Category: Kansas City Missouri

KCATA sets records for bus ridership today

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority estimated that it provided nearly 200,000 rides on free shuttles and regular routes today, shattering previous ridership records.

A quarter of the region’s population was estimated to have attended the Kansas City Royals World Series victory celebration today in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

All of KCATA’s 256 buses were dedicated to the shuttle service, supplemented by 125 school buses and 40 Johnson County buses.

“This was a special day for our Kansas City Royals and our entire region,” said Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. “Even with crowded stops and long rides, we appreciated that people kept a positive attitude. Everyone was delivered safely on a history making day for our city.”

KCATA worked with Kansas City, Mo., police to ensure that people remained safe as they moved into and out of the downtown area. Shuttle rides were completed by 6 p.m.

Free bus shuttles, free fares offered for Royals’ rally today

Transit agencies across the metro area will be offering free bus fares and shuttles for fans wanting to attend the Kansas City Royals’ championship parade and victory celebration on Tuesday.

Free bus fares will be available in Kansas City, Mo., Johnson County, Wyandotte County and Independence on Tuesday. The free fares will be available on all routes across the metro area except the K-10 Connector operating between Johnson County and Lawrence. Information about all routes and schedules is available on www.ridekc.org.

Also, free shuttles will be operating from select park-and-rides lots across the Kansas City area. Buses will start operating at 9 a.m. with departure times varying based on the demand for each shuttle. The parade starts at noon on Grand Boulevard between the Sprint Center and the Kansas City Power and Light District. The rally starts at 2 p.m. in front of Union Station where fans can watch the festivities from the north lawn of the National World War 1 Museum and Memorial.

Here are the locations where fans can catch a rally shuttle and expect it to drop them off downtown:
– Kemper Arena
Pickup: South side of 17th Street between Gennessee and Wyoming.
Destination/Return pickup: 16th Street and Wyandotte downtown.
– Metro North Mall
Pickup: Northwest end of mall parking lot.
Destination/Return pickup: 16th Street and Wyandotte downtown.
– Country Club Plaza
Pickup: East side of 47th Street between Pennsylvania and Broadway/Wornall.
Buses also will pick up at 47th Street and Wyandotte.
Destination/Return pickup: 27th Street and Main downtown.
– Heartland Community Church, Olathe
Pickup: 121st Street and Strang Line
Destination/Return pickup: 16th Street and Wyandotte downtown
– MetroCenter, Wyandotte County
Pickup: 47th and State Avenue, Kansas City, Kan.
Destination/Return pickup: 16th Street and Wyandotte downtown
– Swope Park
Pickup: Kansas City Zoo bus stop, north of zoo ticket counter.
Destination/Return pickup: 27th Street and Main downtown.
– Red Bridge Park & Ride
Pickup: Red Bridge Road and Grandview Road.
Destination/Return pickup: 27th Street and Main downtown.

For more information about the shuttle service consult http://ridekc.org/news/parade.

Also Tuesday, bus routes serving he downtown area will be significantly disrupted during the parade and rally. Riders who depend on bus service to travel to downtown should review passenger bulletins at: http://ridekc.org/bulletins/parade-reroutes.

Royals’ victory parade to begin at noon Tuesday

A Kansas City Royals victory parade will be held at noon Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Kansas City, Mo.

The parade, celebrating the Royals’ World Series win, will end with a victory rally in front of Union Station.

The parade route starts on Grand Boulevard near the Sprint Center and Kansas City Power and Light District, and heads north to Ninth Street, then east to Oak, south to Truman and west back to Grand. Then it continues south on Grand to Pershing Road, and west to Union Station, where there will be a victory rally in front of Union Station.

Free bus service to the parade will be offered from 47th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kan., as well as from several other locations in the metropolitan area, offered from 9 a.m. until two hours after the celebration ends.

Parking will be available in a few pay lots and garages; however, spectators are asked to carpool or use public transportation.

Six streets around the parade route and rally will be closed.

For more information on the victory celebration, see http://kcmo.gov/royals2015/.