Adopt-A-Stop bus stop program highlights Earth Day, hopes to expand
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - To celebrate Earth Day, the KCATA, with its Adopt-A-Stop program, took to the streets to pick up litter and beautify multiple bus stops around the city.
The stop at Troost Avenue and 31st Street on Tuesday was busy. It’s the first stop of the partnership, which is now 30 stops strong. Although program leaders say it’s only a drop in the bucket towards their goal of having 1,000 stops sponsored before the World Cup.
Chris Goode is the owner of Ruby Jean’s Juicery, just steps away from the bus stop. The stop is where Chris and his family spent a lot of time growing up. Seeing it as an adult and business owner nearby left him wanting more for riders.
“It really hit me, you know, the people that are sitting here, that’s me sitting there, that’s my mom sitting over there, my sisters, my brother,” he said.
So, Chris reached out to the KCATA with his idea. He was already cleaning up the litter on free days and knew this wasn’t the only place that needed attention.
Frank White III, the President and CEO of the KCATA, says when he heard it, he knew Chris was onto something great.
“We talk about the customer experience, it’s not just the bus ride. It’s where you wait on the bus, the safety of the shelter, cleanliness of the shelters, so that really impacts a person’s ride, so to be able to do something like this, it really took off and we hope to expand in the future.”
Goode says it may have been his idea, but it takes the community to get something like this up and running. So far, 25 businesses have ed, but they want more.
“We all live here, it doesn’t matter what your title is or how much money you make, we all live here, we all call this place home and we should be able to be proud of it. We can do that together,” he said. “I don’t even think before seeing it happen, there was a connection to there being that need, but the gratitude that comes across is more than payment,” he said.
The goal is to have 1,000 sheltered stops sponsored before the World Cup gets to Kansas City. Interested sponsors can learn more here.
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