# Kansas City becomes first major US city to have free public transporation **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2019, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452 "2019-12-06T03:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/1 "2019-12-06T03:57:52Z")
[https://www.435mag.com/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-american-city-with-universal-fare-free-public-transit/](https://www.435mag.com/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-american-city-with-universal-fare-free-public-transit/) Expected to cost the city $8 million, but worth it, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/2 "2019-12-06T03:59:14Z")
Only $8 million? That seems … really cheap! I mean, I know Kansas City isn’t the biggest city in the world, but it’s still about a half million people. Can that number really be right? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/3 "2019-12-06T04:06:30Z")
[We’re doing the same thing here](https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article238068489.html#storylink=mainstage_lead) starting next month. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/4 "2019-12-06T04:10:39Z")
A great idea. I hope someone is capturing all the data on this. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/5 "2019-12-06T05:42:13Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Only $8 million? That seems … really cheap! I mean, I know Kansas City isn’t the biggest city in the world, but it’s still about a half million people. Can that number really be right? The 2019 [budget](https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article231975432.html) for the transit authority was $106 million in total with an estimated 9.1 million coming from fares. The bus service was already heavily subsidized. The story in the link mentions possible cost saving measures like cutting routes to bring the cost down. 8 million might be possible. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/6 "2019-12-06T06:52:19Z")
That’s great. The city as a whole will benefit, because those ticket fees are likely still going to be spent, some of it in shops and other local businesses. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/7 "2019-12-06T11:55:53Z")
In the 80s, Fort Worth TX had free bus rides within the city, and a private (also free) subway bringing people from a somewhat distant parking lot. I believe it went into operation during the late 60s, and was still operating free of charge when the Missus and I moved to FW in 85. I just asked her to be sure, and she said the busses and subway were all free – she rode them daily for a few years. I remember it well because it was patrolled by guards on horseback, and a safe place to leave your car. Not sure when it changed, but the subway is gone and the tunnels are a scary place for urban explorers, and busses aren’t free anymore. No cite about the free busses, sorry. I’ll keep looking. [Link](http://www.jtbell.net/transit/FtWorth/) to article about the subway. [Pic](http://www.jtbell.net/transit/images/FtWorth/CrossLotView.jpg) of the big public parking lot and subway stop. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/8 "2019-12-06T13:52:13Z")
Good on them. Gotta admit, my initial reaction was to wonder whether Kansas City is a “major” US city? 😉 Upon looking, tho, I see it is #38, 1 slot behind Atlanta, and 2 ahead of Miami. Weird how some cities seem (to me) larger or smaller than their population alone would suggest. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/9 "2019-12-06T14:18:00Z")
Wow, I had no idea this sort of thing was happening at all. I’ve occasionally mused to myself that more people might use mass transit if not for the hassle. You can’t just pop a quarter in the machine as you get on the bus like when I was a kid. Now you have to go to one of those machines and buy a card, and then later maybe add funds for the exit fee if you didn’t figure it right, and every city is on a different damn system… Let’s just do it for free is a nice cutting of the Gordian Knot! Step on a bus or train and go somewhere. I love it, and if it came to my area I’d be happy to pay taxes to support it. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/10 "2019-12-06T14:20:05Z")
Very cool! I look forward to seeing how this works out long term. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/11 "2019-12-06T14:31:23Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > Wow, I had no idea this sort of thing was happening at all. > > I’ve occasionally mused to myself that more people might use mass transit if not for the hassle. You can’t just pop a quarter in the machine as you get on the bus like when I was a kid. Now you have to go to one of those machines and buy a card, and then later maybe add funds for the exit fee if you didn’t figure it right, and every city is on a different damn system… > > Let’s just do it for free is a nice cutting of the Gordian Knot! Step on a bus or train and go somewhere. I love it, and if it came to my area I’d be happy to pay taxes to support it. Oh, honey. There’s an app for that! ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/12 "2019-12-06T14:53:56Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > [Pic](http://www.jtbell.net/transit/images/FtWorth/CrossLotView.jpg) of the big public parking lot and subway stop. I run NoScript; when I click on that link I can’t see the picture. Not that uncommon; however, what _is_ unusual is the error message that it return - “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/13 "2019-12-06T15:08:16Z")
This is confusing. I live in Kansas city (well near it in a Kansas suburb). Now there were at one time 3 major bus services and a few years ago all 3 merged into one. So I’m not sure if this is just the Kansas City Mo. portion or if it will effect the whole system. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/14 "2019-12-06T16:54:18Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Oh, honey. There’s an app for that! Forgive for treating a funny response seriously, but I think we could do with fewer convenient ways to take our money. Example: EZ-Pass. Is it better than tollbooths, yes. But I’ve always said maybe we shouldn’t be tolling roads in the first place. I think it should be done through taxes. I’ve backed off a little on that opinion as we’ve seen more congestion because of Uber and other factors. But still, I don’t want more goddam AppStore’s other tech solutions. Can’t we just love the idea of no-fee public transit and run with that? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/15 "2019-12-06T18:07:31Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > This is confusing. I live in Kansas city (well near it in a Kansas suburb). Now there were at one time 3 major bus services and a few years ago all 3 merged into one. > > So I’m not sure if this is just the Kansas City Mo. portion or if it will effect the whole system. > [@](#): > > The zero-fare option would only apply to Kansas City, Missouri busses, even though Ride KC serves the entire metro area, which is split across seven counties in two states. > > Only buses that originate and return to Kansas City, Missouri, would be free. [Cite](https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-city-council-unanimously-votes-get-rid-bus-fares#stream/0). Veterans and high school students already ride for free. How this will be paid for isn’t addressed in the article - > [@](#): > > Kansas City Councilwoman Katheryn Shields, who chairs the city’s finance committee, said $8 million for free busses, means $8 million less for other services. > > She added a clause in the resolution that would require the city manager to return to the council and explain where the funding comes from. > > “Because I know there’s not $3 million, $5 million or $8 million sitting around,” Shields told KCUR. > > Still, councilmembers reiterated that they fully intend to eliminate bus fares and that Shield’s request was merely for informational purposes. > > Councilman Kevin McManus said it would ensure that the funding is sustainable. > > “When we take the fareboxes away, nobody wants to be on this council putting them back,” McManus said. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/16 "2019-12-06T18:29:35Z")
Seattle, at least when I visited in the early 2000s, had a “free ride zone” within the central downtown area. If you boarded and exited the bus within that zone you didn’t have to pay the fare. If you boarded within that zone but stayed on the bus longer and exited outside the free ride zone you would pay the fare as you exited. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/17 "2019-12-06T18:34:20Z")
Summit County Colorado and the towns within also have free bus service. We (I work for the County) also have a ‘Smart Bus’ App that you can download to your phone that will tell you just where your bus is at and how long before it will reach your location/stop. They are all tacked on GPS, and mapped for you. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/18 "2019-12-06T18:47:51Z")
Didn’t Portland, OR also have a free ride zone, at least on the train? Haven’t been in years. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/19 "2019-12-07T00:20:30Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > The 2019 [budget](https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article231975432.html) for the transit authority was $106 million in total with an estimated 9.1 million coming from fares. The bus service was already heavily subsidized. The story in the link mentions possible cost saving measures like cutting routes to bring the cost down. 8 million might be possible. It surprises me under 10% of KC’s bus service is paid for by fares. [According to this wiki article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farebox_recovery_ratio), big name public transit services get from 10% to 70% (BART system in San Francisco) of their expenses covered by fares. I wonder if too many people were evading the fares. I know in my hometown of Tacoma lots of people say they “forgot” the fare and get let on anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452/20 "2019-12-07T00:59:17Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > I’ve occasionally mused to myself that more people might use mass transit if not for the hassle. You can’t just pop a quarter in the machine as you get on the bus like when I was a kid. Now you have to go to one of those machines and buy a card, and then later maybe add funds for the exit fee if you didn’t figure it right, and every city is on a different damn system… You haven’t really lived until you’ve done all that in Japanese. Without actually knowing Japanese. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kansas-city-becomes-first-major-us-city-to-have-free-public-transporation/844452.md?page=2)