Each fall, operators who have gone 16 consecutive years without having an accident are recognized at RTD’s annual employee awards ceremony. Twenty-three bus operators were recognized in 2019.

Safety is a core value at RTD, for ourselves and those in the communities we serve. Although we work hard to make safety a part of everything we do, there are ongoing instances of unsafe behavior near our rail system.

With suicide being the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, most of us have been touched by this tragedy in some way or know someone who has. We may have lost someone close to us or been moved by the loss of someone we may have never met.

The Regional Transportation District (RTD)’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) recently welcomed five new members. The 17-member CAC is comprised of residents from around the region, representing a wide variety of backgrounds, interests and professional experiences. 

Since April 22, RTD’s Bus Operations Training division has trained more than 920 bus operators on the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) training and Smith System of driving.  

RTD passengers are required to wear face coverings on buses and trains and while waiting or using stations and stops, unless they have a disability that inhibits the use of a face covering.

In 1994, RTD’s first rail line—the Central Corridor or “D Line”—opened in Denver. The D Line originally connected 30th · Downing Station to I-25 · Broadway.

In March, as the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic grew, RTD, like other businesses and government entities, scrambled to source personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies, like Clorox wipes.  

“End of Line” sounds like something you’d expect to hear from a train operator once you’ve reached the final destination, but, in this case, it symbolizes a beginning.

Hindsight is 20/20. In optometric terms, having 20/20 vision means you have perfect visual acuity and the ability to see the sharpness of objects. The term is used loosely for seeing things exactly as they are.

Friday, June 19, marks Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

It’s no secret that Coloradans love the great outdoors. As the weather warms up, more people utilize bikes for recreation and transportation. To celebrate Colorado’s love of bikes, June has been designated Colorado Bike Month.

Public transportation exists as a means to ensure everyone has an equal chance of getting to their destination. It’s about making connections. This has always been its purpose, no matter what transit has looked like in the past. But, what will public transportation look like in the future?

Safety Compliance Officer Matt Cross used his COVID‐19 pandemic stay-at-home requirement time to complete a decades-long project. 

Since COVID-19 hit, RTD is far from doing business as usual. The agency has had to adapt to the pandemic in creative ways. One way is having newly hired light rail operators clean light rail cars on the line.

This last year has been difficult. Due to the operator shortage, we had to cancel trips often with little notice. This was a major inconvenience, particularly for light rail commuters. With the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership has declined 70%, necessitating a 40% reduction in service.