(Kansas City, Mo. – July 20, 2012) Kansas City, Mo., and Kauffman Stadium recently hosted Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) was vital in getting fans around town and to The K for several events.
A special Stadium Express shuttle carried baseball fans from downtown to the stadium for three events: the All-Star Game and other All-Star Summer events held over three days.
KCATA saw the biggest boost in ridership on regular bus service. Extra service was added to the Main St. MAX bus rapid transit (BRT) line to carry visitors throughout downtown and to popular destinations such as Country Club Plaza, Crown Center and City Market. Extra buses were called into service on Tuesday for the Red Carpet Parade on the Country Club Plaza.
Beefed up service was also provided to the historic 18th & Vine District, home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) and the American Jazz Museum. The NLBM hosted several special events during All-Star week.
Many people used Metro service to avoid the premium parking prices in downtown, parking an easy bus ride away at one of many free lots outside of the urban core.
“The All-Star Game was an amazing experience for our agency and for Kansas City,” said KCATA General Manager Mark Huffer. “Despite the long hours and the challenging heat, our employees rose to the occasion and made visitors feel welcome in Kansas City.”
In addition to the extra bus service, KCATA employees staffed an information booth at FanFest throughout the week. They offered transportation advice, as well as tips on where to eat and what to see. Transportation supervisors monitored shuttle stops and other Metro stops, as well as operations at the stadium, to ensure smooth operation.
Transit services were extremely well received by baseball fans, whether from out-of-town or close by.
“My son and I took in everything it had to offer attending all the games and the FanFest all 5 days. Our “stay-cation” was fantastic!” said Sheila Shockey of Lenexa, Ks. “We took The Metro to the games from Downtown which was wonderful. I spoke with fans from Cincinnati, San Francisco, New Jersey, New York, Baltimore and Milwaukee. All had great things to say about Kansas City! They all plan to come back for another visit.”
“The Metro provided wonderful, convenient transportation services during the MLB All Star week,” said Danielle Levere of Baltimore, Md. “My friend and I visited KC for All-Star week. We did not rent a car, and the availability of the Metro services was a real convenience for us. The Metro employees, especially those gentlemen who were in charge of loading the Stadium Express, were very friendly, helpful, professional and humorous. Thanks to a great All-Star experience, I hope to visit Kansas City again in the near future.”