KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There’s a new way to book free curb-to-curb service with RideKC. The Kansas City Area Transit Authority introduced its RideKC Flex app in February.
RideKC Flex is a kind of ride-share service similar to Uber or Lyft. RideKC operates its Flex service during certain time frames within five zones of Kansas City, Missouri, roughly outlined as the areas around Three Trails Crossing, Raytown, North Kansas City, Gladstone and Tiffany Springs.
Users can book a door-to-door trip within a zone. The RideKC Flex bus picks users up at their location and drops them off directly at their destination, bypassing all the typical stops on the traditional, fixed route bus service.
The Flex service has been available for months by calling customer service to book a pickup. RideKC’s new app, available for Google and Apple-based smartphones, allows users to book a free ride at any time, then track the bus’ arrival.
Users who need to travel outside of a Flex zone can use the Flex service to drop them off at a transit center where they can catch a traditional, fixed route bus to connect them to their final destination. All fixed bus routes are also free of charge.
“I appreciate things that help people,” Patricia Hamblen, who uses the Flex service in Gladstone two to three times each week, said.
Leaders within the KCATA said the public transit system historically sees an increase in ridership when gas prices jump. The average gallon of gasoline in Missouri and Kansas currently costs more than $3.80.
“We’re really excited about that because we have capacity for more passengers to come on. We have all these new options. We’ve modernized Flex,” Petrina Parker, KCATA’s marketing and communications manager, explained.
To learn more about Flex and download the app, visit RideKC’s website.