MetroLINK

What MetroLINK does

MetroLINK, legally the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District, is a government transit authority that operates multimodal public transportation in the Illinois Quad Cities region (Moline, Rock Island, East Moline, Milan, Silvis and surrounding communities). Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Moline, Illinois, the authority operates Metro Bus fixed-route service, the Channel Cat passenger ferry on the Mississippi River, ADA-compliant paratransit, and Milan Microtransit, and additionally provides back-office administrative, dispatching and call-center support to Bettendorf Transit in Iowa under a 2013 Intergovernmental Agreement. Service is delivered through 80+ bus shelters, three multimodal terminals (Centre Station in Moline, East Pointe in East Moline, District Station in Rock Island) and four ferry landings connecting Illinois and Iowa across the Mississippi River.

The underlying technology stack is conventional transit IT rather than proprietary software. It includes the BusTracker real-time arrival and trip-planning tool, the Channel Cat mobile ticketing platform, a Notify Me email/text alert subscription system, and Via Transportation's SaaS platform powering the Milan Microtransit on-demand service. Website accessibility is certified to Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 AA. There is no evidence of internally developed AI/ML, patents, or APIs.

MetroLINK is funded through a mix of federal, state and local government grants (notably FTA Passenger Ferryboat and FHWA Ferryboat Program awards), passenger fares (per-ride and monthly passes, Channel Cat all-day tickets at $8 adult / $4 child), microtransit per-ride fees, advertising on vehicles and facilities, and contracted intergovernmental service revenue from Bettendorf. Fares and operating revenue are supplemented by nearly $5 million in 2021–2026 federal ferry-dock infrastructure grants and over $60 million in cumulative capital and infrastructure investment over the past five years. The organization employs more than 150 people and is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees under Illinois state statutes; no private equity or venture capital ownership is indicated.

Name

MetroLINK

Legal name

Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District

Website

https://metroqc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MetroLINK (Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District) is a government transit authority operating fixed-route bus, Channel Cat ferry, ADA paratransit, and Milan Microtransit services across the Illinois Quad Cities, with additional contracted support for Bettendorf Transit in Iowa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation Services

NAICS

Mixed Mode Transit Systems (485111), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Special Needs Transportation (485991), Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Rail Transit Authorities & Public Transport Agencies (THAIABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metro/Urban Rail Operators (Integrated Multimodal Agencies) (TLAFAEAG), Municipal/Transit-Agency Microtransit (First/Last-Mile Feeders) (TLAFAJAH), Urban & Commuter Ferries (Scheduled Public Service) (THAIAJAA), Metro/Subway Stations (THAIALAB)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Fixed route bus
• Passenger ferry service
• ADA paratransit
• Microtransit service

Headquarters

HQ city

Moline

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fares: Fixed-route bus fares, reduced fares for eligible riders, Channel Cat ferry tickets, paratransit fares, and microtransit fees charged per ride
2. Government Funding: Public transit funding from federal, state, and local government sources including FTA Ferry Boat Program grants
3. Advertising: Bus advertising services allowing companies to advertise on Metro vehicles and facilities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

MetroLINK operates multimodal public transit in the Illinois Quad Cities, delivering fixed-route bus service (Metro Bus), the Channel Cat passenger ferry on the Mississippi River, ADA-compliant paratransit, and on-demand Milan Microtransit. The organization also provides back-office administrative, dispatching, and customer call center support for Bettendorf Transit in Iowa under an intergovernmental agreement. Supporting rider tools include the BusTracker real-time tracking platform, Channel Cat mobile ticketing, and Notify Me alert subscriptions.

Product overview

MetroLINK is a public transit system operated by the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District, serving the Illinois Quad Cities area. The organization operates a multi-modal transit network consisting of Metro Bus fixed-route services, the Channel Cat passenger ferryboat on the Mississippi River, MetroLINK Paratransit (ADA-compliant service), and Milan Microtransit on-demand service. Additionally, through an intergovernmental agreement, MetroLINK provides administrative support for Bettendorf Transit in Iowa. The core offerings include fixed-route bus operations across multiple cities, ferryboat transportation connecting Illinois and Iowa across the Mississippi River, and demand-responsive services for both general and ADA-protected riders. Supporting infrastructure includes the BusTracker real-time tracking system and Channel Cat mobile ticketing platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Channel Cat: Passenger ferry boat service operating on the Mississippi River between Moline and East Moline (Illinois) and Davenport and Bettendorf (Iowa).
• Metro Bus
• MetroLINK Paratransit
• Milan Microtransit
• Bettendorf Transit

Products and services

• Metro Bus Fixed-route public bus transit service operating throughout the Illinois Quad Cities with multiple routes (Routes 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 53, 55, 57, 59, 60, 70, 80) covering Moline, Rock Island, East Moline, Silvis, Milan, Carbon Cliff, Hampton, and Colona. For general public commuters and riders.
• Channel Cat Ferry Boat Passenger ferryboat service operating seasonally on the Mississippi River between Moline and East Moline in Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, using open-air boats with 49+ passenger and 7 bicycle capacity. Runs Memorial Day through September with additional weekend service in October. Adult all-day fare $8.00, Child $4.00, Under 2 free.
• MetroLINK Paratransit Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant paratransit service providing door-to-door transportation for individuals who are functionally unable to use fixed-route bus service. Requires eligibility approval and 24-hour advance scheduling. For ADA-eligible riders.
• Milan Microtransit On-demand microtransit service operating in the Milan, Illinois area, providing flexible routing and scheduling. Riders book rides via mobile app or phone through Via Transportation's platform, paying per ride. For general public riders in Milan.
• Bettendorf Transit Municipally-operated transit system within the City of Bettendorf, Iowa consisting of three fixed routes, Dial-A-Bus demand response service, and ADA Paratransit service. Administrative and dispatch support is provided by MetroLINK through an intergovernmental agreement. For Bettendorf residents and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• $4 economic return per $1 invested in public transit
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of BettendorfcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2013MetroLINK entered into Intergovernmental Agreement with City of Bettendorf in July 2013 to provide back-office administrative, dispatching, and customer call center support for Bettendorf Transit system. MetroLINK also provides Saturday fixed-route service and Dial-A-Bus service for the city.
• River ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetroLINK partners with River Action for the Explore the River Series featuring Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks. MetroLINK is the presenting sponsor of the annual program. River Action operates the Channel Cat Talks educational series aboard the ferry, teaching participants about wildlife, history, culture, and geology of the Mississippi River.
• Via Transportation, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationVia Transportation provides the online platform for MetroLINK's Milan Microtransit service. The platform connects users with vehicle-sharing transportation providers and handles reservations, ride management, and payment processing through a mobile application.
• Augustana CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMetro has partnered with Augustana College to provide unlimited access to the entire Metro system with student, faculty, or staff ID. Students and staff can ride any Metro bus route at no additional cost using their college ID.
• Black Hawk CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMetro has partnered with Black Hawk College to provide unlimited access to the entire Metro system with student, faculty, or staff ID.
• Western Illinois University Quad CitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMetro has partnered with WIU Quad Cities to provide unlimited access to the entire Metro system with student, faculty, or staff ID.
• River Bend TransitcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRiver Bend Transit of Davenport, Iowa provides Saturday fixed-route service for Bettendorf Transit under contract. River Bend Transit also operates Dial-A-Bus service and ADA paratransit scheduling for Bettendorf Transit.
• Burlington TrailwaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBurlington Trailways intercity bus service operates from Centre Station in Moline, providing connection to MetroLINK transit services. Metro provides facilities and operational support at Centre Station.
• John Deere CommonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJohn Deere Commons in Moline serves as a Channel Cat landing location, providing dock infrastructure and connection to the Vibrant Arena at the MARK, Wyndham Hotel, and John Deere Pavilion attractions.
• Isle Casino Hotel BettendorfcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIsle Casino Hotel in Bettendorf serves as a Channel Cat landing location, with the Oasis Marina Bar offering refreshments on the dock. Casino provides additional entertainment and dining options connected to ferry service.
• Village of East DavenportcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVillage of East Davenport landing at Lindsay Park serves as a Channel Cat landing location. Area features historical village with shopping and dining experiences along River Drive.
• Riverbend CommonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRiverbend Commons at 2951 River Drive in Moline is the home port for Channel Cat service. Connected to WIU-QC Campus, the Mills, and Great River Trail spanning 60 miles along the Illinois riverfront.
• Bi-State Regional CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBi-State Regional Commission partnered with MetroLINK and other QC transit agencies, in partnership with Iowa DOT, to launch the regional rideshare portal called QC Rideshare.
• Iowa DOTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa Department of Transportation partnered with Bi-State Regional Commission and QC public transit agencies to launch the QC Rideshare regional rideshare portal.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Direct peers

• Springfield Mass Transit District (SMTD): Illinois state-capital transit authority providing fixed-route bus and paratransit in a comparable population size market. Similar government-authority structure, farebox economics, and reliance on state/federal funding.
• City of Peoria CityLink: Illinois municipal transit system operating fixed-route bus service in a similar mid-sized Midwest metro. Comparable scale, funding model (FTA/state grants), and service mix to MetroLINK.
• Davenport CitiBus: Operates fixed-route bus and paratransit service on the Iowa side of the Quad Cities. Direct cross-river counterpart to MetroLINK with overlapping service geography and similar small/mid-size transit authority scale.
• Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD): Illinois-based mid-sized public transit authority serving a comparable university-driven mid-size metro. Operates fixed-route bus and ADA paratransit with a similar governance structure under Illinois state statute.
• River Bend Transit: Iowa-based transit agency operating demand-response and fixed-route service in the Quad Cities region. Already partners with MetroLINK on Bettendorf Saturday fixed-route service and ADA paratransit scheduling — functionally a sister agency.

Broad incumbents

• Transdev: Large private transit operator that contracts with public transit agencies nationwide to manage fixed-route, paratransit, and microtransit services. Comparable as a contracted operations alternative or partner for agencies like MetroLINK.
• First Transit (now part of FirstGroup): Major private contractor providing transit operations, maintenance, and management services to mid-sized US transit authorities. Comparable as a private operations counterpart to public-authority service delivery models.

Others

• Bi-State Regional Commission: Regional planning agency that partnered with MetroLINK and Iowa DOT to launch the QC Rideshare regional rideshare portal. Comparable as a regional coordination body supporting cross-jurisdictional transit in the Quad Cities.

Regional players

• Burlington Trailways: Intercity bus operator that shares Centre Station infrastructure with MetroLINK. Comparable as a passenger ground transportation provider with overlapping regional Midwest service area.

Emerging players

• Via Transportation: Technology partner that powers MetroLINK's Milan Microtransit service via its on-demand ride-pooling platform. Comparable as an emerging microtransit SaaS/operating partner to public transit agencies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/qcmetro
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MetroQC
• Facebookfacebook.com/MetroQC
• Instagraminstagram.com/metroqctransit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metroqc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MetroLINK