Board approves direction to adopt RideJOCO branding, return to fares and develop service guidelines in transit strategic plan

The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners on May 8 directed staff to continue development of a strategic transit plan that includes three specific recommendations from consultants: rebrand the county system as "RideJOCO," return to collecting fares and adopt service development guidelines to guide future investments.

Tool Design Group presented the final portion of a multi-part strategic plan at a Committee of the Whole meeting, outlining branding, finance and organizational recommendations. Andrea Ostradka of Tool Design summarized the recommendations: “First is to rebrand as Bridal JOCO. Second is to return to fares, and then finally develop service development guidelines to help provide some parameters and decision making for investment in transit services going forward.” The board voted to direct staff to implement those recommendations and return with a final plan for formal adoption.

Why it matters: Johnson County Transit operates on an approximately $17 million annual operating budget; consultants estimated the foundational set of recommended next-year improvements would cost roughly $14.6 million and fit within current budget parameters. The consultants estimated that returning to fares — as an illustrative $2 per boarding on fixed routes — could generate roughly $1 million a year in fare revenue, net of required federal analysis and program design.

Branding: Tool Design recommended a targeted branding change that preserves regional recognition while clearly identifying county service as RideJOCO (presented examples emphasized similar colors and typographic linkage to the RideKC regional umbrella). The consultants said a full visual rebrand across all county infrastructure could be far more expensive; repainting high-visibility assets such as monument signs could cost about $1 million, a capital expense the consultants said the county could pursue later if desired.

Finance and funding tools: The consultants urged the board to consider a mix of funding tools commonly used by peer transit systems — federal and state grants, local general-fund contributions, interlocal agreements, employer partnerships, advertising revenue and dedicated levies such as property or sales taxes. They noted a Kansas constitutional constraint: fuel-tax revenues are effectively unavailable for transit operating expenses under current state law. Tool Design presented peer comparisons that showed Johnson County currently spends below peer averages per capita and receives a smaller state funding share than many comparable systems.

Recommended near-term service changes: The consultant team outlined a “foundational service” package and proposed improvements to fixed-route frequency, expanded paratransit and adjusted microtransit service areas. Estimated annual operating costs for the package were summarized as roughly $14,645,000 (planning-level, in today’s dollars). Consultants said weekend service and frequency are key drivers of ridership and that partners — cities, employers and institutions — can be asked to contribute to defined routes or special services.

Buy America and procurement constraints were raised as practical limits on vehicle selection and funding: federal capital funds typically require Buy America compliance, which narrows available vehicle choices and affects capital cost-sharing.

Board action: A commissioner moved and a second was recorded; the board voted to direct staff to continue developing the plan including the three recommendations on branding, fares and service-development guidelines. A roll call recorded commissioners Fast, Myers, Brewer, Hanslick, Ashcraft and Allenbrand voting aye; Chair Mike Kelly later recorded his aye after a brief reopening of the vote. The clerk recorded the motion as carried following that vote. Staff said the vote directs them to prepare a formal action item (a final plan and an adoption resolution) for a future Board meeting.

Implementation and next steps: Staff and consultants said they will finalize a written strategic plan and return it to the Board as an action item for formal adoption. Tool Design recommended that staff begin work on a fare analysis required by the Federal Transit Administration before reinstating fares, pursue modest branding updates as an early step, and prepare service development guidelines that will be used to judge future route and service requests. Staff also noted they will continue outreach with cities, employers and institutions about partnership funding for route pilots and service enhancements.

The motion passed and staff will return with a final plan and associated implementation details for Board action.