Transit Advocates Fear On-Demand Microtransit Undermines Bus Service

A push to promote an on-demand transit service in Kansas City is drawing concern from transit advocates who worry that an overreliance on on-demand services will lead to a loss of reliable, fixed-route bus service, reports Noah Zahn for KCUR.

Known as IRIS, the new Kansas City service is meant to fill gaps in existing bus routes. It is the first program of its kind to cover an entire city of this size in the United States, according to Tyler Means, chief mobility officer for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA).

“However, there are some concerns that IRIS could result in less access to public transportation, not more. KCATA announced recently that it’s ending the Gladstone-Antioch Flex route, and all other bus stops in Gladstone will be discontinued beginning September 1.” The city of Gladstone says KCATA almost quadrupled the price of its contract, forcing it to end transit services. “Instead, Gladstone opted for a three-month trial of IRIS at $7,000 per month.”

IRIS only runs from 6am to 6pm, a dramatically shorter schedule than RideKC buses. On the other hand, “Means says the average wait time for an IRIS ride was under six minutes, while current bus lines only make stops in Gladstone every 30-60 minutes.”