Metro Transit is an enterprise of Bi-State Development, an interstate compact formed by Missouri and Illinois in 1949. Its operating budget in 2016 was $280 million, which is funded by sales taxes from the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, the St. Clair County Illinois Transit District, federal and state grants and subsidies, and through fare paying passengers. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . System Metro owns and operates the St. Louis Metropolitan region's public transportation system, which includes MetroLink, the region's light rail system; MetroBus, the region's bus system; Metro Call-A-Ride, the region's paratransit system. Bi-State Development also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport (formerly Parks) and the adjoining industrial business park, paddlewheel-style river excursion boats, and the tram system leading to the top of the Gateway Arch. Metro has more than 2,400 employees and carries over 55 million passengers each year. History Bi-State Development (Bi-State) was established on September 20, 1949, by an interstate compact which was approved by the United States Congress and signed by President Harry S. Truman on August 31, 1950. This compact created an organization that has broad powers in seven county-level jurisdictions (St. Louis City, St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson Counties in Missouri and St. Clair, Madison and Monroe Counties in Illinois), giving Bi-State Development the ability to plan, construct, maintain, own and operate bridges, tunnels, airports and terminal facilities, plan and establish policies for sewage and drainage facilities and other public projects, and issue bonds and exercise such additional powers as conferred upon it by the legislatures of both states. Funding is received from local, state and federal sources through grant, contract and sales tax revenue. Bi-State does not have taxing authority but is authorized to collect fees from the operation of its facilities. Today, Bi-State is organized as one parent organization with several business operating units including St. Louis Downtown Airport, Gateway Arch Riverfront, Metro, Bi-State Development Research Institute, Arts In Transit, Inc., and St. Louis Regional Freightway. Bi-State Development also has three self insurance funds (Health, Casualty and Workers’ Compensation) that support operations and operates Arts in Transit, Inc. a 501(c)(3) organization that ensures the integration of local art and design in the region's transit system. Metro was founded in 1963 when Bi-State Development purchased and consolidated 15 privately owned transit operations by using a $26.5