We have an exciting update to share out of the State Legislature this week—the RTD Operations bill (H.B. 21-1186) passed both chambers and is headed to Governor Polis’s desk!
The changes to the state statute in the bill are recommendations from the RTD Accountability Committee, which was established in collaboration with the Governor’s office, RTD, and the chairs of the State House and Senate Transportation and Energy committees in 2020.
RTD has been hamstrung by state statute for too long and it is time they have flexibility that will allow them to succeed.
DSP is particularly enthusiastic about:
- The elimination of the farebox recovery ratio, which will give RTD the flexibility to lower fares and even offer free service which ultimately could increase ridership. Right now RTD has some of the highest fares in the country. Having the ability to readjust the fare structure would better equip them to serve low income residents who rely on RTD’s service the most.
- Changes that will make it easier for RTD to encourage more equitable transit oriented development and charge for parking. Land use and transportation are so inextricably linked and this provision is a critical step towards ensuring our land use decisions support higher ridership potential for RTD.
The bill also makes changes to the state statute which will:
- Expand the types of entities that RTD can contract with, including nonprofit organizations and local governments.
- Remove the cap of the amount of service that can be contracted out by RTD, with the exception of fixed-route bus service.
Both DSP and the RTD Board endorsed this bill. Its passage is a big win for transit—can you join us in thanking our legislators for supporting it?
This bill is just one part of moving toward a public transit system that is equitable, affordable, reliable, sustainable, safe, and accessible. If you’re interested in getting more involved in our public transit advocacy, add your name here and we’ll be in touch!