Topeka Metro board says microtransit pilot will end in May as costs outpace ridership

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 was a three-year pilot," Styles said. "Before we raised the MOD rate from $2 to $6 and created a premium service of $15, the price per ride was $50. We needed to see if people were willing to pay the premium. Ridership dropped by two-thirds and the price per ride went up." Bob Na said current MOD service is now performing at fewer than two passengers per vehicle-hour while fixed-route service averages roughly 18 passengers per vehicle-hour.

Why it matters: Metro officials said the agency must get the most service for limited local funding. Styles thanked council members for a $250,000 discretionary allocation that short-term preserved fixed-route service after a recent mill levy adjustment reduced Metro's tax revenue.

Council members asked about who used MOD and whether targeted versions of microtransit could survive. Council Member Bradberry asked the agency to describe MOD riders; Na said riders will shift back to fixed routes 4 or 5 when MOD stops, and that MOD had been intended to test whether demand moved from fixed routes to on-demand service. Council Member Kell suggested targeted uses for a point-to-point service, such as student trips or medical appointments, but Metro staff and board members replied that scattered trip origins across the city make such targeted services cost-prohibitive.

Metro officials also flagged upcoming construction impacts and operational concerns. Styles and Na told the council the I-70 viaduct project and a California Street bridge closure will create routing challenges and delays; Metro plans to redeploy some vehicle hours saved by ending MOD to support fixed routes during closures. They also reported progress on electrification: electric vans are already in service and four electric fixed-route buses have arrived and will be tested.

On staffing and licensing, Metro said drivers carry CDLs with passenger and air endorsements; smaller van services generally would not require a CDL, but Metro currently staffs drivers with CDLs so employees can be interchangeable across vehicle types.

What happens next: Metro said the board's recommendation is to cease the MOD pilot in May and to refocus resources on fixed-route reliability, targeted operational adjustments during road closures, recruitment/retention measures and continued testing of electric buses. Council members pressed staff to keep exploring late-night or employer-partnered services while recognizing the financial constraints the agency identified.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article appear in the attached speaker list and the meeting transcript.