KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
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Riders will continue to be able to use the IRIS ride-share program in Kansas City, Missouri, through Sept. 30.
Tuesday’s announcement from KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas was the latest in a herky-jerky two weeks for the service. The city discovered it did not fund the program after April 30, like council members originally thought.
Then, there was debate about whether to fund the IRIS program simply for the month of May.
“If you’re looking for simple headlines, that means status quo for now,” Lucas said at Tuesday’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee meeting.
In April, the council passed an ordinance to fund KCATA bus services in the city through Oct. 31. Later that month, the city discovered that ordinance did not include funding for IRIS, meaning the service would end April 30.
Council members introduced a new ordinance at the end of the month to fund IRIS for May.
Now, the city is adjusting the first ordinance to fund all KCATA services, including IRIS, through September instead of October.
During the next several months, stakeholders, KCATA and council members will look for a long-term solution.
IRIS is essentially a city-subsidized version of Uber or Lyft. Users pay a small fee and use an app to hail a ride that picks them up and takes them directly to their destination, within certain coverage areas.
