Metro Transit will resume front-door boarding and fare collection on MetroBus vehicles beginning on Monday, June 1, with temporary changes to fares and fare collection. To reduce the person-to-person contact between bus operators and passengers, Metro has been waiving the collection of cash fares on MetroBus since March 21, and riders have been boarding buses via the rear doors.

Metro has also made other adjustments to transit operations and services to better protect operators and passengers and to minimize potential exposure to the coronavirus. This includes providing all transit operators with masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment, limiting passenger loads on buses, installing polycarbonate shields around the operator cabs on all buses, requiring passengers to wear face-covering masks, and changes to MetroBus service that better meet ridership demands and support social distancing. With these measures now in place, Metro is now in position to safely resume fare collection, while continuing to address the health and safety of drivers and passengers.

More Detailed Information about the Temporary Changes Effective Monday, June 1:

  • All Metro Transit riders will be required to possess a valid pass or pay a cash fare to ride MetroBus and MetroLink.
  • Bus riders paying cash fare will pay a reduced rate for each MetroBus boarding:
    • $1.00 for full-fare customers
    • $0.50 for reduced-fare customers
  • Paper transfers will NOT be issued or accepted on MetroBus or MetroLink.
  • Cash fares will continue to be temporarily waived on Metro Call-A-Ride vans.
  • Sales of two-hour passes and 10-ride ticket booklets will be temporarily suspended beginning May 28.
  • Two-Hour paper passes will not be accepted as valid fare starting June 1.
  • Passengers using the Gateway Card to ride MetroBus will have $1 or $.50 deducted when they tap the fare box, and the normal transfer charge deducted when they tap a MetroLink validator.
  • All transit riders must continue to wear masks covering their mouths and noses when on a Metro Transit vehicle.

These changes temporarily eliminate the physical exchange, collection, and distribution of fares, and allow for the safe restoration of fare collection on MetroBus. Metro Transit will continue to closely monitor operations and will make any necessary adjustments to support the health and safety of transit operators and riders during the COVID-19 crisis.

Transit riders who have questions or require assistance are encouraged to call Metro Transit Information at 314-231-2345 or to text 314-207-9786, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.