Changes Johnson County is contemplating for its fixed bus routes could prompt significant changes to the county’s paratransit service for riders with disabilities.
The county commission is considering a transit strategic plan that emphasizes enhanced fixed routes with more frequent stops, especially in the more populated northeastern corner of the county.
At a workshop meeting last Thursday that focused on paratransit, commissioners were told that those changes to the standard fixed routes used by most riders will trigger federal requirements for the more individualized paratransit service that the county has not had to meet previously.
For instance, federal standards require curb-to-curb paratransit options to be offered within three-quarters of a mile of fixed routes, creating a “bubble” of service for all eligible riders near fixed routes.
Federal rules also require paratransit services to operate during the same hours and for a fare capped at twice that of fixed routes, according to the presentation by consultant Toole Design. (Here is a link to the video of the meeting on April 17.)
The federal rules are intended to ensure equal access for disabled riders, per the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
Johnson County has so far been excepted from these rules because its buses have been considered a “commuter express” system. That would change if new routes exceed that definition.
But the county should consider updating its transit system anyway, said Lisa Womack, senior mobility leader for the county transit department.
The county currently offers paratransit services
Since 2018, Johnson County has offered “non-ADA” paratransit options using several different services, including RideKC Freedom and Freedom on Demand, which currently serve older and disabled riders, as well as SWIFT (Sheltered Workforce Industrial Fixed Transportation), which serves clients of Johnson County Developmental Supports.
But according to outreach done by Toole, paratransit users of these services have reported unpredictable pickup times, inflexible scheduling, long shared rides and a difficult application process.
Womack said that although the smaller paratransit services used to work well, the county has outgrown them.
The county is temporarily pausing new paratransit applications starting May 1, as commissioners review the longterm transit strategic plan.
What could change for paratransit service?
Meeting the federal ADA requirements could cause some shifts that would affect riders who live outside of the three-quarter-mile “bubble” area around fixed routs because it could increase demand, said Andrea Ostradka, a planner at Toole who brief the commission on Thursday.
Under federal rules, trips cannot be denied within the three-quarter-mile boundary area, even to visitors who don’t live in Johnson County. Since some of the county’s routes extend a bit outside the county — into Wyandotte, Jackson and Miami counties — there may be more trip requests by non-Johnson County residents that the county will be required to fill, said county Transit Director Josh Powers.
Still, planners recommended the county keep providing its “non-ADA” service countywide. But increased demand in the fixed route area primarily in the northeast could mean some riders outside of that area could occasionally be denied a ride in order to stay within budget, Powers said.
“Let’s just say hypothetically if our resources are capped out at 100 trips a day, if you’re caller number 101, they’re going to say you can’t ride today. You’re going to have to ride the day after that or the day after that,” Powers said.
He added that’s what Johnson County “did for decades” until the limit was removed in 2018.
Commission will continue to discuss transit services
Some riders who have used non-ADA paratransit in the past may be able to switch to fixed routes or microtransit, Ostradka said. She said paratransit within the three-quarter-mile bubble zones around fixed routes will also become more reliable.
According to the presentation, about half of the 350 to 500 paratransit trips a day currently made would fall within the three-quarter mile zones around fixed routes.
The consultant and transit staff also recommended the county take more direct control and simplify the application process for paratransit eligibility. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority currently manages Johnson County’s applications.
Powers said managing the applications would not be a new cost since the county already pays KCATA.
Commissioners will meet again to discuss transit planning on May 1.
Keep reading: Johnson County mulls complete overhaul of its transit system — What are proposed changes?
