Kansas City to offer 'microtransit' routes to fill service gaps

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority board recently moved ahead on lower bus fares for Johnson County riders, free transit for disabled people riding on fixed routes and a pilot project for an Uber-style, pop-up bus route system to fill in transit gaps, The Kansas City Star reported.

For the latter initiative, the authority is negotiating with a Boston-based company, Bridj that arranges bus service on an as-needed basis in its hometown and now in Washington, D.C.

The idea is to fill gaps where normal bus service is nonexistent or irregular. If KCATA eventually makes a deal with Bridj, it will be the first public-private partnership of its kind and a model to other cities, The Kansas City Star reported. For the full story, click here.