By Mack Callahan — Asking for a Friend
You ever notice how public transit in Topeka is starting to feel like that friend who promises to show up, then texts, “Sorry, something came up,” but forgets what something was?
Well, now Metro has officially ghosted a bunch of routes. They say it’s “due to funding loss.” Which is a fancy way of saying, “Sorry, we can’t afford to run the buses anymore — but hey, at least you live in a city, right?”
Here’s what we’re looking at:
- People who rely on Metro to get to work, grocery stores, or doctors now have to double up, walk longer, or beg friends.
- Budget shortfalls sound vague until you remember those shortfalls are made up of broken promises, underfunded programs, and maybe someone forgetting to pass a budget somewhere.
- Meanwhile, Metro officials might claim they’re doing everything possible. They’ll promise they explored cuts “painfully” or “with regret,” the kind of language that makes you picture someone crying into spreadsheets.
The Absurdity Section
If we live in a movie, this would be the part where the villain slave-driver of budgets steps on commuters’ toes. Instead, it’s us — the people who pay taxes — footing bills for what feels like political theater:
- You hear “funding loss” over and over like it’s some natural disaster (“The Great Topeka Funding Tsunami”).
- But it’s not a storm — we set this weather. We underfund transit, de-prioritize routes not convenient for those with cars, then act surprised when Metro can’t keep schedule.
The Punch-Kicker
Here’s my prediction: in the next election, someone will run promising to “bring back the buses.” Or maybe “restore Metro’s dignity.” But unless the voters and officials treat transit like more than an afterthought, all we’ll get are bumper-stickers, press releases, and wait times that feel like waiting for rain in a drought.
Until then, Topeka, walk carefully, carpool if you can, and pray the bus shows up — if it still remembers where it’s supposed to go.
We deserve transit that works. Not the kind you remember fondly or complain about; the kind that shows up when you need it. Because a city isn’t just sidewalks and roads — it’s the promise that someone, somewhere, planned for all of us.
Mack Callahan takes a satirical look at Topeka Metro’s latest service cuts, asking what happens when the buses stop stopping — and whether voters will demand better transit solutions.
Topeka Metro service cuts, Topeka public transit, Topeka bus routes, Topeka transportation news, Topeka city budget, Shawnee County transit
