This story is part of an ongoing series, On Track with KC. If you have questions about the extension of the streetcar, you can submit them here.
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The Kansas City Streetcar opened its first-ever Operations Control Center last month in preparation for the Main Street extension opening Oct. 24.
A supervisor now sits in the OCC any time a streetcar is running, including during simulated service testing on the extension.
Inside the center, supervisors can monitor live camera feeds from platforms, the real-time location of each streetcar and other data.
“Most passengers won’t even think about this, but it allows us to operate a more efficient and seamless system for them,” said Donna Mandelbaum, KC Streetcar communications and marketing director.
Supervisors in the OCC can adjust messages on electronic boards at each stop to better communicate with passengers about possible delays.
They can dispatch maintenance personnel to attend to issues along the track, too.
“Reliability is No. 1,” said Lauren Krutty, KC Streetcar director of operations and planning. “Consistently, when we survey riders, reliability and frequency are the things that matter most to riders.”
Jonah Manning and Jake Wols ride the streetcar nearly every day. They’re thankful for anything to improve their ride.
“I’m really excited to go farther,” Wols said.
The cost of the center is included in the total $350 million price of the southern extension.
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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.