A Brief History of Kansas City’s Microtransit

The city’s costly experiment with on-demand transit is yielding to more strategic investment.

1 minute read

December 6, 2024, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Blue Kansas City transit bus on Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

rsaxvc, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

In 2016, Kansas City, Missouri became a pioneer in ‘microtransit,’ on-demand transportation services used to supplement or — in some cases — replace public transit.

In a piece for Bloomberg CityLab, David Zipper describes the city’s experiment and interviews Kansas City Area Transportation Authority CEO Frank White III, who says the original goal of introducing microtransit was to get more people to ride transit.

White admits that the public subsidy for the city’s current on-demand transit service is between $20 and $25 per passenger — roughly ten times as much as a fixed-bus route. But White asserts that “It works best in less dense areas. You could use it in rural areas where there is no fixed route service at all, or you could use it as a feeder system to nearby buses — but then the whole system has to be correlated, which can be challenging.”

For White, microtransit can also be a tool for gauging public interest in transit to pave the way for future fixed-route service and serving areas with no other options. “I think we’ll see more strategic use of microtransit, focusing on less dense areas and connecting with our fixed-route buses.”

Thursday, December 5, 2024 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Two yellow and white Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail streetcars at station in Dallas, Texas.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region

At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

April 3, 2025 - KERA News

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Kingsbridge Armory, large hangar-like brick building in the Bronx, New York City with brick lower floors and glass/metal curved roof..

A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard

After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.

30 minutes ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Close-up of white sign with black text; line drawing of bike and 'BIKE LANE'

Houston Mayor Promises Dedicated Austin Street Bike Lane After Public Backlash

Although the one-way bike lane won’t be protected by physical barriers, the proposal is an improvement over the mayor’s initial plan to only include sharrows on the Austin Street project.

1 hour ago - Houston Chronicle

Bird's eye view of large apartment complex under construction next to four-lane road near Atlanta, Georgia.

How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years

The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.

2 hours ago - Governing