The tragic reality is that freebie bus rides might have done more damage to the system than we realize. The KCATA serves as a low-key piggy bank for developers and moving people around hasn't been their top priority for more than a decade. Frustration continues so that politicos (and clueless activists) can cynically leverage street-level sentiments with even more cash for construction pals. "Riders are getting used to paying to ride the buses again, as fares came back earlier this summer. "Hundreds rely on the bus daily, but 14 routes are at risk of getting cut by September, unless the KCATA can make up millions of dollars."