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A 2020 Census survey found that 2.4% of potential voters didn’t cast a ballot because they couldn’t get to the polls. To address this problem, a number of local organizations are offering free or discounted rides for this Tuesday’s election.

The Current’s new riverfront stadium was meant to encourage fans to take transit, bike or walk to games instead of driving. But Kansas City still hasn’t caught up — and it’s left the team and other entertainment venues to fill in the gaps.

El Concejo Municipal de Kansas City renovó su contrato anual con el Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA-organismo de transporte del Área de Kansas City), que mantiene la tarifa de transporte en cero, pero da instrucciones al Gerente Administrativo de la Ciudad, Brian Platt, para considerar los costos y beneficios de un programa alternativo de “una tarifa gratuita funcional”.

The Kansas City Council unanimously approved $70.9 million in funding for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. Bus and paratransit rides will stay at zero fare at least until the contract expires on April 30, 2025, but the bus system faces a deficit once federal funds run out.

Kansas City Council renewed its annual contract with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, which keeps zero-fare in place but directs City Manager Brian Platt to weigh the costs and benefits of an alternative "functional free fare" program.

The new, draft contract between the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and the city contains vague language that suggests the transit agency would limit zero fare to riders who meet certain criteria. The program has been in place since 2020.

A study by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and the Mid-America Regional Council has recommended two new express bus routes — one in Johnson County and one in Kansas City, Missouri — to get people to and from the airport ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

The Environmental Protection Agency is beginning to send nearly 5,000 electric buses to school districts around the country after a nearly two-year ramp-up. A few Midwestern districts weigh in on how the new buses are working so far.

Toll boxes may soon be revamped on all RideKC buses if the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority reinstates fares to address a multi-million-dollar budget shortage. That would especially hurt the low-income residents who rely on free buses most, and could lead to a drop in ridership.

COVID-19 relief dollars covered most of the budget gap from the zero-fare program — and they’ll all be spent by 2025. That means the transit agency will have to find additional revenue to cover the difference.

Federal grants are helping researchers at the University of Missouri-Kansas City study whether keeping city buses free is sustainable. In collaboration with University Health, they'll also study the health impact on riders.

On-demand, point-to-point rides are being offered in Kansas City and St. Louis as a way around fixed bus routes and schedules. In rural communities, microtransit is often touted as a tool to get people to work and essential appointments. But reviews of the programs are so far mixed.