Johnson County commissioners direct staff to bring regional fare policy and World Cup fare schedule to full board

Johnson County commissioners on April 16 heard a presentation on proposed regional fares and a phased payment rollout tied to the 2026 World Cup and directed staff to bring the regional fare policy and proposed rates to the next Board of County Commissioners meeting for formal consideration.

Aaron Otto of the County Manager's office opened the briefing and described two near-term items: World Cup fares for the county's Link service and a broader return of fixed-route and paratransit fares. "Before you, we're going to talk about really two things and a little bit of a transit update at the end," Otto said, introducing the staff presenters.

Why it matters: staff recommended adopting rates promptly so new fare technology and ticket products can be in place for a June 1 phase-one rollout tied to World Cup operations. The Board's action would not by itself set final policy but directs staff to prepare an adoption item at the next full board meeting.

What staff proposed and how it would work

- World Cup Link fares: staff said the Link service will use the KC2026 regional platform with a Johnson County day pass at $5, a 7-day pass at $25 and a tournament pass at $50. Airport shuttle service will remain fare-free during the pilot because it is funded by a grant and local match.

- Fixed-route fare structure and capping: Justin Justice summarized service and rider categories and explained fare capping to preserve equity. Under staff's example, single rides are $2; riders who spend the equivalent of a daily pass ($4), weekly pass ($20) or monthly pass ($62.50) in single fares would hit the cap and would not be charged further during that period.

- Premium services: premium routes such as the K-10 connector and paratransit were proposed at roughly 2x the base fare (up to $4 per single ride), reflecting higher service levels.

- Technology and payment media: staff identified Genfare as the phase-one vendor. Beginning June 1, vehicles will accept contactless tap-to-pay (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) and mobile-wallet payments; a RideKC Go mobile app will allow account loading, shared family accounts and pass purchases. Limited-use preprogrammed cards for cash/unbanked riders will be available in phase one, with reloadable smart cards and an expanded retail point-of-sale network (major retailers and more local outlets) coming in phase two.

Board discussion and equity concerns

Commissioners emphasized access for unbanked or cash-reliant riders and the need to locate an administrative point-of-sale within Johnson County. "It is going to be really important that we do find an administrative point of service in Johnson County for Johnson County riders as quickly as possible," Chairman Kelly said during discussion.

Commissioners also asked staff about marketing and partner pass programs for universities and employers; staff said Johnson County will use regional marketing materials but will wait to publish county-specific messaging until the board adopts the rates.

Motion and vote

Commissioner Hensley moved that staff be directed to bring to the next Board of County Commissioners meeting the issues to adopt the regional fare policy and the adoption of the fare rates; Commissioner Allenbrand seconded. The clerk called the roll and the motion carried 7-0 (Fast: yes; Myers: yes; Brewer: yes; Hensley: yes; Ashcraft: yes; Allenbrand: yes; Chairman Kelly: yes).

Fiscal and implementation timing

Aaron Otto told commissioners that implementation choices and additional service changes carry fiscal implications: adding higher-frequency service and implementing an ADA paratransit system together would represent roughly a $2 million change. Staff said paratransit rollout is likely to be later this year or into 2027 depending on funding, fleet readiness and World Cup fare revenue performance.

What happens next

Per the board's direction, staff will prepare an item for the next full Board of County Commissioners meeting to consider formal adoption of the regional fare policy and the proposed fare rates. Staff emphasized continued coordination with KCATA and Wyandotte County and additional policy discussion to follow in May and into 2027 for broader pass programs and phase-two features.

Sources: staff presentation and public roll-call recorded at the April 16, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting.