ST. LOUIS (Oct. 27, 2026) … Five area colleges and universities are preparing to face off in the 2026 College Transit Challenge, a three-day, region-wide competition designed to show students and campus communities just how far public transit can take them. The challenge runs Thursday, Nov. 5, through Saturday, Nov. 7, and is hosted by Citizens for Modern Transit in partnership with the St. Clair County Transit District and Metro Transit.
Saint Louis University, WashU, the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Southwestern Illinois College and St. Louis Community College will compete for school bragging rights. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters can register at www.CollegeTransitChallenge.
under their school and earn points by riding MetroLink and MetroBus, visiting destinations throughout the region, completing scavenger hunt-style missions and posting about their experience.
“This year’s expanded, three-day challenge gives participants more ways to ride, explore and compete on their own schedules,” said Kimberly Cella, CEO of Citizens for Modern Transit. “Whether they take one 30-minute trip or spend all three days completing missions with friends, every ride and every point will help their school.”
The competition begins with a Mascot Meetup at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Grand MetroLink Station. Representatives and mascots from all five institutions will gather with students and regional transit partners for remarks about the importance of transit access and the Metro U-Pass, followed by a group photo and a MetroLink ride to a kickoff celebration at Cobblestone STL on Laclede’s Landing. Bonus-point scavenger hunt missions will be revealed at the event, featuring food, drinks, goodie bags and prizes.
Registered participants will receive text messages with challenge updates. Transit trips will be tracked by text, and the online leaderboard will be updated daily. The winning school will be announced Monday, Nov. 9.
Points can be earned by:
- Registering and tracking MetroLink and MetroBus trips by text
- Completing scavenger hunt-style missions
- Posting about their transit experience during the challenge
Possible scavengery hunt destinations include the Gateway Arch, Forest Park, the Delmar Loop, Downtown Belleville, City Foundry STL, St. Louis Union Station, Busch Stadium, Enterprise Center and Metro-accessible trails and greenways, including the MetroBikeLink. Location-specific questions or photo requirements will be used to verify completed missions.
Participants can take part for 30 minutes or all three days, alone or with friends, before, between or after classes, and from anywhere on the Metro Transit system. Registered participants also can receive a “Public Transit” T-shirt in a color specific to their school, picked up on campus or at the mascot meetup on November 5, while supplies last.
“Public transit connects these campuses to jobs, entertainment, parks, cultural destinations and one another,” said Ken Sharkey, managing director of St. Clair County Transit District. “The College Transit Challenge makes that connection tangible and gives campus communities a fun reason to discover new places without a car.”
Students who have not yet obtained a Metro U-Pass should check with their college or university about campus distribution. Additional challenge and point information, registration instructions and school-specific Metro U-Pass details are available at www.CollegeTransitChallenge.
About Citizens for Modern Transit
Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) is the St. Louis region’s transit advocacy organization. Established in 1985 to help bring light rail to St. Louis, CMT’s mission is focused on championing, challenging, encouraging and advocating for public transit in an effort to drive economic growth and improve quality of life. To help support this mission, the organization works to develop ridership programming, transform spaces around transit stops, help secure local and federal transit funding, serve as a strong and effective voice on transit-related issues and opportunities, and ensure safe, convenient, user-friendly and affordable access to the area’s integrated public transportation system. To learn more, visit www.CMT-STL.org or follow the organization on Facebook, X, Instagram or LinkedIn.
About Metro Transit
Metro Transit operates the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, which includes 24 battery electric buses and 237 clean-burning diesel buses that serve 59 MetroBus routes in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois. Metro also operates MetroLink light rail vehicles on 46 miles of track serving 38 stations in the two-state area, and operates Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 123 vans. Metro Transit is a Bi-State Development enterprise. To learn more, visit www.metrostlouis.org or follow Metro Transit on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About St. Clair County Transit District
The St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) was founded in 1981 and contracts with Bi-State Development to provide public transportation services in St. Clair County, Ill., by way of 11 MetroLink stations and 14 MetroBus routes and with Southwestern Illinois College to offer paratransit services as well as on-demand, micro transit via the SCCTD Flyer in seven communities. SCCTD has also established and maintains the ever-evolving MetroBikeLink System of interconnecting trails and bike paths that seamlessly connect to six Metro Transit Centers – linking individuals to jobs, education, healthcare, entertainment, trails and other destinations throughout the bi-state region. To learn more, visit www.SCCTD.org or follow the District on Facebook, X, Instagram or LinkedIn.
