One year ago today the first post was published here on Transit Turning Point. There’s been a lot of growth – in me personally as well as in the region as a whole – in those short 365 days yet a there’s still a good deal of transit growth needed.

St. Louis often has a way of forgetting those without vehicles or those who only seek to use them less and yet as we enter 2011, those people may be the most important citizens we have.

Reading over that very first post brings back a lot of memories: talking about Turning Point with friends (did you know the name came from a friend of mine?), researching other transit blogs and of course the excitement of what’s to come. I feel the sentiments shared in that very first post still hold true today – St. Louis does have a way of forgetting those without vehicles. Though as this article from STL Today suggests, we’re at least aware that we’re ignoring the alternative transporters among us.

Reflecting over the past year of Turning Point has been sentimental to say the least, this city and specifically our public transportation system is something I hold near and dear to my heart. While I must admit, as many of you probably noticed, I haven’t been completely consistent with posting. Rest assured dear transit friends, I have not forgotten you and I have surly not been driving.

The Transit Riders Union of St. Louis has been taking up a good deal of my time and energy. For those of you who don’t know or who’ve simply forgotten; the TRU is a transit advocacy group founded by myself, Steve Patterson of Urban Review STL, Herbie Markwort of Gateway Streets and Charles Purnell of STL Legend. As I’m sure you can imagine, establishing a fledgling organization such as the TRU is quite an undertaking. Something I – for one – don’t have the slightest amount of experience doing.

I begun Turning Point for the primary reason of examining public transit here in St. Louis however, there was a little known ulterior motive. I became unemployed in January of 2011 and sought to fill my days with something thought-provoking and constructive. Here I sit, 12 months later, still unemployed and still seeking to fill my days with something thought-provoking and constructive (in addition to you know, drafting cover letters and interviewing and let’s be honest the extent to which those are thought-provoking is yet to be determined).

There’s nothing like an anniversary to renew my excitement with a relationship and I certainly have one with this blog, our city and our public transit system. I’m excited and rejuvenated to see what the following 12 months have in store for Turning Point – I hope you are as well.