During Covid, bus and subway ridership dropped. Now transit systems are in crisis
Don’t let buses and subways become another casualty of the pandemic.
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Don’t let buses and subways become another casualty of the pandemic.
Plans have been approved for Kansas City to triple the distance of its streetcar, which has operated fare-free since it began service in 2016. Kansas City's bus system has also offered free rides since 2020, a policy that is set to sunset this year but officials are exploring making it permanent.
Critics and even supporters say the switch could add to an influx of homeless people and would cost $1 billion a year. Proponents believe legislative solutions can be found.
Funding MTA as a vital utility could lessen the reliance on fares and boost mass transit, say some of the authority’s board members.
It became the biggest city in the U.S. to eliminate fares system-wide in 2020. But Kansas City’s experience has some unique local factors that don’t necessarily point the way for other cities to follow suit.