Appreciation Event will also Kick-off a Winter-Long Effort Aimed at Providing New Winter Gear Items to Transit Riders as Needs are Identified on the System
To help commuters stay toasty on transit this winter – while sharing a little holiday cheer – Citizens for Modern Transit, Metro Transit, St. Clair County Transit District, Bureau of Transit Police, Metro Transit Public Safety, AARP in St. Louis and University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL), will be handing out fun socks, hats and candy canes to riders at select transit locations on Monday, Dec. 21 (the first day of winter). This appreciation event will also kick off a winter-long effort aimed at providing hats, scarves, gloves and other new winter gear items to transit riders as needs are identified on the regional public transit system.
The socks and hats, featuring a winter hat, hot cocoa, cookies and the words “Stay Toasty on Transit,” will be distributed from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the North Hanley Transit Center, Fairview Heights Transit Center, Belleville Transit Center, Central West End Transit Center, Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 Transit Center and Riverview Transit Center. All extras will be added to a selection of other new winter gear items that MetroLink Police Officers and Metro Transit Public Safety will hand out to transit riders in need throughout the remainder of the winter months.
“Transit is a viable transportation option in the St. Louis region, especially in the winter months and during inclement weather,” commented Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “We thought this effort would be a fun way to celebrate the first day of winter, while also helping to keep riders warm and reinforcing the benefits of public transit.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity to thank our riders, have some fun and help share some holiday cheer,” said Taulby Roach, president and chief executive officer of Bi-State Development. “This has been a challenging year for everyone in our region, and we welcome any chance to show our appreciation and support for everyone who chooses Metro Transit.”
Chair of the St. Clair County Board of Trustees Herb Simmons adds, “These simple gestures go a long way towards demonstrating our appreciation to riders and helping them see that police officers and public safety officials are here and available to help assist them.”
This event provides a valuable opportunity for the partnering organizations to interact with riders, strengthen relationships, and reinforce their collective commitment to a safe, world-class, customer-focused transit experience.
A special thank you to G4S, The Hauser Group, Lois Mans of Farmers Insurance Agency and H.E.R.O.E.S. Care for their generous support of the winter-long effort.