RideKC Introduces App for Microtransit Service, Kansas City, MO, 2022

RideKC’s microtransit service, Flex, now has an app that allows users to request rides. Flex customers have been able to book RideKC Flex rides by phone, usually at least 24 hours in advance. This new app, supported by Spare Labs, makes it easier for customers to request shared microtransit rides in real-time. RideKC Flex is a fare-free curb-to-curb service that operates in five zones in the Kansas City area: South Kansas City, Tiffany Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone-Antioch, and Raytown. Rides must start and end within a designated zone, and each zone has different operating times. Rides take place on cutaway buses provided by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. The municipalities of Kansas City, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Raytown are cooperatively funding this service.

Integrating the ability to book with a smartphone app can make microtransit services more user-friendly. Each Flex zone has points where customers can transfer to fixed-bus routes, improving peoples’ ability to connect to other areas in the Kansas City region. Microtransit with app integration can be a practical mobility solution both for the first and last miles on peoples’ transportation journeys and as a substitute for fixed-route transit in lower-density areas.

Last updated May 2, 2022