KC Streetcar Ridership & Customer Satisfaction Are On The Rise

(Kansas City, Missouri) – After more than three years of service, streetcar passengers are still riding in record numbers while enjoying the reliability, efficiency and ease of use of the Kansas City Streetcar.

In 2019, the total KC Streetcar ridership was 2,228,942, a 5.5% increase in ridership from 2018. Since opening day, the KC Streetcar has had more than 7.8 million passenger trips, with an average daily ridership of 6,107.

“After three years of operation and record ridership, the KC Streetcar has solidified its role as an important connector for downtown Kansas City and point of pride for residents from around our region,” said Tom Gerend, Executive Director, Kansas City Streetcar Authority.

In addition to high ridership, the KC Streetcar Authority periodically checks in with passengers by conducting customer satisfaction surveys. In the fall of 2019, the KC Streetcar Authority conducted a customer satisfaction survey to collect and analyze user opinions regarding all aspects of service. The information collected is intended to serve multiple objectives, including overall satisfaction with KC Streetcar services and who, how, and why riders are using those services.

The top three categories that are most important to streetcar riders surveyed are the reliability of service, ease of use and streetcars running on schedule. Among the 13 service-related items rated by streetcar riders, 11 received satisfaction ratings over 90%. The highest rated service items were ease of use, reliability of service, and condition of stations. The results of the customer satisfaction survey show that rider satisfaction levels are strong in multiple categories:

“The most important thing we do is providing a safe and reliable transit option for downtown Kansas City. These customer satisfaction results are best-in-class in the industry and more importantly reinforce our team’s commitment to providing the best service and experience we possibly can for our riding public," said Tom Gerend, Executive Director, Kansas City Streetcar Authority.

The KC Streetcar has highest ridership on the weekends (Friday evening through Sunday) thanks in part to special events and downtown entertainment options. The majority of weekday streetcar riders surveyed indicating that their primary trip purpose was work related.

Riders were also asked about how they receive streetcar service related information. 88% of respondents were satisfied with how they receive information about service delays, with most respondents stating that they use the real-time arrival signs (44%) or kiosks at the streetcar stops (32%) for schedule and delay information. Text notification and social media were other methods respondents use to receive information.

In total, 88% of respondents find RideKC services (RideKC Streetcar, RideKC Local Bus, RideKC MAX and RideKC Express service) important or extremely important to the community. Additionally, 89% of respondents would find an extension to the riverfront and to UMKC’s campus helpful.

The 2019 KC Streetcar Onboard Customer Satisfaction Survey was conducted during September 2019. The survey was administered on-board KC Streetcar service on both weekdays and weekends. More than 340 weekday riders and 375 weekend riders completed the survey. For the complete Customer Service Survey, visit the KC Streetcar website here: https://kcstreetcar.org/kc-streetcar-ridership-survey-2019/