep commuters warm, and spread a little holiday cheer, the group collaborated to host a “Stay Toasty on Transit” … Continued

The Transit Advisory Working Group (TAWG), which is comprised of twelve organizations from around the bi-state area, today released its 2018 Progress Report. The purpose of the report is to update elected officials, stakeholders and the public on progress being made to improve safety and security on the MetroLink system – an issue that remains … Continued

On Saturday December 8, St. Louis University (SLU) and Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) teamed up to host a special Ten Toe Express® walk from the SLU campus to the Steinberg Skating Rink and back.  The event was designed to introduce SLU students to the transit system and the places they can go on Metro.  … Continued

In a recent Mobility Lab article by Jenna Fortunati in late November,  she challenged readers to speak to someone on their commute.  Challenge accepted! A previous article detailed one of the biggest benefits to transit, being surrounded by other people and fostering a sense of community.  Building on that concept, the togetherness – sharing space with other … Continued

Early Morning Effort Designed to Help Keep Commuters Warm and Spread Holiday Cheer Transit is a viable transportation option in the St. Louis region, especially in the winter months and during inclement weather. To help keep commuters warm, and spread a little holiday cheer, the MetroLink Police Unit is teaming up with Citizens for Modern … Continued

Transit funding, regional transit priorities and safety top the list of CMT’s legislative priorities for 2019.  Citizens for Modern Transit recently released its FY19 Legislative Priorities. The economic future of the State of Missouri is tied directly to our commitment to funding of the State’s infrastructure. Investment in public transit throughout Missouri delivers proven economic results, and promotes … Continued

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has announced the availability of funds for transit and shuttle buses from the VW Settlement Fund.  For fiscal year 2019 (July 2018 through June 2019), the department will fund $1.75 million in transit and shuttle bus repower and replacement projects. Implementation guidelines can be found here: Transit and Shuttle Buses.  The department … Continued