KCATA – Public Forums On Route Recommendations November 2011
Posted by Transit Action Network on October 31, 2011
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) has service change recommendations on more than 50 Metro bus routes. They want to improve service, meet ridership demands and operate more efficiently using existing resources.
Customer participation is important in developing the final route recommendations. KCATA is hosting a series of public forums on the potential service changes to gain additional input. The forums will be an opportunity for customers to learn more about the service changes, provide comments about the proposed changes, and further discuss the recommendations one-on-one with KCATA staff. Service changes are scheduled to begin in April 2012 and will be phased in throughout 2012.
Public forum schedule:
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Plaza KCMO Library, 4800 Main St., Cohen Center
Thursday, Nov. 10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Central KCMO Library, 14 W. 10th St., Multi-Purpose Room
Thursday, Nov. 10, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 5306 N. Oak Trafficway
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Northeast Branch KC Library, 6000 Wilson
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, 3700 Blue Parkway
Thursday, Nov. 17, 4 to 6:30 p.m., Canaan Worship Center, 5333 Bannister Rd., Fellowship Hall
Saturday, Nov. 19, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. KCATA, 1200 E. 18th St., Breen Building, Lobby
Additional information, including the recommended changes, are available on the KCATA Website. Click here to submit online comments.
Transit Action Network (TAN) 
Rose A. Rhodes said
I am writing in response to the notification that the Route 55 Rockhill bus line will be eliminated the fisrt of the next year, due to low ridership. While this may be the case during the spring and summer, fall and winter increases because myself and many others ride instead of driving. One of the main reasons I moved to Holmes was because of the bus line, years back the Troost Express was eliminated and we made the transition to the Rockhill bus, now the Rockhill bus is in jeopardy of going away and causing a lot of us to have to walk over to Troost in the winter. Which by the way is dangerous when coming home in the evenings or walking in the winter and trying to avoid slipping and falling.
Please reconside having the smaller bus operating in the summer and a normal size bus in the winter, because this route is sorely needed.
Thank you,
Ron McLinden said
These forums consist of a formal presentation near the beginning of the session, followed by an opportunity to talk with KCATA staff one-to-one. The formal presentation is made by the consultant who managed the study, and I found it to be highly informative. I encourage you to attend.
In response to a criticism I heard from a fellow bus rider yesterday — that KCATA has already decided what it wants to do and these forums are just for show — I believe they are definitely in listening mode, and that they will be responsive to concerns raised by riders.
It’s important to keep in mind, however, that KCATA won’t be able to respond to every single rider concern. Part of the purpose of the Comprehensive Service Analysis is to enable the transit system to serve more riders without increasing cost.