Some Johnson County buses will start running seven days a week. Here are the routes
Changes are coming to public transit across the metro.
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority announced that some Johnson County bus routes will have seven-day service for the first time ever, starting in April. This comes on the heels of Ride KC announcing massive changes to its bus routes.
Johnson County is trying out a few changes to its public transit system as pilot programs using federal COVID-19 relief funds to see how well they work. The changes are meant to simplify bus routes and will cut less popular routes to give way to the new seven-day service for more popular routes.
What else is happening with Johnson County’s bus services? We broke it down.
PERMANENT SATURDAY SERVICE
Saturday service is coming full time for the county’s busiest routes, including:
119th Street to Metcalf to Kansas City using Johnson Drive
135th Street to Johnson Drive via Antioch Road
119th Street north on Metcalf and south of 119th Street to Troost Avenue by way of 75th Street
STREAMLINED COMMUTER EXPRESS ROUTES
Johnson County’s plan is to cut back on underused routes and expand on others that have more ridership. The new route from downtown Overland Park to Lenexa’s City Center is one example, and it will pass through multiple county workforce buildings.
The county is also adding midday stops to all fixed route lines, such as the routes mentioned above that are getting Saturday service.
Complementary paratransit services for people with disabilities are also being added to these fixed routes.
Some of the least-used routes are being cut as a result of these changes. The route heading to the Prairie Fire development in South Overland Park is on the list of routes being removed. Routes in Gardner, Olathe and Lenexa that are farther from the interstate are also on the chopping block.
MICRO TRANSIT UPGRADES
When the changes take place in the spring, commuters will be able to reach more than 170 miles of new territory when riding in micro-transit vans. Riders book trips using these vans that manage several trips at once, kind of like Uber or Lyft.
With the relief funds, Johnson County is expanding the area served by this program, which will include as far as Gardner to the south.
It will be more expensive to use the service when the changes kick in: $5 a trip between the north and south, and $3 to stay in one zone. Until the changes become official, trips cost $1.50.
You can book a micro transit ride with the RideKC app or by calling 816-512-5510 or 913-573-8351.
What are your thoughts on the changes? Do these changes impact your commute to work or around the city? Let us know at kcq@kcstar.com or with the form below.
