Kansas City is in the midst of a transportation boom.
The streetcar opened to thousands of riders daily.
There is another transit service that officials hope can more bring riders more options, east and west of the streetcar.
Ride KC Bridj, Kansas City's new experiment transit program, launched March 7. It serves Westwood, Kansas through KU Med; the route jumps to Hospital Hill and goes east to 12th & Hardesty, through downtown and north to River Market.
Officials are having a hard time getting the word out that the service exists.
A smooth ride back and forth to work is Tina Rainey's priority, especially with her bad knees. She doesn't drive, nor does she take the bus or a cab. She uses Ride KC Bridj. It's all controlled on her smart phone.
"It takes me directly to my house and directly to work with no stops in between," Rainey said.
KCATA is two months in to its one-year pilot program with the technology company. Bridj promises a custom ride with fewer stops just by using the app. Riders can type in their own pick-up and drop-off locations within the service map.
The software gathers the data from the riders' requests and creates a timed route. One of the 11 fourteen-passenger vans picks the rider up from their virtual bus stop.
"We have had just shy of 1,000 people download the app, and we've had 4,100 trip searches," Bridj Manager Aaron Hoeppner said.
He said those numbers show the service is growing. They notice the most ride requests come from Hospital Hill, KU Med, and, most recently, River Market.
Click here to see the service areas
"We didn't serve River Market, but we took that information, plotted that onto a map, and used that aggregate data to expand the service area," Hoeppner said.
While KCATA officials are hoping more people will catch on, Hoeppner said they've struggled with the marketing part.
Sarah Plake asked people in downtown Kansas City if they know what Bridj is and most of them said no.
Right now, Rainey is the only one on her route in the mornings and afternoons. She hopes more people will try Bridj out. She said it's necessary in her life.
"It's very comfortable, it's clean, it's very private," Rainey said. "You don't get courtesy like this anywhere but here."
The only way Bridj is going to expand is through user demand.
"Even if we're not currently in your service area, get out, download the app, put in that information, and we can know where these people are wanting to be served," Hoeppner said.
The app is free, and each ride costs $1.50. Hoeppner didn't know for sure if the cost would rise.
For 10 free rides, use the code KCBRIDJ.
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Sarah Plake can be reached at Sarah.Plake@KSHB.com
