Rosa Parks SPIRIT Awards Celebrate Those Who Make A Difference

Posted on: May 21, 2013

On June 19, 2013, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority will present the first annual KCATA Rosa Parks SPIRIT Awards to those who make a positive difference in public transportation and throughout the community. Join us for an evening of celebration, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 19, at the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City’s 18th & Vine District.

Honorees

Hall of Fame Award Presented to City Council member and former KCATA General Manager Dick Davis for a lifetime of public service and demonstrated support for public transportation. Good Neighbor Award Presented to Truman Medical Centers for the development of the Harvest Mobile Market Community Partner Award Presented to University of Missouri-Kansas City for partnering with KCATA to launch the region's first U-PASS program. Heritage Award Presented to Rayford Harris, Jr., one of the first five African-American bus operators to break the color barrier in Kansas City. Purchase tickets now.

The Metro Celebrates Bike Month With Bikes Racks On Every Metro Bus

Posted on: May 13, 2013

(Kansas City, Mo. – May 13, 2013) May is Bike Month, and Kansas City cyclists have a new reason to celebrate with Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) this year. All Metro and MAX buses now have bike racks. Last year at this time all 30- and 40-foot Metro buses had bike racks. But since the last Bike Month, Metro’s smallest vehicles have added bike racks. These buses are typically assigned to MetroFlex or small routes in suburban areas. “We are happy that our fleet is now at 100%,” General Manager Mark Huffer said. “Bike racks let customers extend the distance they can travel and allow for more travel options. Someone can take the bus to work and ride their bike home. Or a cyclist can ride their bike part of the distance and then use the bus for the second half of the trip.” There is no extra fare required to use the bike racks, and no permit is needed. Instructions describing how to load the bike are printed on the bike rack. Riders just lower the rack, lift their bike, and lock the bike into place with the rack’s bike support arm. It typically takes less than 15 seconds to load a bicycle into the rack. Instructions and videos are also available online . For more information about Metro service, call the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660 weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.