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Wichita resident tells council limited bus service is keeping people from manufacturing jobs
Summary
A Wichita resident told the City Council that infrequent routes and missing service to industrial areas are blocking access to well‑paying manufacturing jobs; officials said a transit service plan due in 2026 will address frequency and regional connections.
Manuel Gomez, a Wichita resident, told the City Council that gaps in local bus service are preventing residents from reaching manufacturing jobs and medical appointments. "I've turned down 3 jobs that paid over $20 an hour, and I'm currently making only 13 because public transportation doesn't serve the area where the manufacturing jobs are," Gomez said during the public-comment period.
Council members acknowledged the problem and described steps underway. Council member Ho Heisel said the city has "expanded the timing just a little bit" and is in discussions with neighboring communities to link bus routes. Transit staff told the council they spent about a year evaluating service needs and are developing a service plan to be rolled out in 2026 that will address frequency, particularly on routes serving shift workers.
Vice Mayor John Stinn flagged access to medical appointments after Gomez described missed care, and staff noted partnerships with social service providers that sometimes provide ride services. Transit staff said funding constraints mean Wichita will not have a system as large as those in bigger cities, but added they expect "more frequent buses, especially during the rush hours" on some routes after the plan is implemented.
The council did not take formal action during the meeting but asked staff to keep the council informed as the 2026 service plan and regional connection work with WAMPO advance.
