As thousands of Redbird fans get ready to flock the streets of downtown St. Louis in celebration of the start of baseball season, Citizens for Modern Transit, Metro Transit, the MetroLink Police Unit, St. Clair County Transit District and University of Missouri – St. Louis are teaming up to reinforce the advantages of public transit and encourage ridership. On Wednesday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., representatives of these partnering organizations will be at the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 Transit Center, North Hanley Transit Center and Fairview Heights Transit Center handing out thousands of Cracker Jack® bags that boast why “Transit’s a Home Run.” Officers from the MetroLink Police Unit and Metro Transit Public Safety will also be randomly distributing branded earbuds to passengers on MetroLink trains.
To add to the fun and increase awareness on social media platforms, TapSnap™ Studio Photo Booths will be set up at each site. Riders can get a commemorative gameday photo taken to share on social channels explaining why #TransitIsAHomeRun. The Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 Transit Center will feature additional fun, Cardinals memorabilia and tickets to a future game. Plus, Jordan from Z107.7 FM will be on hand with music and a chance to win either a Google Home Mini or Echo Dot, both of which can keep people connected to baseball and local public transit news and resources.
“Transit is a safe and reliable means to get to and from Busch Stadium,” commented Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “Riders also save time and money by avoiding traffic congestion and pricey downtown parking. Plus, those taking MetroLink may continue to see the benefits by opting to use it for work as well.”
“This is a great opportunity for us and our partners to engage our riders, thank them for choosing Metro Transit, and add a little fun to their work commute or trip to the game with special activities and giveaways. In fact, some lucky riders will even receive earbuds so they can listen to the game or music when they are riding on MetroLink or MetroBus,” added Metro Transit Executive Director Jessica Mefford-Miller.
The MetroLink Police Unit, Citizens for Modern Transit, Metro Transit, St. Clair County Transit District and University of Missouri – St. Louis are all members of the Transit Advisory Working Group (TAWG), which was established to help improve safety and security on MetroLink and restore public confidence in St. Louis’ main public transportation system.