KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KCATA staff and Nelson\Nygaard, a transportation consulting firm, presented their findings to the KCATA Board of Commissioners after looking into the possibility of bringing bus fares back.
Back in July, the commissioners authorized its CEO Frank White III to conduct a study. They wanted a recommendation regarding the possibility of bringing back bus fares. At the time, a zero-fare task force was created to spearhead the initiative.
The findings included pros and cons of the current zero-fare system, and also, what it would mean to bring back the fares. The study looked at peer agencies across the nation, as well, and what KCATA can take away from their operations.
According to Nelson\Nygaard, there are two big reasons to consider reinstating fares.
COVID-19 recovery funds have been used to offset the lost farebox revenue with the zero-fare program, but that funding will be spent by the end of 2024. Without additional revenue, KCATA may be required to explore service reductions. Collecting fares is an option to consider to reduce the anticipated funding gap.
The second reason is the safety and security concerns related to a perceived increase in behavior and cleanliness issues on the vehicles and at bus stops. The quality of services has dropped significantly.
Ultimately, it was recommended that the board authorize the development of a fare collection implementation plan, but in a way that includes public outreach, more studies and potential discount programs for those who need it.
Like many issues, the audience was divided. Those against bus fares talked about the critical role public transportation plays in people’s well-being.
“If you vote yes, you’ll be making the active choice to listen to out-of-state consultants and pass deadly policy that will harm the community, make children go hungry and force people to lose access to health care and more,” said Raymond Forstater.
Those for the bus fares, including current drivers, talked about drop in quality and safety once fares were eliminated.
“We actually lost more ridership due to the free fare because they started feeling unsafe,” said Andre Johnson. “I’ve been a bus driver for 23 years and since free fare, I had my life threatened several times to where I can’t even count anymore.”
After a lengthy debate, the commissioners voted to conduct more studies on this before making a decision. They also voted to strike the last line of the original agenda that said fare collection would be implemented in 2025 or later.
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