If we’ve chatted in the last 6 months, I would almost bet a years salary I mentioned the KC Street Car. I should literally be on payroll. I am the Street Car Influencer. I tell anyone that will listen! There’s just something about the new not driving part of my life I’m obsessed with. Can’t get enough of this walking lifestyle. And there’s no way I could cover as much ground without using the Street Car to neighborhood hop. And it just keeps getting better with an extension to UMKC opening in 2025. The Plaza, Westport, the art museums and everything in between, just a ride on the Street Car. I will eventually be able to walk to Yarn Social from the Plaza. I mean. What more does a girl need?!!!

So let’s talk about this Street Car and how it all started. (Who doesn’t love fun facts.) Cars rolled out for the first time in May 2016. As of July 2023, 12.2 million riders have been connected from Union Station to the River Market and back. You have 16 stops, every couple blocks, along a 2 mile track to get you close to all the downtown neighborhoods. There’s an app {CityPost} so you can plan your attack and spend minimum time waiting. Even if you do just miss a car, 10 minutes and boom. They run 7 days a week, early to late. Usually 3-4 cars circling at a time. Always moving and shaking. Thousands of us use this transportation every day and I can’t wait to tell you about the Street Car from my perspective. So here we go!!

Y’all. I absolutely love the whole experience, from walking the block over and waiting, the bell, that horn, the friendly operators. I love this dang thing!!! First of all FREE!!! F. R. E. E. to ride. I know we pay taxes and we paaaaay for it but to just hop and go on a random Tuesday. Or bop down to Union Station to the best post office in the city. FREE. It’s climate controlled, wind and rain proof, and I bet on all the things that make my soul tick you will meet new people, see new businesses and even experience new smells. Ha. They wrap them all cute like. Hello Barbie car!! And the zoo!! Don’t forget the team spirit!! And now a big Christmas Present!! ANNNNNNNNND for the holiday season, LIVE MUSIC!! The #KCStreetCar Holiday Jams is happening now and I CANNOT WAIT for my next ride!!! But really though iiiifffffffff you bring the right attitude and a smile, you never know how a baby step into that rail car is going to enrich your day. Also they have SWAG on their website!! Good swag!!! Y’all already know that hot pink tee is coming home. And I will proudly rock my love for this gem in KC. But serious click that website and check all kinds of events, like the Holiday Jams schedule and maps. It’s actually useful and again, I’m a t-shirt size medium and one size fits all coffee mugs.

One of my most favorite parts are the riders. I mean how can it not be. You absolutely, 100, couldn’t-if-you-tried, predict who you might run into on the street car. I’ve seen things you can’t unsee. Laughed, gasped, and even pretended to be counting stitches. Seen fashion interesting life choices that makes my face do the thing. Bare feet (ewww toes and why I rarely sit now) and a tush. I’ve met concert goers, sports fans, OTF’ers, hair clients, new friends, locals, tourists and the in-between. Made it through Halloween and a Comicon event. There was a bird wolf in chaps. Tail feathers shining. That is the confidence I strive for. And just think if I hadn’t taken the Street Car…

But again, I try to bring the good attitude, open mind and an appreciation for any and all experiences/opportunities that might cross my path. Worst case you get a story to blog about, best case a smile opens a good can of worms. Not every ride is the right ride to chat everyone up, but today was one of those rides. Coming back from Union Station, it was just full of happy energy. I met the sweetest local gal and a precious trio of ladies here from Pennsylvania. They made my afternoon and I made sure they had solid plans for this evening and checked out the speakeasy at their hotel. And back on Monday night on the way to the Holiday Train, I met the sweetest little family. Their first time to see the festivities also. The little snot face with the good kicks, was the only one in his class going to see the train. Take my excitement for the street car plus yarn, add in still believing in Santa, you can imagine, he was PUMPED. He couldn’t wait to tell his friends and teacher about the train. My cheesy Hallmark loving Christmas heart was full to the max and it’s only November. And that was just this week. [side note: stay tuned for the holiday train post. I CANNOT MAKE THIS UP]

Another Street Car win: the wraps. The library bookworm, the team spirit and the holiday themes make me so happy. But it’s the Barbie Car that gets the story!! It’s sooooooo good!!! They did a special wrap for the movie this summer and it never gets old. Inside and out! Seats and all!! Still months later my soul giggles when I see that pink car rolling up to my stop. It also got me kicked out of a date’s car right there on Main St. Did you know there are grown men out there, so angry about a satire of a movie, they would kick a girl out of a car for thinking a movie was “cute”? I’m gonna save it for it’s own post also because the “dates” in the #1-worst-city-to-date have earned their seat at the big kid table. Buckle up. And back to happy street car business.

The heart of the KC Street Car has to go to the operators. The kindest souls you will ever meet. I’m working on learning names but this Dream Team deserves all the shout out!!! They love their jobs. You can see it. I’m sure there’s parts that aren’t awesome but they sure fake it till they make it because I would swear they are overjoyed to see me. Every time!! I know they put up with some crazy{crazies} and are so patient and kind even when they could justifiably be sassy putting up with downtown drivers. I always wondered what would go down if someone parked on the track. And then it happened. Tuesday. A brilliant box truck driver blocked the track. Not just by a mirror. Like no shame set up shop unloading on the rails. We didn’t play. Our operator kindly apologized for the poor decisions others make and laid on the horn like she had a point to prove. Because she did. She made what could have been a stressful situation, funny and her play-by-play was worth the extra minute or two we spent on the car that afternoon. Solid week on the Street Car.

Thanks for coming to my KC Street Car synopsis. I hope you’re intrigued to leave the car in the parking garage, get some steps in and jump on the street car. Take every ride as an opportunity; be still for a minute, see the riders, see the city, be the good energy on board. You never know where that street car might actually take you.

Xo

Midwest Ging