Ridership Increasing On Metro Routes

As prices at the pump soar, so does Metro ridership. You and your friends and family are boarding The Metro an average of 55,000 times every weekday. That’s up 10% from this time a year ago. We want to take this opportunity to welcome new customers and thank everyone for riding.

As a result of increasing ridership, some routes are experiencing overcrowding, causing customers to stand. We are monitoring this situation very closely by asking operators to let us know when they observe standing loads and by using our Automatic Passenger Counter available on some buses. KCATA is making adjustments to vehicle size when appropriate.

To help everyone have a safe, comfortable ride, please observe the following:

Personal items should be held in your lap or placed at your feet. Do not put them in a seat or place them in a way that blocks the aisle.

Seats at the front of the bus are reserved for the elderly and disabled. Not all disabilities may be visible, so if you are asked to give up your seat please do so.

Please use care when standing on buses. Hand rails and straps are located throughout the buses.

Have your fare ready when boarding the bus. Consider buying a monthly pass – you can just swipe and ride, plus you’ll be saving money all month long.

Thank you for your cooperation, and for riding The Metro!

For schedule information and information about where to buy a monthly pass, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. o

#135 Changes One AM Trip

The first #135-Winnwood trip will no longer serve 11th & Oak, due to traffic congestion.

The #135 arriving at 8th & Grand at 6:03 a.m. will travel the regular route to 12th & Oak, go south on Oak, west on 13th, and north on McGee to layover between 11th & 12th streets. From the layover, it will continue north on McGee, and west on 11th to Walnut to resume the regular route.

For route and schedule information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit http://www.kcata.org.

10th & Main Construction Affects #30, #101, and #106

The diagonal lane through the 10th & Main Transit Plaza will be closed for construction. #30-Northeast, #101-Minnesota, and #106-Quindaro will pick up and drop off customers on 10th Street before turning south on Main. Rider Alerts will be posted at the Transit Plaza.

Construction affecting these shelters is expected to last four months. This closure is part of a larger project to renovate the 10th & Main Transit Plaza and provide better passenger amenities. 

For route and schedule information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit http://www.kcata.org.

#243-Antioch-Barry Road Connector Reroute

Effective Tuesday, June 17, the #243-Antioch-Barry Road Connector will reroute at Gateway & I-29 due to road construction.  Construction is expected to continue until October 2008.

Going north on Gateway, buses will travel to the driveway just north of St. Matthews Church, and continue left and west into the parking lot. Buses will then go south on Gateway and Vivion, continue south to the #9 Highway North sign, west on Riverway Dr. to #9 Highway North, north onto I-635 North, merge into the left lane onto I-29 North to 56th & Prairie View, and north to resume the regular route.

Southbound #243 will travel the regular route. 

For route and schedule information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

#31-31st Street Adds Partial Late Night Trips

Weekday schedule effective June 30: PDF file
Saturday schedule effective July 5: PDF file

Effective Monday, June 30, the #31-31st Street will add westbound trips from 31st & Van Brunt to 31st & Troost, in response to customers’ requests.

#31 will add two trips on the weeknights and one trip on its Saturday night schedule.  No trips will be added on Sunday.  Buses will make passenger stops between 31st & Van Brunt and 31st & Troost, then end service to proceed to ATA garage.

Times for the additional westbound weeknight trips are:

31st & Van Brunt	11:41 p.m.	12:11 a. m.
31st & Prospect	11:47 p.m.	12:17 a.m.
31st & Troost	11:51 p.m.	12:21 a.m.

Times for the additional westbound Saturday night trip:

31st & Van Brunt	12:16 a.m.
31st & Prospect	12:22 a.m.
31st & Troost	12:26 a.m.

Schedules will not be reprinted at this time. Please refer to this bulletin or http://www.kcata.org for times. For route and schedule information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
http://www.kcata.org/images/uploads/31ssa.pdf

#24X-Independence Express Farview Times Change

Effective Monday, June 30, the #24X-Independence route will change the scheduled times on eastbound Farview trips.  The times for the morning and for the Highleah trips remain the same. 

The new times for the Farview trips are:

11th & Grand	4:38 p.m.	5:05 p.m.
13th & Charlotte	4:44 p.m.	5:14 p.m.
Independence MetroCenter	5:12 p.m.	5:42 p.m.
Farview Shopping Center	5:30 p.m.	6:00 p.m.

Schedules will not be reprinted at this time. Please refer to this bulletin: 24X-Independence Route Change or our website for times. For route and schedule information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

#257-Santa Fe Hills Changes Times On One Trip

Weekday schedule effective June 30: PDF file

Effective Monday, June 30, the #257-Santa Fe Hills route will change times on the second weekday southbound trip. This change will provide better connections with MAX at the 74th Terrace & Broadway Park & Ride.

New times for the trip are:
74th Terr. & Broadway.....5:57 a.m.
89th & Holmes.....6:05 a.m.
Bannister Federal District.....6:11 a.m.

New schedules will be available on buses, in schedule racks and online the week of June 23.

For route and schedule information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MAX Provides Extra Service During First Fridays

From June to October 2008, MAX will provide increased service beginning at 7 p.m. This additional service will allow more customers to use MAX when going to the gallery openings held on the First Friday of every month.  The July gallery openings will occur on July 11, and that is when increased service will be provided.  On July 4, buses will operate on their Sunday schedule.

MAX will offer service every 15 minutes on these Friday evenings, instead of every 30 minutes. Northbound buses will offer the increased service from 7 to 11 p.m.; southbound buses will offer increased service from 7 p.m. to midnight. The fare is $1.25 and customers can request a free transfer, good for two hours.

For further information, contact the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660, week-days from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.