Accessibility

Service animals may accompany disabled passengers.

Pursuant to Colorado law (§ 18-13-107.3), intentional misrepresentation of entitlement to a service animal is illegal.

1. A person commits intentional misrepresentation of entitlement to an assistance animal if:
   1. The person intentionally misrepresents entitlement to an animal in his or her possession as an assistance animal for the purpose of obtaining any of the rights or privileges set forth in state or federal law for an individual with a disability as a reasonable accommodation in housing;
   2. The person was previously given a written or verbal warning regarding the fact that it is illegal to intentionally misrepresent entitlement to an assistance animal;
   3. The person knows that:
      1. The animal is not an assistance animal with regard to that person; or
      2. The person does not have a disability.

According to Federal and Colorado State regulations, Service Animals are defined as dogs or miniature horses that must be individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties.

The public perception of what a service animal is may not align with the standards set forth under ADA and DOT regulations. The following are key points to consider:

• A service animal must also be under the control of its handler at all times. This is usually accomplished with the use of a leash or harness and, in rare cases, by verbal command.
• A service animal has a calm demeanor, does not bark excessively or elicit violent and seriously disruptive behavior, and is house trained with a focus on its handler.
• Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability.
• Comfort, emotional support and therapy animals do not qualify as service animals because they do not perform a service or task.
• Most service animals are bred to be a service animal, undergoing extensive behavioral and skills training with the goal of eventually assisting someone with a disability. Although there is no official certification, verification or licensing required to have a service animal, it often takes years before a service animal is ready for work.

RTD will remain consistent in adhering to all ADA and DOT regulations. We think that doing so best protects the rights of the disabled community.

Service animals may accompany a passenger with a disability. Please advise the bus operator if you need assistance finding a seat. The operator may deny boarding or request that you remove the animal if it becomes violent, disruptive, poses a threat to other passengers or is not housebroken.

For safety reasons, please keep service animals clear of the aisle, sitting on the floor, under the seat or completely on their owner's lap. Service animals are not allowed to sit on seats.

Safety is RTD’s number one priority. We offer several different safety programs including Night Stop, Transit Watch, and Partners in Safety.

RTD offers a Night Stop service along all local RTD bus routes, except the downtown Denver area bordered by 11th Ave, Grant St, 23rd St, Speer Blvd, and I-25, due to the frequency of established stops and numerous police patrols. The service is provided as a safety measure for anyone who request to be dropped off at any safe location along the route. Inform the bus driver you would like a night stop, at least one block in advance of your final destination.

The service is available mainly after the evening rush-hour from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning, and is for unaccompanied (not including children) deboarding passengers only. The driver will determine a safe deboarding location and ask that you exit through the front door of the bus.

Our Partners In Safety program is a collaborative effort between RTD employees, our passengers, and the general public to raise awareness of issues and actions that promote a safer environment around our vehicles.

If you see something say something. Transit Watch is an innovative program that trains RTD Transit Police and Security Officers in the latest law enforcement techniques and counter-terrorism measures. From increased patrols and electronic surveillance, to unannounced security sweeps of RTD vehicles and facilities, we take every precaution to ensure the security of our vehicles and passengers.

Download RTD’s Transit Watch app for a quick and easy way to communicate directly with RTD Transit Police about suspicious activity, problems pertaining to ride or station quality, or to receive updates, alerts, and safety information. Download the app now for iOS or Android.

RTD offers a night stop service along all local RTD bus routes, except the downtown Denver area bordered by 11th Avenue, Grant Street, 23rd Street, Speer Boulevard, and I-25 due to the frequency of established stops and numerous police patrols. The service is provided as a safety measure for anyone who requests to be dropped off at any safe location along the route. Inform the bus driver you would like a night stop, at least one block in advance of your final destination.

The service is available mainly after the evening rush hour from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning, and is for deboarding passengers only. The driver will determine a safe deboarding location and ask that you exit through the front door of the bus.

RTD relies on our passengers and the general public to be aware of and alert to any suspicious or dangerous activity on RTD property. If you see something, say something. Always report suspicious behavior 24/7 to RTD’s Transit Watch, via phone at 303-299-2911, text at 303-434-9100, or e-mail at [email protected]. In extreme emergency situations always call 911.

Personal attendants, aides and trainers accompanying passengers who have a disability are permitted to ride for free. Service animals may accompany disabled passengers as well.

Please inform the operator after paying your fare that you are travelling with an aide.

You may board any RTD service with a respirator or portable oxygen supply. When calculating the amount of oxygen required, plan to include more than two hours of travel time.

To assist all customers, especially those with visual and auditory impairments, we have implemented an automated voice and display announcement system on buses across the district.

The Automatic Stop Announcements (ASA) system will announce stops along the route and popular transfer locations inside the bus, and broadcast route and final destination outside the bus when the door opens. If you have difficulty hearing or understanding the announcements, please notify the bus operator. Bus operators will call out transfer points and will notify visually impaired passengers of their stop upon request.

If there are issues with the accessibility or visibility at your bus stop contact RTD’s Customer Care by phone at 303-299-6000.

RTD has a snow removal crew that clears many of the busiest stops. However, with almost 10,000 bus stops, it is difficult for RTD to clear every stop. RTD is responsible for snow removal in certain areas but not in others, so RTD collaborates with municipalities and businesses to ensure the responsible party is aware of their obligations to clear the stop. When encountering problems at your bus stop, please contact RTD’s Customer Care by phone at 303-299-6000.

Elevators and ramps are located at facilities for rider accessibility. In the event of an elevator outage, information will be posted online under Service Alerts. Passengers can sign up to receive email notifications of these outages as well.

Disabled customers needing assistance at RTD facilities may use the emergency telephones inside elevators. Once the button is pushed, the phone will automatically be connected to RTD’s Security Command Center.

The RTD website incorporates accessibility standards for persons with disabilities including guidelines from the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. We are dedicated to providing the best transit experience to each and every rider, and will continue to take steps to improve rtd-denver.com.