BLUE SPRINGS, Missouri (KCTV) – In October, Blue Springs will join three other cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area that will no longer offer RideKC fixed routes.

Gladstone, Grandview and Raytown ended fixed routes with RideKC in the last year.

Raytown continues to offer an on-demand service.

A passenger has been riding the 570 Blue Springs Express four times a week for 15 years. Jeanne Knapp received a flyer with the service changes during the bus ride on Tuesday.

“I was disappointed, but not really surprised,” said Blue Springs resident Jeanne Knapp. She added, “I knew this would happen at some point.”

Knapp relies on an electric wheelchair because she suffers from spina bifida, a spinal disorder that has affected her ability to walk as she has gotten older.

“This is particularly necessary for people with disabilities,” says Knapp.

READ MORE: Blue Springs is the fourth city to discontinue RideKC: Services will cease in October

She said using RideKC allows her a break from her primary mode of transportation and saves gas, time and wear and tear on her family’s vehicles.

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) said several factors contribute to these decisions by cities in the metropolitan area.

“It depends on the community’s priorities and their funding situation,” said Richard Jarrold, deputy CEO of KCATA.

One of these factors is that federal COVID relief funds have been depleted.

“There is no more money to support the contracts. The compensation for that loss of money has to go back to the local community and that is part of the increase,” Jarrold said.

Since KCATA reduced fares to 0, costs have increased for some.

“In the past, some of the fare revenue helped cover the cost of the service, but again, for Blue Springs, fare revenue was not very high,” Jarrold said.

Ridership numbers also declined in Blue Springs.

“It has declined sharply and I believe that is due to the changing employment situation,” Jarrold said.

He added that before the pandemic, they had about 120 to 180 drivers per day and now they are less than 20 per day.

In a statement to KCTV5 on Wednesday, the city of Blue Springs further shared its decision to discontinue the service.

Knapp said she would have to find another route, such as the Blue Ridge or Independence locations.

“I have to find another place to get on the bus because, as I said, the bus is part of my interaction with other people and saves time and money on gas and wear and tear on the vehicles,” Knapp said.

She fears that everything will disappear at some point.

“Other people with disabilities are going to have problems in other cities, not just in Blue Springs, not just in Gladstone. Everyone is going to have problems, and I’m afraid it’s going to take them so long to realize it – that was necessary,” Knapp said. “I think it would help everyone if they just gave the project a chance.”

Knapp hopes that Blue Springs will reconsider this decision.

According to the City of Blue Springs website, OAT transportation is only available within city limits.

Jarrold said they would like to do this route again with Blue Springs in the future.

“We believe the services we provide are critical to many people, including those from Blue Springs who come downtown to work and work, and we don’t want to see any of those services lost,” Jarrold said.

Jarrold said it is not expected that more cities will cut their services.

He said the zero tariff was still in force and no decision had been taken to deviate from it or to maintain it.

RideKC service ends for Blue Springs in October.

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