The Monroe-Randolph Transit District has been serving locals since the mid-2000s, providing transportation everywhere between Columbia and Steeleville.

Though the district had a rather humble start, it’s seen significant growth in the last 18 years and has recently begun providing additional services beyond the usual one-way rides.

Monroe-Randolph Transit District Executive Director Jesica Gentry Schlimme offered a little background on the agency.

She explained that the district came about thanks to the collaboration between several social service providers who realized that transportation was a major problem for folks seeking assistance.

“One of the main gaps they found in recipients receiving services was a lack of transportation in the area, so that became a focus from that point forward, attaining some sort of transportation grants which eventually evolved into the district being formed in 2004,” Gentry Schlimme said. “By 2005, we were able to get our hands on some vehicles and become an operational district.”

Gentry Schlimme noted that the district started out by contracting with a third party to arrange rides, later becoming self-operational in 2006. Today, the MRTD’s fleet features a substantial collection of buses and vans to get residents where they need to go.

Gentry Schlimme added that the district stands out among other, more urban forms of public transportation given its curb-to-curb service, taking riders straight from one address to another.

“The importance of having rural public transit is we can be a little more tailored to individual needs because of our lack of mass of people in one given area,” Gentry Schlimme said. “We have the flexibility of traveling to someone’s home, and it feels like a more personalized service for them.”

MRTD Community Relations Manager Mark Beare offered a positive opinion of the organization’s growth and current place in the community.

“Right now, the district is headed in a fantastic direction,” Beare said. “Our ridership has just been increasing like crazy.”

Beare particularly noted the district’s ongoing development of various services, particularly its recently established Go Local program.

The transit district’s typical service is to provide county residents with a $6 one-way trip wherever in the bi-county region they need to go.

The Go Local program allows for half-priced rides should they start and end within a community’s city limits.

These $3 rides are currently available in Steeleville, Sparta, Chester and Red Bud.

“We want people to stay local, to shop local, doctor local. By doing these half-priced rides, we think it’s really big for those communities to try to keep their citizens in their town and get movement around their town,” Beare said.

He also made mention of the new Go St. Clair program, meant to provide residents of Monroe and Randolph counties with transportation up the Green Mount Corridor – including the Southwestern Illinois College campus in Belleville and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon.

Round trips for that program cost $10.

While it’s recommended to schedule a ride in advance, the Go St. Clair program does feature three bus routes with individual stops for different areas of Monroe and Randolph counties.

Beare also made mention of the MRTD Express Route for folks to access the MetroLink or St. Clair County Transit Network.

Though the organization has seen positive growth over the years – Gentry Schlimme noted that the district’s first month provided 35 rides and now does 1,400-1,500 every month – a consistent problem the district has faced since it began has been public awareness.

Beare, who has largely been tasked with addressing this problem, said people tend to think of public transportation as something that exists exclusively in major cities.

“Everyone’s so used to public transit when you’re in the city,” Beare said. “People need to realize that there’s public transportation in the rural areas, and it’s very much needed… One of my big things is we can take anyone anywhere in our service area.”

He also mentioned that one of the district’s other issues is the stigma or persona this sort of public transportation has as many belief it is just meant to be used by the elderly or those with medical needs.

As Gentry Schlimme expressed, though every district vehicle is ADA compliant, there are plenty of people who make use of the transit district simply because of convenience.

“There’s a real stigma that our type of service is only for the elderly, disabled or low-income,” Gentry Schlimme said. “This is a service for everyone… We’re the best-kept secret in Monroe and Randolph county. Unless you need the service, you don’t know that we’re there.”

Despite these issues, the district has still managed to boast its current ridership numbers and achieve its latest expansion of services.

Moving forward, the MRTD plans to expand those services even further. 

Beare spoke about current efforts to work with Waterloo and Columbia to establish a Go Local program in Monroe County, and Gentry Schlimme said the district is looking at Go Perry and Go Jackson routes to further connect Monroe and Randolph residents with those neighboring counties.

For more information on MRTD routes and services or to schedule a ride, visit gomrtd.com or call 618-443-9087.