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Free Bus Rides In Kansas City Give Residents An Equal Chance To Vote, Says KCATA Chief

CEO of KCATA, Robbie Makinen stands in the foreground with a bus passing by behind him
Julie Denesha
/
KCUR 89.3
CEO and President of KCATA, Robbie Makinen thinks free transportation levels the playing field for everyone.

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority eliminated bus fares to limit contact between drivers and riders, but officials hope free public transportation can eventually be made permanent.

The president of the transportation authority said the change would give riders a better shot at job opportunities, an equal chance to vote, and could have positive impacts on the economy to the tune of more than $1 million a month.

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