For the Missouri city, the economic and social benefits of eliminating transit fares outweigh the costs, but can their success be replicated in bigger cities more dependent on farebox revenue?
After reintroducing a historic streetcar in 2016, Kansas City transit eventually went completely fare-free in 2020. In Governing, Jared Brey assesses what other cities can learn from KC’s experiment, and what unique conditions make the city unlike others.
Prior to eliminating fares, Kansas City’s transit system brought in relatively low ridership revenue. This, combined with the cost savings of eliminating fare collection, made it an easy decision to get rid of fares altogether.
On the other hand, few Kansas City residents can benefit from public transit. “Less than 13 percent of Kansas City’s low-income households live near a bus route, according to one report. And only 3 percent of Kansas City residents use public transit at all, according to another.”
Ultimately, “While Kansas City is the biggest city to go fare-free, its transit system is still comparatively small, and eliminating fare collection didn’t come at a very great cost.” Transit advocates point out that the frequency and reliability of service remains the most important need for transit riders.
FULL STORY: What Can Cities Learn from Kansas City’s Fare-Free Transit Program?
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research