RideKC Route 11 "Northeast-Westside" will continue to offer services through a partnership between the City of Kansas City and KCATA. | File photo

Julia Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Bus routes have remained a popular topic for discussion since KCATA announced in March 2025 that funding cuts could alter — and ultimately suspend — 13 route services across the Kansas City metropolitan area.

However, on Thursday, Aug. 14, Mayor Quinton Lucas announced in a press release that the City of Kansas City and Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) signed a partnered-contract to continue all essential Kansas City metro bus routes through April 30, 2026 — providing an answer for many with questions of, “Will dependable public transportation continue for local communities in the near future?” 

Of these 13 RideKC routes subject to changes included two within the Historic Northeast — Route 9 “9th Street” and Route 11 “Northeast-Westside.” 

Additional routes, which KCATA anticipated would face effects for those traveling to and from Northeast, are Route 21 (Cleveland-Antioch) — a north-south connector that runs from 75th and Gregory Boulevard to Vivion and Antioch roads, with a stop at St. John Avenue and Belmont Boulevard — and Route 24, which provides service along Independence Avenue. 

In a statement back in March, KCATA shared that this decision was originally due to increasing public transportation costs accompanied with a decrease in federal funding, which the program had previously continued to receive in aid following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This partnership agreement went before and passed the KCATA Board of Commissioners on Friday, Aug. 15 during a special session. 

While arriving at this concluded agreement took several months of planning between the two governed organizations, the City shared in a release that its goal is to continue to provide Kansas City residents with reliable public transportation. 

One factor that contributed to this extension of services is to make reliable transportation available for families, students, seniors and those who require RideKC services for various mobility reasons. 

“The 12-month contract between Kansas City and KCATA provides the stability we need to continue serving our community while we work on longer-term solutions and improvements to our transit system,” 4th District Councilman, Eric Bunch said in a press release. “Public transportation reduces traffic congestion, improves air quality and provides economic opportunities for residents across our region.”

And the continuation of accessible public transportation for the community is also an element that Northeast stakeholders remain passionate about.

“A thriving bus system is essential to residents of the Northeast who rely on that mode of transportation for work, medical appointments, attending church, etc.,” Jordan Schiele, co-founder and executive director of Jerusalem Farm shared, Monday. “Any cuts to frequency or routes would harm our community. Bus 11 and 24 are extremely important; not only sustaining our public transportation, but improving it should be a priority for the City and County Governments.” 

One component of this agreement is a reinstatement of bus fares. All RideKC services have remained “zero fare” since 2020. However, beginning in 2026, these fares will be reimplemented for passengers.

 While KCATA has not announced a ride fee at this time, bus fares in 2019 were $1.50 for a single ride and $50 for a monthly pass. KCATA shared in a release that free fare will be an option, but there will be specific qualifications needed to qualify for this benefit. 

For additional information on RideKC route extensions, visit: https://ridekc.org/.