RTD launches high-volume events webpage to share trip-planning resources and solicit feedback from the public
Efforts underway to develop a comprehensive plan for additional, dedicated event service
DENVER (Nov. 3, 2025) –– The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is seeking feedback from customers, stakeholders, and the public to support the agency’s development of a plan to enhance its transit services for high-volume events. In addition to an online portal to solicit comments, the webpage includes an overview of transit stops and stations serving major venues, trip-planning resources for customers, and the agency’s current approach to deploying service that supports high-volume events. The webpage is available at www.rtd-denver.com/high-volume-events, and feedback will be collected through the end of December.
“Every year, hundreds of events and activities take place around the Denver metro area,” said Patrick Preusser, RTD’s Chief Operations Officer. “Millions of Coloradans and visitors attend these events, and we want to have a leading role in supporting their access and mobility. Whether it’s getting fans to the big game, music lovers to a much-anticipated concert, or families to a seasonal celebration, our mission is to make lives better through the connections we provide.”
The recently launched webpage also has information about a Board resolution adopted on Oct. 28 to create a plan for high-volume event service. The resolution outlines several requirements for creating the plan, including the necessary staffing levels and financial resources, revenue projection estimates, sponsorship opportunities, and a marketing strategy. The plan must also adhere to all federal regulations and requirements, and it will be finalized and shared in February 2026. The Board anticipates taking action related to the plan's details in March, and if adopted, any approved operational adjustments or service level increases could begin as soon as May 2026.
When preparing for high-volume events, RTD takes a balanced approach that focuses on its customers and the community. Partnerships, coordination, and communication are key in those efforts. For example, RTD monitors several metro area calendars and venue schedules to flag events and activities that are slated to take place near transit stops and stations. Staff then compiles a lookahead calendar, enabling the team to create coordinated plans that ensure safe, reliable, and customer-focused services.
At RTD, supplemental service for high-volume events refers to additional transit trips or vehicles that are deployed to meet increased customer demand. RTD’s base service levels provide a strong foundation, and the agency uses anticipated crowd sizes to plan for demand peaks and optimize service delivery.
The agency also uses virtual and in-person platform monitoring for proactive crowd management and service deployment before and after high-volume events. This capability strengthens the connection between RTD’s workforce and operations, helping to collaboratively deliver a safe, reliable, and customer-focused transit service.
In 2023, RTD also launched “special destination terms” as a trip planning resource for customers. The event-specific terms are available in the Next Ride app and eliminate the need to know a venue’s name or address. Customers can simply enter the name of the artist, band, sports team, or other event-related term as their destination. RTD’s trip planning application will then route the customer to the event’s venue from their current destination in the Denver metro area. Special destinations initially launched prior to the back-to-back Taylor Swift concerts at Empower Field at Mile High Arena. That weekend, more than 150,000 trip itineraries were planned using special destination terms. In December 2024, RTD integrated JamBase, a live music data provider, into the Next Ride app. The integration automatically feeds concert schedules into the trip planning tool.
“As we prepare for the future, we are building on our successes, celebrating what we’ve achieved together, and learning from our experiences. By evaluating our work and refining our processes, we will continue to deliver high-quality service and drive continuous improvement. We want to be the first choice when a customer is planning a trip and traveling to and from an event,” Preusser said.
For more information about RTD’s high-volume event services or to provide feedback and suggestions, visit www.rtd-denver.com/high-volume-events.