Kansas City, Missouri, To Become First US City With Free Public Transit
Traveling around Kansas City, Missouri, is about to get a whole lot cheaper. Although the city’s light rail is already free, a new ordinance just approved by the city council would also make bus transportation free. The ordinance requires the city manager to include a funding request in the next fiscal year budget to make fixed-route public transportation free throughout the city. Before it goes into effect, the city manager must report on the financial impact free transit would have on existing city services, contracts, and programs, and must work to craft policies that guide transit priority on city streets to improve safety and efficiency.