Cheers to 100 issues of the Trailblazer!

Much like a hiker making a first expedition into the woods or a hobbit seeking the wisdom of an old wizard to throw a ring into a lake of fire, having a guide makes navigating much easier than going it alone. The hundreds of RTD bus operators, dispatchers, Customer Care agents and street supervisors all rely on what some call the “RTD bible,” the Trailblazer, which, last week, saw its 100th issue go out to the masses.

For the uninitiated, the RTD Trailblazer is an information guidebook hundreds of pages thick containing detailed maps and turn-by-turn directions of every bus route in the system, as well as important information and diagrams of bus bridges (more commonly known as shuttle buses), co-pilot troubleshooting (the system operators use for navigation), ticketing and fare information, rules and operating procedures, and much more.

The first Trailblazer was published in December 1984. The first issue contained 470 pages of route information. Since its inception, the Trailblazer has been issued in accordance with every routine service change the agency makes, which is three times a year.

The Trailblazer has grown quite a bit over the past 40 years. As the agency has added new routes, stops, stations and services, the book has had to expand to cover all of them, including diagrams of all of RTD’s light and commuter rail stations, as shuttle buses will serve stations in the event of a service disruption. The 100th issue contains 653 pages!

While it may seem overwhelming to open at first, the sheer amount of information in each Trailblazer makes it critical for operators to carry with them every day.

“It is very essential, especially for new employees or operators who are driving routes that are new to them,” Senior Service Planner and Scheduler Maux Sullivan said.

Sullivan, who is part of the service planning team that oversees routes that operate on the east side of the Denver metro area, takes immense pride in contributing to each edition of the Trailblazer.

Producing a book of this scale three times a year is a massive undertaking involving many teams across the agency.

“All the information in the Trailblazer comes from multiple departments,” Sullivan said. “Service Development, Bus Operations, Capital Programs and private contractors provide information, which is all organized and produced by the Marketing Divisionfor printing and distribution.”

The art of putting all of this information into one book three times a year is already a monumental task, but organizing it in a way that is easy for employees to consume is a testament to the talent of the designers of the team.

It is said that one can’t judge a book by its cover, but for the Trailblazer, the cover is what makes the book so iconic and memorable to employees.

Each edition features different artwork on the cover. It could be something as simple as a photo taken of the system in action, or something unique pertaining to a major addition to service, or even highlighting a milestone, such as the opening of the Flatiron Flyer in 2016 or the agency’s 50th anniversary in 2019.

Jessie Carter, Senior Manager of Service Development and Planning, recalls his favorite cover.

“My favorite was issue 19 that marked the January 1994 runboard, featuring a SkyRide bus, because it was a memorable one to work on,” he said.

Sullivan recalls hers being issue 83, covering the May 2018 runboard, as it featured some of the artwork customers can find at various stops and stations.

Last Thursday, a celebration was held in the basement at Blake Street to commemorate the 100th issue of the Trailblazer. Employees got to see every issue of the Trailblazer that was ever printed, enjoyed refreshments and won prizes. RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson provided remarks about the legacy of the Trailblazer and attendees had the opportunity to learn more about how essential the book is to the agency’s operations.

The Trailblazer is not just a guidebook, but it is a testament to the dedication RTD’s many employees give day-in and day-out to make lives better through connections. Cheers to the next 100 issues!

Do you have a favorite edition of the Trailblazer? What issue was out when you first joined RTD? Send your answers to [email protected] for a chance to be featured in an upcoming edition!