RTD sees growth in revenue and increased ridership through Q2 2026

Agency revenue grew 19% year-over-year through June 2026 with increased ridership across bus and commuter rail 

RTD closed the second quarter of 2026 with year-over-year revenue growth and increased ridership, reflecting progress across the agency.

Revenue increased

Through June 2026, year‑to‑date revenue reached $602 million, an increase of $98 million (19.3%) compared with the same period last year. While total revenue fell slightly below budget by $17 million (2.7%), the shortfall was driven primarily by the timing of grant revenue.

Stable sales and use tax 

Sales and use tax revenue remained a steady foundation for RTD’s financial position, totaling $428 million year‑to‑date, an increase of $10 million (2.3%) from the prior year, and was $8 million (1.9%) above budget. 

Grant revenue increased

Grant revenue climbed to $124 million year‑to‑date, up $107 million from last year, though it came in under budget by $30 million due to timing shifts. Notably, $93 million in grant revenue was recognized in June alone. 

Exceeding expectations

Investment income decreased to $18 million, down from last year’s unusually strong performance, but still exceeded budget expectations.

Overall, RTD recorded a $66 million year‑to‑date decrease in net position, which represents a substantial improvement of $132 million (66.6%) compared with last year and $83 million (55.6%) better than budget. This improvement reflects the timing of grant revenue as well as lower operating expenses, particularly related to East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit project schedules.

RTD’s liquidity declined slightly, decreasing from $1.182 billion at the end of 2025 to $1.172 billion, primarily driven by operating expenses coming in just below revenue.

Modest ridership growth

Ridership continues to trend upward across bus and commuter rail services. Year‑to‑date ridership reached 32.7 million, a 4.2% increase compared to last year. Bus ridership rose to 20.8 million, up 1.2%. Light rail ridership experienced a modest decline of 2.7%, influenced by the start of the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project in June. 

Commuter rail ridership grew to 4.5 million, an increase of 17.5%, supported by an updated A Line ridership counting methodology implemented in 2025. The 16th Street FreeRide service continued its strong momentum, with ridership boosted 58.5% to 1.6 million since the completion of the 16th Street renovations and the FreeRide’s October 2025 reopening.

Financial highlights include:

• Revenue: $602M total 
• $428M Sales and Use Tax
• $124M Grant revenue
• $29M Customer fares
• Expenses: $589M operating expense (including depreciation)
• Interest Expense: $54M
• Net Position: ($66M) year‑to‑date decrease

Despite economic shifts and ongoing infrastructure work, RTD’s financial performance and ridership trends demonstrate resilience and continued progress toward long‑term goals.

Some agency highlights from Q2 include:

• The Train to the Plane, the A Line, marked a decade of service in April
• RTD ’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of 47 new 60-foot articulated buses for one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects – the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit project
• The Colorado Clean Transit Enterprise and RTD announced a $9.3 million grant to increase frequency and launch new service on key bus routes while providing extra capacity for high-volume events
• RTD Transit Police launched the Bus and Rail Impact Team to support patrolling hot spots around the district

For more information about the agency’s financial performance, visit Financials and Investors Information | RTD-Denver.