By Krista Klaus

Average monthly ridership for RideKC Lee’s Summit has risen 29 percent since the former OATS Transit and KCATA MetroFlex Transit services were combined in April 2017. RideKC Lee’s Summit, a demand response transit service, increased capacity by reducing fares for prior OATS riders, expanding the service area for prior MetroFlex riders, and adding vehicles and hours of service beyond what either previously offered.

Since the expansion, RideKC Lee’s Summit has provided an average of 2,048 one-way rides per month in the City, compared with 1,590 rides[MP1] on average per month in the first quarter of 2017, a 28.8 percent increase. With a 24-hour advance reservation, RideKC Lee’s Summit, operated by OATS, provides place-to-place public transit for any person regardless of age or ability.
“OATS provides a valuable and affordable transportation solution to Lee’s Summit businesses and their employees. We appreciate OATS presence in our City and look forward to exploring future growth opportunities,” said Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council President and CEO Rick McDowell.

RideKC Lee’s Summit provides transit service Monday thru Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with one-way fares of $1.50 anywhere within the City limits and including service to Truman Medical Center – Lakewood. The service is provided through a partnership between the City of Lee’s Summit and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA).

OATS, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation providing specialized transportation for thousands of Missourians in 87 Missouri counties. OATS employs more than 700 people statewide, with 24 percent of employees Veterans. OATS serves more than 32,000 people in Missouri, providing about 1.6 million one-way trips in 2016. Its mission is to provide reliable transportation for transportation disadvantaged Missourians so they can live independently in their own communities.

For more information, visit OATStransit.org.