How microtransit is advancing public transportation strategies in the Kansas City region

A number of new app-based on-demand services, commonly referred to as microtransit, are provided by various entities in the Kansas City Region. These public ride-hailing services can increase access to larger geographic areas that are often harder to reach with fixed-route services. In our region, these services include RideKC IRIS, Johnson County 499 Microtransit, KCK/Wyandotte County (199 Microtransit), and RideLV (Leavenworth).

At this month’s Total Transportation Policy Committee meeting, Tyler Means from the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and Josh Powers from Johnson County Transit discussed the role microtransit can play in the delivery of public transportation options. Point-to-point travel service IRIS began in the northland in March and quickly grew to cover all of Kansas City. Johnson County Transit, a door-to-door transportation option, has increased its ridership annually since 2019.

Microtransit services provide on-demand ride-hailing options and can support the advancement of strategies identified in the KC Smart Moves plan, the region’s 20-year plan for transit and mobility. These services are available in areas served by KCATA in Kansas City, Gladstone, Riverside, and North Kansas City, Missouri, as well as areas served by microtransit services in Johnson County, Kansas.

The use of microtransit services is an important policy consideration for the region as it seeks to improve transportation options for residents. By providing flexible and convenient transportation options, microtransit can help reduce reliance on personal vehicles and improve access to jobs, healthcare and other essential services.