"TOL"

Back in the day, people used to say "bad" for things that were cool.

A bunch of us studied German in high school, and we learned that the German equivalent for "bad" was "tol". Tol means cool in German, and according to Wiktionary, it still does.

Thirty years later, I'm finding a whole new meaning for tol, and this time, it's really cool...

TOL as in Transit-Oriented-Lifestyle. Since I started riding Metro last week, the lifestyle benefits have been amazing. Now we're figuring out ways to fit transit into more of our daily routines.

For $60 per month, you can buy an unlimited monthly pass on Metro. That $60 gets a rider unlimited access to the airport; downtown; Clayton; Laclede's Landing, the Riverfront, and the Eads Bridge; the Convention Center; Union Station; Busch Stadium; Maplewood; and, the Galleria.

I can be nearly free from the car and the hassle of driving, reduce a huge chunk of our $300-$400 monthly gasoline expense, eliminate $120 per month in parking fees, and save on car repairs. For the times I need to drive somewhere during the day, there are multiple options, including parking at one of the free, nearby Metro parking lots, and then taking a short ride on Metro to pick up the car. Walking back and forth to the Metro stations creates a built in exercise routine.

In addition to the savings, convenience, and health benefits, Metro is just plain clean and fun. The views are beautiful and the elevated sections along the new I-44 extension are like riding an amusement park attracton. St. Louis looks great from a skyway!

Now that's tol!