The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) Board of Commissioners approved a one-year agreement with BikeWalkKC for the Kansas City Bike Share system. The agreement will expand the RideKC family of transit options to include RideKC Bike, to be offered alongside existing bus, MAX, streetcar, paratransit, and ride share services.
This unique nonprofit/transit partnership will provide shared transportation services that extend and expand bike sharing in the metro. All existing bike share assets, including the 42 kiosks and 230 pedal bikes, will be rebranded as RideKC Bike. Some existing kiosks will be relocated to locations closer to transit later this spring. The RideKC Bike smart, electric-assist bike system will grow to include 150 new bikes located at hubs around the Kansas City, Mo., area. BikeWalkKC will continue to operate the bike share program.
“We are proud to support the growth of bike share in Kansas City,” said Robbie Makinen, KCATA president and CEO. “Bike sharing will provide important first-and-last mile options for those using transit in the metro, and provide healthy, green transportation options for residents and visitors to Kansas City.”
Both RideKC Bike options (pedal and e-bikes) operate using an app-based system. The e-bikes, powered by Drop Mobility, may be checked out and returned to any designated hub around the city, with per-hour and day rates available. E-bikes feature a “hold” option that allows riders to lock the bike to any bike rack and hold their trip until they are ready to return the bike to a hub and end their trip. Pedal bikes may be checked out from and returned to any of the 42 station-based kiosks (docks), with a range of membership options from hourly to annual. More information is available on the RideKC Bike website: www.ridekcbike.com.
BikeWalkKC and the KCATA have a long history of successful partnerships. Recent efforts include the new combined Bike + Bus pass and BikeWalkKC’s bike share equity project, “Bike Share for All,” which partners with local social service agencies to provide affordable bike share access for underserved communities.
“We are excited to be a part of the RideKC family,” said Eric Rogers, executive director of BikeWalkKC. “This partnership will ensure improved equity, access, and connectivity for transit users, and provide affordable, reliable, and convenient solutions for neighborhoods, communities, and individuals across the city.”
Media Inquiries
Karen Campbell
BikeWalkKC
Director of Communications & Development
(816) 205-7056, ext. 2
karen.campbell@bikewalkkc.org
Petrina Parker
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
Public Information Officer
(816) 346-0391
pparker@kcata.org