KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Council approved a measure late Thursday afternoon to fund the bus service through April of next year.
The agreement came about 24 hours before thousands of riders would’ve been stranded.
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Mayor Quinton Lucas said the city council approved a 12-month contract with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) to continue essential bus service operations throughout the metropolitan area.
KCATA buses have been running without a contract since May. The contract approved Thursday goes to the regional KCATA Board on Friday morning for final approval.
“The 12-month contract between Kansas City and KCATA provides the stability we need to continue serving our community while we work on longer-term solutions and improvements to our transit system,” said Councilman Eric Bunch, who was appointed by Lucas earlier this month to the KCATA commission.
According to a news release from the mayor’s office, the contract will maintain current service levels across all existing bus routes while providing stability for KCATA’s workforce and the thousands of daily riders who depend on the system.
“This agreement ensures that residents in Kansas City, Missouri, continue to have reliable access to the transportation services they depend on. The contract also allows us to now focus on the agenda of true regionalism, which includes the implementation of functionally free fare policy and uniting the region to ensure equitable transportation for everyone.” Bridgette Williams, Vice Chair of the KCATA Board and representative of Wyandotte County, said.
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The news release said Kansas City and KCATA will continue working together over the coming months to identify opportunities for service enhancements and explore sustainable funding mechanisms for future operations.
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