KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Citing rising costs, Gladstone has decided to end RideKC bus service on Sept. 1.
In a letter on Twitter, the city explained its contract with KCATA for bus, flex, and paratransit services was $87,000 last year. This year's contract for the same services would have cost $340,000.
"The reasons for that is we are asking them to pay for transit services that in the past the city of Kansas City, Missouri, was subsidizing for the city of Gladstone," said Dick Jarrold, KCATA deputy CEO. "We actually began those conversations with the city of Gladstone three or four months ago to let them know that this was coming.”
Jarrold said a bigger conversation is needed on the issue of transit funding.
“One of the challenges the ATA faces is we do not have an independent source of transit funding," Jarrold said. "We don’t have taxing authority, so we’re independent on these annual contracts from various communities like Kansas City, Missouri like Gladstone to fund service.”
Starting July 1, the city of Gladstone will begin a three-month pilot of IRIS. The service is described as a more efficient, on-demand option that offers people door-to-door service.
The city said IRIS will be free to within Gladstone city limits during the trial.
RideKC bus service will end Sept 1. Buses will continue to go through Gladstone, but won't stop and pick up people within city limits.
—
