ST. LOUIS — The MetroLink has made operational changes after hearing from riders.
Starting Monday, Dec. 4, during the day and normal hours it will be exactly like it was before. The plan follows the conclusion of a pilot program that was launched a few months ago.
"This is the best of both worlds," Charles Stewart, Metro Transit Chief Operating Officer said.
Stewart said Monday-Friday two-car trains will be operating on the Red and Blue Lines.
"We'll have a two-car situation, plenty of room, get on and off, rush hour, whatever the situation is," he said. Then, after 8 p.m. and all-day Saturday and Sunday, MetroLink riders will need to board on the front train car, since the rear car will be closed.
It's a new plan for MetroLink, according to Stewart, after crime started to plague the public transportation system.
"We were having situations where the bad actors, for lack of a better word, were focusing on the end car and were free to do whatever they were doing back there, "Stewart said.
In an effort to increase security after hours, Stewart said Metro Transit launched a pilot program in October to look at the benefits of single-car trains.
"We thought that if we closed off one car, we only had one car, that would concentrate all of our customers in one car, and give our security people a better opportunity to monitor that situation," he said.
According to Stewart, riders made it clear this is not what they wanted, so they're trying something different.
"We got a lot of feedback from customers, mostly complaints, for the inconvenience, the crowded cars," he said." Now we have the ability to close off one of the cars when the demand is not as great and focus security on that one car."
Stewart believes this new operating plan will increase safety while still letting their customers enjoy the services they always have.
"Basically, the operator will have the option of, 'Wow, I need more space. There's more people there waiting. I can turn this car back on and I can service my customers better,'" he said. "If this works as well as we think that it will, I think this might be the future of how we operate."
MetroLink will operate two-car service during weekday evenings and weekends, if needed. For example, Stewart said, if there are large events downtown and demand is higher.
Riders, including Maya Harris, are happy with the change.
"I think that makes sense as far as like keeping down on safety, but also at the same time keeping up with the rush hour of people packing the trains, so I think it's a good balance and compromise," she said.
Harris said usually the MetroLink is convenient for her, but for the past month when the pilot program was happening, it was the complete opposite of that.
"It was just really crowded, and people were on top of each other. Everybody's standing, really congested, inconvenient," she said.
That's why Harris believes this is the change that was needed and she's glad their voices were heard.
"It does make me feel good not only for myself, but the population that I work with. I work with individuals with disabilities, and so it is a barrier for them, especially those that use chairs, those that have just any other supports that they need. It is a barrier, so I'm excited about the change. It is a good change that we need right now," she said.
Read more about the new operating plan.