Kannapolis & Concord Reach Agreement to Maintain Current Rider Transit Routes and Schedules

The City of Kannapolis and the City of Concord have reached an agreement to maintain all Rider Transit routes and stops for the 2026-2027 Fiscal Year. The agreement comes after months of negotiation and will preserve essential transportation services for residents while city leaders continue to collaborate on ways to enhance system efficiencies.

"We are very pleased that we have worked with our Concord partners to maintain all Rider Transit routes and stops at their current levels. All routes, stops, and weekend service will remain as is for Fiscal Year 2026-2027," said Kannapolis City Manager Wilmer Melton.

"Rider Transit isn't a luxury, it's a necessity for thousands of our residents who rely on it every day to get to work, school, church, to their doctor's office, the grocery store, and other essential places," said Concord City Manager Lloyd Payne. "We heard from so many in our community over the last several months who rely on the transportation services provided by Rider Transit, and we are thrilled our partners in Kannapolis have agreed to fully fund transit operations and continue all current system routes and schedules. We are looking forward to our continued partnership with Kannapolis and working together to enhance residents' quality of life while strategically planning for the future of our transit system."

Rider Transit currently operates eight routes throughout Concord and Kannapolis, with service seven days per week and an annual ridership of nearly 400,000 residents.

Earlier this year, with the Rider Transit Service Contractor Agreement expiring, Kannapolis officials proposed trimming the City's allocation to Rider Transit, including eliminating routes, stops, and weekend service, in an effort to better align the costs absorbed by the City of Kannapolis.

The agreement also includes proposed system-wide fare increases, which are under evaluation and will be communicated to the public in the near future. This is the first proposed fare increase at Rider Transit since 2012.

Over the next fiscal year, Concord and Kannapolis officials will continue to work together to examine the current system and identify ways to create a safe, efficient, and reliable system that is financially sustainable for both cities.

"We are experiencing the rising costs of every item needed for the Rider Transit service. Just like your household budget, Rider Transit budget costs are rising. Gas, the purchase of buses, repairs and maintenance of the buses, and the salaries and medical insurance for our staff. We must work together to find the best way to manage rising costs while still offering the most effective public transit system for Kannapolis residents and everyone else who needs the bus for transportation," said Kannapolis City Manager Wilmer Melton.

"We understand thousands of people depend on Rider Transit. We know having a reliable bus service that arrives on time with minimum delay is critical. We have worked hard to maintain the high quality of service Rider Transit is known for. This is the result of many long months of meetings with City of Concord staff. We have also sought input from various experienced transit experts from around the country. We are not the only City facing exorbitant costs related to transit services. City officials across North Carolina and the United States are studying public transit because of rising costs and inefficiencies. We are committed to working to find the best long-term solution for our community," Melton further commented.

For more information on Rider Transit, visit www.ckrider.com.