Recent Streetsblog DENVER posts about RTD

In Berlin, Adidas created limited-edition sneakers that come with a one-year transit pass embedded in the tongue of one of the shoes. (Jumping up to the validator is not required.) The city’s fare payment system allows people with wearable devices to walk onto to trains and buses without tapping at all. Photo courtesy of Adidas

Readers: Tell Us About the Hassles of Paying RTD Bus Fares

By Andy Bosselman | May 22, 2019 | 22 Comments

When people step onto a bus, many get nervous about holding up everyone while they search for exact change or find a transfer ticket. As Denver’s traffic worsens and bus ridership continues to plummet, why is it easier to buy buy an Aquafina from a vending machine than it is to hop on a bus?

Data Geek: Blogger Tracks 102 RTD Train Rides, 74% Were Not on Time

By Ryan Dravitz | May 17, 2019 | 3 Comments

After tracking 102 train rides, RTD’s rail reliability clocks in at 36%. As a growing metropolis, we need more reliable transit, says Ryan Dravitz.

When RTD charges the electric buses used for 16th St. FreeMall Ride, Xcel Energy adds a fee that amounts to 82%. Photo: Andy Bosselman

Guest Post: As Xcel Gouges RTD to Charge Electric Buses, California Model Could Help

By Miles Muller | May 15, 2019 | 2 Comments

RTD pays nearly 60 percent more per mile to power the 16th St. Free MallRide electric buses than its diesel buses. In California, two electric utilities changed their commercial pricing to encourage electric vehicle adoption, a model Xcel Energy could follow.

After Allowing Transit Service to Worsen, Denver Isn’t Ready for Predictable Uber & Lyft Price Increases

By Andy Bosselman | May 10, 2019 | 12 Comments

Uber and Lyft will certainly raise prices, which will price out many Coloradans. For those who return to transit, they will soon learn that officials have repeatedly cut bus service in the region’s densest neighborhoods.

As RTD invests more in its rail network, service cuts, fare increases and demographic changes appear to drive dropping bus ridership. Image: RTD

Why Is Bus Ridership Plummeting in Denver? New Data Tool Offers Insights.

By Andy Bosselman | Apr 30, 2019 | 18 Comments

Want to know why people are ditching the bus in Denver while ridership is growing in Seattle, Houston and Columbus? Now there’s a way for activists, academics and policymakers to compare what’s not working in one city to what’s driving success in other places. It's a new web tool that makes it easier to map, visualize and crunch data.

A passenger prepares to board an RTD A-Line train at Union Station on January 30. Streetsblog file photo by Andy Bosselman.

Commentary: The University of Colorado Name on RTD’s A Line Is the Dumbest Thing

By Andy Bosselman | Apr 25, 2019 | 16 Comments

Why did officials at the Regional Transportation District allow the University of Colorado to slap its name onto the A Line airport train, confusing riders with a transit line that serves none of CU’s four campuses or its medical complex in Aurora? CU paid RTD $5 million for the naming rights in a five-year deal that […]

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