
CASE STUDY
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
Case Study
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) is a transit agency that serves both Missouri and Kansas. Created in 1965 through an agreement between the two states, KCATA is in charge of planning, building, and operating public transportation systems across seven Kansas City metro area counties.
KCATA runs several transit services, including the RideKC bus system, the MAX Bus Rapid Transit, Flex routes that respond to demand, paratransit for seniors and people with disabilities, and vanpool services.
They aim to connect people by focusing on innovation, safety, customer service, and protecting the environment while serving as a transit provider and a community partner.
70% Reduction in Site Visits, 60% Maintenance Savings, and 35% Reduction in Customer Complaints
The Challenge
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) encountered ongoing difficulties maintaining digital kiosks at bus stops.
With different suppliers providing kiosk and shelter parts, it was hard to know who was responsible for downtime. This made KCATA take on the job of troubleshooting. Their team frequently visited kiosks on-site to power cycle media players, LCD displays, and Wi-Fi routers. This process was costly, time-consuming, and disruptive to daily operations.


The Solution
When KCATA planned to expand its MAX Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, they wanted to add over 80 new shelters and kiosks. The Operations Manager asked for a better solution.
The project used the Outdoorlink Smart Controller, once called the SmartLink SL-4-AC controller. This device allows for remote monitoring and control of rebooting and managing each component.
Outdoorlink collaborated with shelter manufacturer Decamil and digital kiosk supplier RedyRef to integrate the Smart Controller into each shelter and kiosk. This system let KCATA control shelter lighting, LCD displays, media players, and Cradlepoint routers from one controller, making remote troubleshooting and maintenance easier.
The Results
The implementation of the Outdoorlink Smart Controller resulted in significant improvements across KCATA’s transit system operations

70% Reduction in Site Visits
Remote rebooting capabilities drastically minimized the need for on-site troubleshooting, saving time and costs.

60% Maintenance Savings
Reduced the need for manual interventions, leading to substantial savings in maintenance costs.

35% Reduction in Customer Complaints
Improved uptime and system reliability reduced disruptions, enhancing the customer experience and increasing customer satisfaction.
These efficiencies cut operational costs and improved KCATA’s ability to manage its BRT system effectively.