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Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) is a bi-state agency serving the Kansas City metropolitan area and with that comes the unique responsibility of coordinating and providing public transit services that meet the differing needs of communities across both Missouri and Kansas state lines. In their vision to bring together regional partners and their communities with convenient and efficient mobility, KCATA set out to build an interconnected multimodal system, one that included adopting innovative technology to improve the delivery of their existing public transit services.
The amount of data that we're able to pull from the RideCo platform is incredible. We're able to see through multiple avenues and lenses on how [the program] is performing and where there's challenges. We then discuss with our partners, 'How do we address those challenges?' and 'How do we find new opportunities in the data?' ... [This] is a huge benefit over the legacy platforms we used to have.
Having experience with previous microtransit pilots, the agency recognized the potential in expanding access to and throughout the entire system. By connecting residents living in underserved communities to fixed-route transfer points, KCATA could effectively close the mobility gaps that existed across the region. Moving forward with lessons learned and a renewed strategic plan, the agency released a request for proposal for a microtransit service covering all 318 square miles of Kansas City.
Against many competitive bids, one stood out in meeting all the essential criteria. From demonstrating their capabilities to deliver multimodal connectivity and improve both operational and cost efficiencies, to enhancing customer convenience and overall satisfaction, the bid between zTrip as the prime contractor and fleet operator with RideCo as the technology partner was the clear choice. This marked the beginning of a successful long-term partnership with KCATA, with the implementation of the IRIS microtransit service and soon after, the KC Freedom paratransit service.
From delivering on multimodal connectivity and improving both operational and cost efficiencies, to enhancing customer convenience and overall satisfaction, KCATA’s partnership with RideCo has resulted in the successful and timely implementation of the IRIS microtransit service and the KC Freedom paratransit service. With the ongoing delivery of both these services, KCATA has expanded mobility options and increased access throughout Kansas City, building an interconnected, multimodal public transit system.
