Quad Cities MetroLINK

Last updated
MetroLINK Quad Cities
QC metro 2009 logo.png
SouthPark Mall MetroLINK Mega Stop.jpg
The MetroLINK Mega Stop at SouthPark Mall in 2023
Founded1970
Headquarters1515 River Dr
Locale Moline, Illinois
Service area Rock Island County, Illinois
Henry County, Illinois
Service type Bus service
Routes14
Fuel type Diesel
CNG
Battery electric bus
Website www.gogreenmetro.com

The Quad Cities MetroLINK, officially the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District, provides mass transportation for the Illinois half of the Quad Cities metro area. Both Iowa cities that make up the region have their own systems, several MetroLINK routes connect with Davenport CitiBus, and Bettendorf Transit. It is the only transit system in the Quad Cities that operates seven days a week. The system has a fleet of 68 fixed route buses that is composed of Twelve 35-foot compressed natural gas buses, Thirty Eight 40-foot compressed natural gas buses [1] As of 2022, they have seventeen all electric buses. [2] Its annual ridership is 3.5 million. [1]

Contents

History

Quad Cities MetroLINK began service in 1970, as the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District, to revive the local transit system, which had been privately operated. Throughout its early history, the agency was branded as RICMMTD, but in 1988, a public contest replaced this name with "MetroLINK" to improve name recogniction. 1998 saw the introduction of Channel Cat ferry service on the Mississippi River, while Compressed Natural Gas buses first appeared on the streets in 2002. In 2012, MetroLINK was named "Outstanding Public Transportation System of the Year" for systems carrying 1-4 million passengers annually by the American Public Transportation Association. In 2018, MetroLINK deployed its first three all-electric zero emission buses into service, with the electric bus fleet continuing to expand. [3]

Route list

Sunday Service


Fleet

Transfer Stations

Centre Station is the signature hub of the Metro system, located at 1200 River Drive in Moline. It provides connections with nine routes. The facility was completed in April 1998 as a part of the John Deere Commons Development with a 12 bay, 12,000 square foot terminal. The showpiece for the Centre Station project is the corner clock tower that overlooks River Drive.  The stone and brick site is a 350-space parking facility that connects to the TaxSlayer Center via a glass and steel crosswalk. In addition to MetroLINK buses, the facility is also served by intercity buses from Greyhound Lines. [4] In the future, the Centre Station is planned to become a passenger rail hub as part of the Quad Cities train project. [5]

East Pointe Station is located at 1201 14th Avenue, in East Moline and connects three routes on the east end of the Metro system. The station, built in 2006, offers an indoor waiting area with restrooms and real-time signage, and is also equipped with a high tech community room that is available for local events.

District Station is Metro's newest station, opening in 2014, as part of a larger transit-oriented development at 1975 2nd Avenue in downtown Rock Island. The Station features ten bus docking stations with canopies, as well as an indoor lobby with restrooms, seating, real-time signage, and an informational kiosk. District Station is currently served by five Metro routes and offers a connection point with Davenport CitiBus Route 7.

Mega Stops

MetroLINK stop at Quad City International Airport Quad City International Airport 03.jpg
MetroLINK stop at Quad City International Airport

Constructed in 2011, the QCIA Mega Stop is located directly outside the baggage terminal of the Airport. The Stop features a covered platform with benches, a kiosk with passenger information, lighting, and real-time LED signage. Metro's Route 20 serves the QCIA every half hour, and provides direct access to hotels and downtown Moline.

SouthPark Mall is Metro's newest Mega Stop, completed in 2015. The stop, which provides direct connections with the South Mall Entrance, features a covered waiting area with platform, windbreaks with seating, real-time LED signage, lighting, and landscaping. The SouthPark Mall Mega Stop is served by Metro's Route 20 and Route 60.

Fixed route ridership

The ridership and service statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response. [6]

1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
2002
2005
2008
2011
2014
2017
2020
2023

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Times Staff (2012-03-22). "MetroLINK has about 10,000 riders per day". Quad-City Times . Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  2. Proterra. "Battery-Electric Proterra Buses Usher Illinois Quad Cities Closer to Zero-Emission Future". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  3. "Our History" . Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  4. "Destinations" . Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  5. "Metro Transit Facility (Centre Station)" . Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  6. "The National Transit Database (NTD)" . Retrieved January 15, 2023.