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More riders take the Metro

Bus service sees greatest gains.
Metro Transit - St. Louis
Bus service sees greatest gains.

Warmer weather, a sunnier economy, and higher gas prices are driving more riders to public transportation in St. Louis. Overall Metro ridership was up 8 percent in the last half of 2011 compared to the previous year. 

Dianne Williams is Metro's director of communications.

"Twenty-three million times someone stepped on a metro bus, a metro train, or a metro caller ride. That's up about 2 million boardings from the same period last year," Williams said.

Bus riders accounted for most of the increase. Monthly bus ridership was up almost 20 percent last December compared to the same month in 2010.