Today, October 1, Metro will be testing new far boxes on 40 MetroBus vehicles. This will be a pilot program to obtain customer, operator and Metro employee feedback before all the 400 new far boxes are installed next year. The new boxes will provide more detailed passenger count information so that more detailed routes may then be planned. They will also help assure the collection of correct fare, have improved software to better identify counterfeit money and foreign coins, and will allow for smart card payment technology in the future. Fare boxes will still require exact change and still accept the same denominations as before.
Changes to keep an eye out for:
- One person will be able to pay for everyone in their group without paying for each person at a time
- A new customer display screen will provide information on the fare required and the fare paid
- Only one bill or coin can be inserted at a time, so for faster boarding, customers will need to use newer, crisper bills and minimize the use of coins to pay their fare
- Passes can be swiped, in either direction, through the slot at the top of the fare box
The new fare boxes will be installed on the following routes: #16 City Limits, #18/42 Taylor/Sarah, #36 Spanish Lake, #61 Chambers, #97 Delmar, #36X Bissell Hills, #174X Halls Ferry, and the #4 Natural Bridge.
MetroBus customers may email their questions to buildingbettertransit@metrostlouis.org or call Customer Service at (314) 982-1406 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.