Five Universities Compete in Transit Challenge

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni from five St. Louis-area universities are riding MetroLink and MetroBus in a three-day competition.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Civic Engagement

Empty light-rail platform canopy with a plain steel-blue train car arriving beside a bus shelter bench under an open Midwestern sky. — Five St. Louis-area universities are competing in a three-day College Transit Challenge, riding MetroLink and MetroBus from Thursday through Saturday to promote public transit. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you ride public transit more often for school, work, or errands?

Citizens for Modern Transit launched the fifth College Transit Challenge at Grand Station, where participants from five area universities will ride MetroLink and MetroBus from Thursday through Saturday. The competition is designed to highlight the benefits of public transportation and encourage ridership at area campuses.

Why it matters

The challenge is meant to encourage people to make transit use a part of their routines. By rewarding riders who use multiple lines and cross state lines, organizers aim to show how the regional transit network can serve daily life across St. Louis and the surrounding area.

The competition's rules award points for trips submitted by text, with bonus points for riding both MetroLink and MetroBus on the same day and for riding in both Missouri and Illinois. Final point totals and participation numbers have not been reported.

The players

Citizens for Modern Transit

Citizens for Modern Transit is a St. Louis-area advocacy organization that promotes public transportation and organized the College Transit Challenge.

The details

Participants from each institution are tasked with riding MetroLink or MetroBus as often as they can during the three-day challenge. Bonus points come from scavenger hunt missions, such as reaching the end of a MetroLink line or riding to the campuses of at least three participating institutions.

Thursday: Challenge kickoff event at Grand Station and competition begins.
Saturday: College Transit Challenge competition ends.

Civic Engagement Context

This is the fifth installment of Citizens for Modern Transit's College Transit Challenge, extending a recurring campaign that uses friendly inter-campus competition to build transit habits among university communities. The series positions MetroLink and MetroBus as everyday tools for students and staff rather than only commuter options.

Students and staff at participating universities can use MetroLink and MetroBus during the challenge and see how the regional network connects campuses. UMSL students can buy a Metro U-Pass for $25 per semester, while faculty and staff pay $65 per semester.

The takeaway

Riding transit between campuses, shops, and downtown destinations can reveal routes that many residents overlook. Trying a trip on MetroLink or MetroBus is a low-cost way to test how public transportation fits into daily life.