MISSOURI’S
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Missouri's public transportation network consists of the
following highway-based systems and light rail programs:
URBAN TRANSIT SYSTEMS
For purposes of funding, the FTA classifies urban systems
as being those which serve areas having urbanized populations
of 50,000 or more. In Missouri, there are seven urban areas
in this class which have local transit systems: St. Louis
· Kansas City · Springfield · Columbia · St. Joseph · Jefferson
City · Joplin
Passengers using these urban systems are transported mainly
on buses operating on fixed routes and fixed schedules however,
most of these systems also offer specialized services for
elderly and disabled persons who cannot effectively use their
regular buses.
RURAL TRANSIT SYSTEMS
The State's nonurban areas (rural areas and small towns and
cities of less than 50,000 population) are served by numerous
public transportation systems. There are two regional systems:
OATS, Inc., which serves 85 counties, and the Southeast Missouri
Transportation System, Inc. (SMTS), which serves 20 counties.
There are also nine county-wide systems. In addition, there
are 19 towns / cities and not-for-profit organizations, and
two university systems, that offer some form of enhanced transportation
service, whether it be in the form of city buses, taxi coupon
programs, or intercity bus assistance. Public transportation
is available in all nonurban areas of the state though it
may be limited in days and hours of service.
ELDERLY AND DISABLED TRANSPORTATION
Transportation services for the elderly and disabled are available
in all of the State's 114 counties and in the independent
city of St. Louis. Much of the service for the elderly and
disabled are provided by the single-county and multi-county
systems, such as OATS and SMTS. Additionally elderly and disabled
services are provided by most of the urban and small urban
area transit systems. For example, Bi-State in St. Louis and
the Metro system in Kansas City both have lift-equipped buses
in regular route service, as well as door-to-door service
provided by specially equipped vans.
HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY SYSTEMS
Transportation assistance is provided as part of ongoing human
service programs offered by state and local agencies throughout
Missouri. Clients, often because of financial limitations
or physical disability need transportation assistance. Assistance
can be in the form of cash reimbursements, by contracting
with public or private providers (e.g. taxicab companies),
or by agency-operated transportation services.
| Listed
below are examples of types of agencies which provide
client transportation services: |
|
Sheltered Workshops (Vocational Rehabilitation)
Retirement Centers
Head Start Programs
Adult Activity Centers
Job Training Sites
Cerebral Palsy Treatment Centers
Centers for Developmentally Disabled
Senior Companion Programs
|
Retired Senior Volunteer Programs
Cancer Treatment Centers
Housing Authority Programs
Schools for the Handicapped
Foster Grandparent Programs
Kidney Dialysis Centers
Nutrition Sites for Senior Citizens
|
TAXICAB COMPANIES
Taxicab service is available in cities and rural areas throughout
the State, operated by private companies or individual owners/drivers.
Fleet sizes vary from one or two vehicles to several hundred.
Most communities with populations of 5,000 or more, and many
with smaller populations, have taxicab service. In general,
urban districts have better taxicab service than do rural
areas. Companies usually prefer to serve relatively small
geographic areas that are densely populated, since this is
the most productive and profitable type of operation. Most
companies will respond to requests from rural areas. However,
in such cases the fares are relatively high and response time
is substantially longer than typically experienced in urban
areas.
LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEMS AND PROJECTS
St. Louis: The St. Louis system, called Metro Link,
consists of an 18-mile line that connects Lambert Airport
with downtown St. Louis and then across the Mississippi River
to East St. Louis, Illinois. The 18-mile corridor has 18 stations
serving a number of major centers.
Kansas City: The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
is developing plans to implement Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in
the high density travel corridor previously identified as
the preferred initial route for a regional Light Rail system.
The route extends from Kansas City's Missouri River waterfront
area called the River Market, through downtown to the Country
Club Plaza. Some existing major bus routes operating along
this corridor would be consolidated under the plan, providing
less complicated but more convenient bus service. BRT will
feature new, advanced design buses with a unique paint scheme
for ease of identification, traffic signal priority, special
BRT station stops with real time schedule information, and
other amenities. The initial BRT route is estimated to cost
in the range of $25 to $40 million. It is slated to begin
operation in late 2004 or early 2005.
UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Two universities in Missouri receive FTA funding assistance
to provide campus transportation service. Southeast Missouri
State University in Cape Girardeau receives Section 5311 federal
funds. Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield
receives both Section 5307 and 5309 federal funds to provide
shuttle bus service to transport students, faculty, staff
and the general public around the school campuses.
