Let’s Go KC

The Star has an article talking about big increases in ridership for commuter express service from Missouri suburbs in Eastern Jackson County into Downtown KCMO. In 2007 the blue Springs route saw an 8% increase, while the Lee’s Summit and Raytown routes were up by a whopping 22%. Independence also operates regular bus service inside the city, which has seen ridership gains of 50% in the last four years. Independence bus ridership has almost doubled since 2000.

Unfortunately these good numbers are masking some serious issues. Rising costs and the lack of dedicated transit funding have forced service cutbacks just as demand has risen, with more cutbacks on the way. Kansas City, MO is the only city in the region with a dedicated transit tax. All of the suburbs rely on federal grants and year-to-year allocations from their general funds. So every year, cities like Independence and Blue Springs struggle to find enough money to run the buses, not mention expand service to meet rising demand.

But there is a solution. The Missouri General Assembly has authorized the four Missouri-side counties in the KC metro area to create a regional transportation district funded by a modest sales tax. It’s called SmartMoves, and it would real transit system connecting suburbs to the city and suburbs to other suburbs. It could even include the Kansas side if those counties ever decide to join in.

All we need now is for people to start demanding that the leaders of Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties put SmartMoves on the ballot and let the voters decide if they want to provide more transportation choices to the Kansas City region.

Posted on Tue, Jan. 22, 2008
Cities juggle funding issues with increased demand for bus service
By RUSS PULLEY
The Kansas City Star

High gasoline prices are prompting more Independence, Blue Springs and Lee’s Summit residents to take commuter buses to downtown Kansas City.

With aging residents and a more diverse population, growing suburbs also are hearing requests for more for bus service within their city limits. But officials are hearing talk about cuts in federal subsidies, leaving the future of suburban bus service murky.

The average number of daily riders increased by 22 percent in 2007 for the Lee’s Summit/Raytown express (from 152 a day to 185) and 8 percent for the Blue Springs I-70 route (from 245 to 264), according to the Kansas City Area Transit Authority.

Ridership in Independence, which has offered a more integrated bus service for many years, has increased 50 percent in the last four years and 90 percent since 2000, said Mary Hunt, a senior planner for the city.

Those communities recently renewed agreements with the KCATA.

Lee’s Summit riders are lobbying their city for a fourth bus to serve their route. Blue Springs last year added a fourth.

But Independence has had to cut back on its city-subsidized service. Cities are expecting a 7 to 8 percent increase in costs — fuel playing a big role — and officials think there might be cutbacks in the pending federal transportation bill. That bill would set spending for the next six years. The other eastern Jackson County suburbs will face similar challenges.

Blue Springs

In Blue Springs a policy decision could be needed by the City Council if the community needs to replace federal dollars with general-fund money, said Todd Pelham, assistant city administrator.

Blue Springs, in 2006 expanded to include a fourth bus on the I-70 route. It also expanded its contract with OATS, which provides similar service to Metroflex, but for older residents and disabled residents.

Blue Springs also has benefited by sharing federal grant money that was allocated to Lee’s Summit, money that came because of a quirk in the 2000 census. Those funds could end with the next count.

Lee’s Summit had $750,000 a year, because it was designated a “small urban area” but the city couldn’t use all of that money, because it exceeded its need and desire to dedicate matching money. So KCATA got approval to use part of the money for Blue Springs, a boost that could run out in 2009.

Blue Springs also gets funds from Oak Grove and Grain Valley. Those cities have begun to contribute money because of riders from their community boarding in Blue Springs.

Independence

Independence has taken steps to improve service, even while facing cutbacks.

The KCATA, because of a cut ordered by Independence, in October reduced service along the Red and Yellow lines from hourly to every two hours.

But in August the city opened a bus transfer station, MetroCenter, to allow passengers to board or transfer to buses safely away from traffic. MetroCenter sits just west of the intersection of Truman and Noland roads.

It was constructed with about $2 million in federal funds and $500,000 in city-matching funds.

Hunt said, however, that the city is hearing rumors of a possible $250,000 cut in federal subsidies headed its way, which would bode ill for the next fiscal year.

Independence annually provides 450,000 rides on its bus routes, Hunt said, split by about two-thirds within Independence and one-third to Kansas City. In a separate program, the parks department offers a dial-a-ride service for elderly and disabled people, similar to Metroflex in the other towns.

In response to escalating costs, Independence last year slashed the frequency of buses running on two of the least-used routes, with stops every two hours instead of once an hour. But the territory served was left intact.

Faced with more fiscal challenges, Independence is analyzing routes in an effort to increase efficiency without hurting service.

Fares in Independence cover only about 13 percent of the costs, but fare increases aren’t necessarily an answer. Each time there is an increase, some riders with alternatives will drop off, with a net result of revenue still falling.

“At this point we’re just gathering information,” Hunt said. “We don’t want to cut anything.

“Costs are exceeding what we, or anybody, can keep up with.”

Lee’s Summit

In Lee’s Summit, some days there’s standing room only on the busiest bus from Chipman Road and Missouri 350, which goes to Raytown before continuing to downtown Kansas City.

Lanette Rippeto of Lee’s Summit is employed by the Federal Reserve Bank downtown. She started riding the express bus in Blue Springs 10 years ago, at that time because she had a vision problem that made it necessary. She said she moved last summer. “One of the criteria for moving to Lee’s Summit was commuter service to downtown,” she said.

Even if fares increase, she thinks the number of riders will continue to rise. With the current $2.50 Lee’s Summit commuter fare, the cost is $25 a week.

“You can’t even buy a tank of gas for that,” Rippeto said.

Erich Hanover, a Pleasant Hill resident who boards in Lee’s Summit, said he became a daily rider in December, tired of skyrocketing gasoline prices and putting extra miles on his car. He was driving to work at the United Missouri Bank in downtown Kansas City, the route taking him right past the bus stop.

“I don’t see there being any fewer users; I only saw there being more riders, the way gas is,” Hanover said.

Federal subsidies could drop as costs escalate. So Lee’s Summit officials hesitate to expand service.

The city is hearing requests to expand its “Metroflex” service beyond central Lee’s Summit to areas such as the Lakewood subdivision, which is a door-to-door service where riders schedule trips 24 hours in advance. Raytown also has “Metroflex” service.

For such reasons, Lee’s Summit recently decided to finance a $50,000 study in cooperation with the Area Transit Authority to determine its future transit needs, with most of the cost covered by a federal grant.

“We can determine what we need, but we won’t necessarily have the funds to take everyone where they want to be,” said Amiee Wenson, assistant to the city manager. She said it could cost the city $30,000 annually to add another commuter bus.

Lee’s Summit Councilman Randy Rhoads said that if federal funding dries up, city bus service would be in jeopardy, particularly during an economic slowdown.

“I think we’d have to have some pretty pointed discussion at the council level,” Rhoads said. “It’s not like we have cash lying around.”