Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District
Saint Louis, MO · NTD ID 70006 · 2024 report year
Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District carries 20.1 million passenger trips a year across three modes — bus, light rail and demand response — making it the 41st-busiest transit operator in the United States, and the largest in Missouri. It is based in Saint Louis, MO.
It spends $292 million a year running that service, or $14.56 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $12.64 per rider — 9% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 45% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 2% on 2023. Fares cover 7% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#45 of 1,162 nationally | 12,728,183 | $161 million | $12.64 | -9% | 8% | 261 |
| Light Rail#15 of 22 nationally | 6,752,816 | $101 million | $14.94 | +29% | 7% | 32 |
| Demand Response#36 of 1,920 nationally | 610,502 | $30.6 million | $50.18 | +32% | 3% | 133 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20,091,501 | $292 million | $14.56 |
| 2023 | 19,690,804 | $289 million | $14.66 |
| 2022 | 18,508,770 | $285 million | $15.39 |
| 2021 | 17,382,680 | $321 million | $18.45 |
| 2020 | 30,271,677 | $342 million | $11.30 |
| 2019 | 36,642,036 | $345 million | $9.42 |
| 2018 | 37,757,821 | $337 million | $8.92 |
| 2017 | 40,978,290 | $328 million | $8.01 |
| 2016 | 44,046,960 | $342 million | $7.77 |
| 2015 | 46,640,767 | $332 million | $7.12 |
Where Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District ranks
- Cheapest Light Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #18 of 22
- Most Expensive Light Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #5 of 22
- Highest-Ridership Light Rail Systems #15 of 22
- Most Expensive Bus Systems by Cost per Rider #19 of 40
- Most Expensive Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services by Cost per Rider #26 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services #36 of 40
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Ask NTD about Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.