Bi-State Development Agency changes name

The Bi-State Development Agency in St. Louis, Mo., changed its name to Metro to better describe what the agency is and does. The new name is the final step in a process that began about 10 years ago with the debut of MetroLink and continued with the extension of the "M" logo an all transit vehicles and the branding of the bus service as MetroBus. The Metro name also reinforces the interconnectivity among the various components of the region's transit operations: MetroLink, MetroBus and the Metro Call-A-Ride service. The agency operates a 34-mile light rail system and a 480-vehicle bus fleet that runs on 84 routes. It also operates a fleet of 88 vans. The system had more than 47 million passenger boardings in fiscal year 2002. Metro will also continue to own and operate St. Louis Downtown Airport and the adjoining business industrial park, the Gateway Arch Transportation System, ticketing and reservation center and Gateway Arch Riverboats. Along with its name change, Metro changed its Website address to www.metrostlouis.org.