The K-10 Connector bus route between Lawrence and Johnson County is set to continue through this fall, but it’s unclear how the service will be funded in the future.
The route connects Lawrence and Johnson County along K-10 and serves riders traveling between Lawrence, Johnson County Community College and KU’s Edwards Campus in Overland Park.
Johnson County Assistant County Manager Aaron Otto told county commissioners there last week that the route is one of its five highest-performing routes by ridership, with more than 50,000 rides provided in 2025.
However, the long-term future of the service remains unsettled.
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Johnson County has covered the full cost of the two-county route since 2024, transit planner Ryan Hurst said during the commission discussion.
The county’s support totaled about $536,000 in 2025, according to Otto. He also said the county is exploring a shared funding model with JCCC, the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Douglas County and the Kansas Department of Transportation.
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Otto said preliminary conversations had considered seeking as much as $300,000 in combined contributions from partners. No organization had made a commitment at the time of the Johnson County meeting.
Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, a spokesperson for KU, confirmed that the university met with Johnson County and other entities this summer to discuss whether the service could continue in future years.
KU’s transit budget for the 2026-27 academic year has already been allocated, Barcomb-Peterson said. Input from the university’s transit commission will guide whether KU submits a proposal to Student Senate to use campus transportation fee revenue to cover a portion of the route’s cost during the 2027-28 academic year.
Barcomb-Peterson did not provide details on whether KU’s transit commission has already discussed the proposal, whether it will recommend funding or how much money the university could potentially contribute.
Karrey Britt, a spokesperson for Douglas County, said the county has not received a formal funding request. If one is submitted, it would go before Douglas County commissioners during the county’s annual budget process, when residents could also provide input.
Lawrence Transit Director Felice Lavergne said discussions are ongoing and the city also has not received a formal request for funding.
Johnson County officials raised possible changes to the K-10 Connector as part of a broader discussion about pressure on the county’s transit fund.
Starting June 1, Johnson County transit resumed charging fares. Most county buses cost $2 per ride, with riders’ monthly cost capped at $62.50 per month. Riders on the K-10 Connector pay $4 per one-way trip, and those fares are not included in the monthly cap.
If Johnson County were to eliminate the service, it would need to complete a Title VI analysis required by the Federal Transit Administration, Otto said. The analysis would assess how riders would be affected and whether the change would disproportionately affect marginalized people.
At the commission meeting, some Johnson County commissioners argued that institutions and local governments served by the route should help pay for it. Others suggested expanding outreach to Kansas State University’s Olathe campus and exploring whether higher-education funding associated with the Johnson County Education Research Triangle sales tax could help support the service.
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Courtney Lane (she/her), staff reporter, has worked with The Lawrence Times since April 2026. She can be reached at [email protected].
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