Missouri Public Transit Association to host "Talking Transit Event"

The Missouri Public Transit Association (MPTA), in partnership with the St. Louis-based transit advocacy organization Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT), is hosting a virtual “Talking Transit” event on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. via ZOOM to address the State of Public Transit in Missouri. The event will examine the historic financial win for public transit, approved by the Missouri State Legislature this year, and discuss the current challenges and opportunities for Missouri’s 32 transit providers that collectively offer service in every county in the state. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required and can be completed online at www.MOPublicTransit.org.

Those in attendance will hear from the leaders of the state’s two largest metropolitan areas and rural transit providers. Panelists will include: Taulby Roach, President and CEO of Bi-State Development, which operates Metro Transit in the St. Louis metropolitan region; Frank White, III, President and CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA); Tom Gerend, executive director of the KC Streetcar; and Dorothy Yeager, Executive Director of OATS, the largest rural transit provider in the country. The discussion will be moderated by Kimberly Cella, Executive Director of both Citizens for Modern Transit and the Missouri Public Transit Association.

“Public transit in Missouri celebrated a huge win earlier this year when a total of $11.7 million was secured for Missouri Transit providers for the second consecutive year,” stated Cella. “There is a lot to be excited about, but more needs to be done. State transit funding assistance does not cover the impact of the rising maintenance and operating costs associated with keeping current systems in good repair. These and other issues will be addressed as part of this discussion, and we encourage elected officials, stakeholders, transit riders and members of the community at large to attend.”

To learn more about the MPTA visit www.MOPublicTransit.org.

Missouri Public Transit Association (MPTA) was established in 1980 as a Missouri non-profit corporation. It was formed to provide a unified voice for public and specialized transportation providers in Missouri and to work toward elevating the status of public transit as a national priority.