Rebranding of metro KC transit. Huge step in right direction for region. What do people think? (Kansas City: 2015, buy)

[kcmo]

Okay. While metro KC still has a ways to go to actually properly fund and build a truly comprehensive regional transit system, this is absolutely huge and something I did not think would ever happen, let alone how quickly it has all come together.

Metro KC is mostly served by the ATA Metro bus system (primarily urban Jackson County, but also suburban areas), but it’s also served by Johnson County Transit, UG Transit in KCK, Indebus in Independence and the Kansas City Streetcar.

Over the past year, the ATA has taken over management of the other agencies and pulled them all under the Ride KC umbrella and branding.

This will include Metro Buses, express buses, MAX, KC Streetcar, The JO and UG Transit. It is supposed to also rebrand the B-Cycle Bike sharing system in the future and will incorporate future commuter rail etc.

You can now go to one website for any regional bus route. You can buy a single daily or monthly bus pass and easily switch between different agencies or call a single number to get information on any regional route. The JO transit even lowered their bus fares to match those of the METRO.

I would imagine you might even start to see more changes to the system to have better connections across the state our county lines since the ATA now manages all the systems or maybe even some effort to create a regional funding mechanism to expand and improve transit throughout the KC region?

I think the Ride KC branding looks great and is seamless between different agencies and modes of transportation.

Here are some photos of the rebranding but I wonder if people are taking notice of this in metro KC at all? What do people here think?













[img] http://www.trolleyville.com/tv/times...ages/KC801.gif[img]

[brooksider2brooklyn]

Nice looking trains. Now you can drink all night long in Westport and not worry about a driver!

[Truly Missouri]

I love the blue and the white, but don't care too much for that red colored bus.

[tht1guy]

its a waste of money the main street max already goes to the plaza and street cars are for big cities ( Tokyo, London, New York Paris, etc.....) We dont need it they need to fix transportation ow the buses are either early or late. And they should run later i stay out south and i work late it would be nice if they could run a bus out south until 12 at night

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by tht1guy

its a waste of money the main street max already goes to the plaza and street cars are for big cities ( Tokyo, London, New York Paris, etc.....) We dont need it they need to fix transportation ow the buses are either early or late. And they should run later i stay out south and i work late it would be nice if they could run a bus out south until 12 at night

Umm, NYC and other very large dense cities have heavy rail, mostly underground. They don't have streetcars. Streetcars are actually perfect for medium sized cities like KC. However, KC also needs a vastly improved bus system, which you are obviously frustrated with. I agree, KC needs a better bus system, especially outside the Plaza to Downtown corridor. But streetcars have their place too.

[PA650]

I have seen the Ride KC graphics on buses when I was downtown. It's a great step in the right direction.

[MoNative34]

They need to lose those figures and captions on the streetcar. Hideous.

[pioneer88]

I think it's great, hopefully it will help the region "take the next step" more easily when the time comes. Who knows, maybe light/heavy rail down 35 and 70 someday? I know that's a long way down the road but it would be great. If nothing else, all the pieces are under one banner so maybe it will help smooth decisions over when they come along because people aren't thinking it's an us vs them thing but a KC thing.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

They need to lose those figures and captions on the streetcar. Hideous.

I agree, I think they are just on the first train that arrived. I'm sure it won't be long before the cover the trains in very ugly ad wraps anyway. Till they do that, they are very nice looking.

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I agree, I think they are just on the first train that arrived. I'm sure it won't be long before the cover the trains in very ugly ad wraps anyway. Till they do that, they are very nice looking.

I think the name RideKC sounds fine. I never did like the name "Metro" that seems to be used often. Sounds more like a police department.

Those captions and figures are little too Sesame Street like. Hope they do come down in due time.