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

By Steve Kraske,
Liam Mays
Published October 22, 2020 at 3:31 PM CDT
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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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Up To Date public transittransportationElection 2020Missouri Elections 2020Talk ShowPodcastKansas City Missouri (KCMO)
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Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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Liam Mays
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