RideKC Blog

Regional leaders came together Friday morning at the University of Kansas Medical Center to celebrate new transit service linking Johnson and Wyandotte counties.

The RideKC brand aims to unite a fragmented system and create a seamless transit network that’s easy to use.

For roughly 15 years, the soft-spoken Jolene Taylor has been the voice of the Metro. She announces bus stops, rules for rider conduct, safety alerts and where riders can find route information. The same soothing voice will soon be the voice of Kansas City’s new downtown streetcar.

A 20-year veteran bus operator, operator Ray Wallace is among the KCATA’s elite. This year he achieved Grand Master driver status for exceptional safety, customer service and reliability.

During the Royal Celebration, nearly 200,000 rides were provided on the free shuttles and regular routes, shattering previous ridership records.

KCATA President and CEO Joe Reardon writes about the future acquisition of the 17.7 miles of the Rock Island Corridor.

The Federal Transit Administration recently approved a proposed bus rapid transit route on Prospect Avenue for project development. This is the first official step toward securing federal funding for the project. Approval to move ahead allows the KCATA to track project expenses and charge them to the federal government if the proposed MAX route receives federal money in the future.

It may not have the glamour of the Oscars, but the transit awards season has been good to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. For the first time, the agency was named Transit Service of the Year in Kansas. And two communication campaigns got a national nod.

By the time the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed 25 years ago this week, KCATA was already leading the way to make its buses more accessible to riders with disabilities.

Expansion plans for the county library, parks and transit system moved forward as Johnson County commissioners gave preliminary approval to the first property tax rate increase in close to a decade. The County Board of Commissioners in Johnson County, Kansas, is considering expansion plans for a package of improvements to transit, libraries and parks. A public hearing on the 2016 budget will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 27, at in Commission Chambers, 111 S Cherry Street, Olathe, KS.