What is IRIS? How to use Kansas City’s new rideshare service — and where it can take you
Kansas City’s newest rideshare service, IRIS, is now available citywide, as well as in North Kansas City and in Gladstone.
Called “transit service when you need it” by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, the program works similarly to Uber or Lyft. However, it is cheaper since the city subsidizes it and is different in that riders may share a car with strangers heading to the same destination.
City officials have said IRIS is meant to fill gaps in public transit infrastructure by offering rides where bus stops or other transportation services aren’t as accessible.
You can request a ride through an app. IRIS uses designated pick-up and drop-off points within the service area and is not door-to-door like other ride-hailing services, but it may be more affordable than private ride-hailing apps.
Where do I download the app?
The app is available on Google Play and the Apple Store. You can use the website to book your trip if you don’t have the app. You will need to create an account before you can get a ride. You can also schedule a ride by calling 816-205-8221.
IRIS operates from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day in Kansas City.
For rides within North Kansas City, hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Gladstone’s operating hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
I downloaded the IRIS app. What do I do now?
Book your trip! Once you’re using the app, you can enter where you want to be picked up and where to go. The pick-up and drop-off sites are connected to RideKC bus stops, so you may need to walk there before your ride shows up.
You can’t change your pick-up location once you book the ride, so you must cancel that ride as soon as possible and book another ride if you need to change locations.
The ride will show a 15-minute window for pickups. If you booked a ride for a 3 p.m. pickup, the ride can arrive any time between 3 and 3:15 p.m. As it gets closer to the pick-up time, KCATA will send you a notification with an update.
Once the vehicle is at the pick-up spot, the driver will wait for one minute before leaving. IRIS can restrict the accounts of people who regularly no-show.
Where are IRIS’s zones?
You can look at the full map on the RideKC website, highlighting each area. The Northland is red, Gladstone is green, Kansas City International Airport is blue, KCMO is black and South Kansas City is yellow.
According to the KCATA, the service will get residents within a quarter mile of their destination within a defined zone. Each service zone has designated transit hubs to help with public transportation: RideKC bus stops or streetcar stops.
The map shows transfer points in each zone. Rides are free if these points are where you’re getting picked up or dropped off. You can view the Northland zones and the IRIS ride schedule on the RideKC website.
If you’re headed up north, here are the designated transfer spots:
Northland Rural
The Coves and Walden North
Gashland and Northeast
The Coves and Walden South
Winwood Antioch North
Winwood Antioch South
Birmingham North
Transfer points for zones south of the river include:
Birmingham
City Market
Country Club Plaza
Power and Light District
Plaza-Midtown
Northeast
The zones in south Kansas City includes these transfer points:
Bannister Acres
East Kansas City
Eastwood Hills
Lea Manor
Leakwood Market
Project Green
Ward Parkway
HOW MUCH DOES IRIS COST?
It’s free when connecting to one of the zone’s designated IRIS transfer points. For example, if you’re going to the Power and Light District’s free transfer point from somewhere within the same zone, the ride is free.
$3 per person per trip to a stop within a zone that is not a designated transfer point.
$4 per person when traveling between zones. For instance, if you travel to somewhere in the black zone from somewhere in the red zone, it costs $4. This also applies to riders traveling from one designated transfer point to another, as it costs $4 to ride from Ward Parkway’s transfer point to Power and Light’s transfer point.
$5 per person when traveling to entertainment districts, such as City Market, Zona Rosa or Worlds of Fun
$10 to and from KCI Airport from any zone
The final fare will be determined by where the trip ends and begins. You can pay the fare in the app when you book a ride. If you booked a ride by calling or choose to pay offline, you will pay with cash or your credit card when you get inside the vehicle.
WHAT CAR SHOULD I BE LOOKING FOR?
IRIS vehicles are either a cab or will have visible graphics on the car, telling you IRIS operates it.
Have you used IRIS or are you planning to in the future? Tell us about your experience at kcq@kcstar.com
