Keep our buses rolling!
March 28, 2008
The Regional Transit Alliance supports the renewal of a 3/8-cent sales tax to support buses in Kansas City, Missouri, for the next 15 years, and hopes you will join us in that support.
Modern, dependable bus service is an important part of a comprehensive transportation plan, and helps guarantee economic opportunity and growth, cultural vitality, and varied choices of places to live, work, shop, learn, worship and play. 73 percent of Metro riders use the bus to go to work or school, according to a 2007 on-board survey. 46 percent of riders have no other form of transportation, making continued bus service critical for Kansas City’s economy. 93 percent of MAX riders and 90 percent of Metro riders would recommend the bus service to others.
We need your help. The vote is fast approaching, on April 8, 2008, and Question 1 will not pass without significant outreach and get-out-the-vote efforts. Please contact RTA (816-474-6808 or rta@kctransit.org) to volunteer your time and energy to this important cause!
More information:
Question 1 on the April 8 ballot would authorize the continuation for 15 years of a 3/8-cent sales tax. The 3/8-cent sales tax is crucial to the ATA’s $76 million total budget, providing about 30 percent of the total. First approved in 2003, the sales tax has enabled the KCATA to:
- Stabilize operations
- Add service (ATA buses rolled 9 million miles in 2003; 11 million miles in 2006)
- Increase ridership (13.2 million passengers in 2003; 15.1 million in 2007)
- Increased self-sufficiency ($6.4 million fare revenue in 2003; $8.4 million in 2006)
- Keep up with soaring fuel prices and maintenance demands
- Ensure fiscal stability and begin rebuilding reserves
- Some of the newer services implemented by ATA include:
- MAX Bus Rapid Transit, which has become a national industry model
- Operation Welcome Aboard, which has replaced more than 6,000 Metro street signs with more informative equivalents
- An Early Learning Center at 39th & Troost
- Enhancements to the ATA Web site, with trip-planning capabilities
- Increased special-event service for the Air Show, American Royal Barbecue Contest, Riverfest, Big 12 games, the Chiefs, the Royals and more.
Since the institution of the MAX rapid bus route in the Main Street Corridor to Downtown, ridership on that route has nearly doubled. The MAX rapid buses have become a national model, and the ATA is planning new MAX lines on Troost and on the North Oak Corridor. Cities such as Des Moines and Jacksonville, Fla., have studied Kansas City’s use of the MAX rapid buses through downtown. Los Angeles recently opted to used rapid buses rather than light rail on one of its transit corridors and is seeing good results. Cleveland and Louisville, Ky., are other cities exploring bus rapid transit.
Passage of Question 1 is fundamental to Kansas City's future transit options. Please help us support its passage.
Margie Richcreek, Chair
Regional Transit Alliance