There’s a reason why the cities we find the most pleasant to visit also have the fewest cars and the most robust mass transit.
RTD
Posted inOpinion Columns
Nicolais: RTD light rail, or 1970s era New York subway?
Recent violent assaults and ongoing problems with passengers engaged in substance misuse, combative behavior, and simple disrespect could chase away riders
Posted inPolitics and Government
Navigating Denver’s snow-covered sidewalks is dangerous, and often impossible, for people with disabilities
Unplowed and icy walkways impact all pedestrians, but they are even more challenging for people who use wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility devices to navigate.
Posted inTransportation
Public transit was free for many Coloradans in August. When fares returned, many riders stayed, data shows.
Ridership numbers from most of the transit agencies that participated in the Zero Fare for Better Air program were higher in September than before the program began.
Posted inHousing
RTD hires its first homeless outreach coordinator to visit stations, offer services to those illegally camped
RTD has one worker who visits light-rail and bus stations in eight counties, offering housing and other services to those in need.
Posted inNews, Transportation
Colorado offered $28 million for free transit in August. Most money for smaller agencies has gone unclaimed.
More than $2 million in state money allocated to make public transit free this month — in a push to boost ridership and ease pollution — will go unused as some regional transportation agencies say they don’t have enough drivers to handle a ridership surge. Statewide, 14 transportation agencies, including the Regional Transportation District in […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News, Transportation
What’s Working: Colorado needs transit and truck drivers. How’s a $5,000 bonus sound?
More people are finding work and employers appear to be closer to fulfilling their job openings, but there’s still a shortage of drivers in Colorado. Of course, there’s long been a need for drivers. It’s not just a pandemic thing. A 2019 report from the American Trucking Associations laments the shortage but notes that the […]
Posted inNews
Colorado is about to spend $28 million to fund free summer bus and train trips. It remains unclear if riders will flock.
If you build it, will they really come? Or, more specifically, if you make transit free for one month will Coloradans start riding it and then come back when they have to pay? Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Jared Polis hope the answer is “yes” as they prepare to spend $28 million on a program aimed […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Punishing RTD hurts Colorado’s most potent weapon against climate change
Coloradans have many complaints about RTD — the Regional Transportation District that operates buses and light-rail across metro Denver. Some are valid, some are not. Despite all the issues, the real insanity is some of the solutions that people propose to “fix” this system. The two most popular ideas are balkanization and defunding. Balkanization is […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, COVID, Environment, News, Transportation
Colorado dangles free transit on bad pollution days. But will there be anyone to ride? Or drive?
Way back in 2019, when most of us wore masks only at Halloween, Jayne Neimann considered the Bustang a vital part of her life. The bougie commuter bus run by the state transportation department offered Wi-Fi, cushy seats and a chance to relax with her phone for an hour on her way to Denver, where […]