Rail Safety Spotlight: Dustun Martinez
In honor of Rail Safety Week, meet four RTD employees who always put safety first
During Rail Safety Week, taking place Sept. 15–21, RTD is joining communities across North America to raise awareness about the importance of staying safe around trains and railroad crossings. At RTD, safety is more than a priority. It’s also part of our everyday culture.
Throughout the week, RTD staff will be out at stations across metro Denver to engage with customers, answer questions and share tips on how to stay safe near rail lines. With 10 rail lines covering more than 114 miles, we’re committed to making every mile as safe as possible.
To mark this important week, we’re highlighting four exceptional team members who go above and beyond to ensure safety in their roles.
Meet Dustun Martinez with Communter Rail Operations
“Field Supervisor Dustun Martinez has been with RTD for 20-plus years, and in his role at Commuter Rail he consistently promotes safety in all aspects of his duties. Dustun has worked diligently in promoting RTD’s safety ideology to employees in the field and colleagues alike by taking a proactive, safety-focused approach in his operational testing and coaching with employees.”
- Phil Washington Jr. (Acting General Superintendent, Transportation, Commuter Rail)
How did you join RTD, and what is your role?
Right after high school, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps, where I learned the value of Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful). I carry this value with me every day — staying faithful to myself, my family, my coworkers and my job.
I started working for RTD in 1998 (full-time, since we had to go part-time first back then) as a bus operator. Over time, I also served as a union grievance representative and steward, helping both bus and commuter rail employees. In 2019, I moved to the commuter rail side, working as an engineer and conductor. Since 2022, I have been a commuter rail field supervisor.
How do you think about safety as it relates to your work?
I believe safety is the most important part of running a good team. Without safety, we don’t just lose time and work — we risk losing skilled workers and the trust of the community that we serve.