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Topeka Metro board says microtransit pilot will end in May as costs outpace ridership
Summary
Topeka Metro officials told the city council April 7 that a three-year microtransit pilot ("MOD") will be discontinued in May after heavy operating costs and low ridership, while fixed-route service and new electric buses will remain priorities.
Candace Styles, chair of the Topeka Metro Board of Directors, and Bob Na, general manager of Topeka Metro, told the Topeka governing body April 7 the board has recommended ending the agency's three-year microtransit pilot (called MOD) in May because per-ride operating costs rose sharply as ridership fell.
The announcement followed a presentation in which Metro officials described ridership trends, a five-year strategic direction that prioritizes fixed-route service and captive riders, and investments in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. Styles said the pilot was launched in 2023 as a premium, overlay service in areas already served by buses, initially funded by carving hours from fixed routes; when the agency raised fares and created a more premium product, riders were price-sensitive and trips fell.
"When MOD was introduced in 2023 it…
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