Kansas City is going to become 1st metropolitan area with free bus system
The City Council of Kansas City approved a resolution on Thursday about the free bus system. The resolution may eliminate the bus fares and make Kansas City the first major metropolitan area with a free bus system. The resolution has been passed unanimously with 13-0 votes.
According to the resolution, the City Manager will include the fund request in the next budget for the free bus system in the field of fixed-route public transportation. The measure is named “Zero Fare Transit”. Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, appreciated the monumental step taken by the City Council. He wrote on Twitter, “The City Council just took a monumental, unanimous step toward Zero Fare Transit.”
After the passage of this resolution, Kansas City is going to become the first major city with a free public bus service. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority also appreciated the decision of the council. The authority said, “It will improve the lives of so many and help fuel the local economy.” The details of the proposals are needed to be worked out by the council.
The council will take the decisions related to the funding of the project including the source of funding for the free rides. The fare/ride on a city bus costs $1.50 at the moment. The residents are also using a monthly pass of $50 for riding the city bus services. According to the 41 Action News, the residents of Kansas City backed the decision taken by the council.
In Kansas City, free bus service is not a new thing. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority has given 2 million free bus rides to the veterans in the past two years. According to the recent data, the KCATA takes $8 million to $9 million from the passengers in terms of bus fares per year. Kansas City will become the first major metropolitan area with free bus services soon. The mayor and KCATA appreciated the decision taken by the council.
