SPRINGFIELD, Mo – With only eight home games left in the Springfield Cardinals season, you can expect to see something new – a free parking and shuttle system.

And, Monday night’s game against the Frisco, Tx. RoughRiders was the first time they used it to pick people up and drop them off between OTC and Hammons Field.

Dan Reiter, Springfield Cardinals Vice President and General Manager, says OTC has been helpful with parking all season. “OTC has been amazing all season to let fans park there for free and this is kind of the next step evolution,” says Reiter.

Dan says the Springfield Cardinals have hated what has been happening with the parking lots surrounding the stadium.

Fans say they seem happy with the new shuttle.

“I heard about it on the radio, that the parking fees went up and that the Cardinals worked out something with OTC, so just on the principal of the thing decided to come over and ride the shuttle,” says David Cramer. Cramer has been attending Cardinals games for years.

“Pulled into the parking lot down there that you had to have a parking permit and the guy there said that says there’s one over there that charges $8, one at $7, but if you come to OTC up here they run a shuttle. I said, ‘Oh, we’ll do that.’ I thought that was a good deal to go with rather than park somewhere and walk a mile,” says James Haskamp.

Haskamp and his wife are from a small town near Columbia and are in town to celebrate their ninth wedding anniversary. Tonight was their first time hearing about the shuttle system. They both are super St. Louis Cardinals fans and decided to check out the baby birds of Springfield.

James Haskamp and his wife

“Ultimately, we want fans to do what’s best for them. Honestly, I don’t care where fans park as long as they come to a Cardinals game and cheer them on,” says Reiter.