Nature is important to many Colorado residents. With the state’s abundant natural wonders, Earth Day is an excellent reminder of the importance of sustainability and maintaining our quality of life. The official theme for Earth Day 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet.” 

Earth Day, first celebrated in 1970, is a day of awareness so that future generations can thrive and enjoy the planet. Public transportation plays a vital role in sustainability and ensuring there is a future to enjoy.  

RTD has been a leader in low/no-emission vehicles for more than 20 years, and that commitment continues. The agency promotes the benefits of public transit, while developing and implementing measures to reduce the need for fossil fuels. In fact, protecting the planet is so important to RTD that it is written in the agency's strategic priority of Community Value, which states that “RTD strives to be a strong community partner, providing value to customers as well as to the broader Denver metro region while sustaining planet Earth.”  

All RTD rail services run on electricity. The buses that operate on the 16th Street Mall are 100% battery powered, meaning that not a drop of gasoline is used to power the vehicles. RTD is one of the nation’s leaders in the number of electric vehicles (EV) currently in use. 

That is just a part of how RTD works to create a better planet. In 2019, RTD partnered with Panasonic, Transdev and EasyMile to test an autonomous electric vehicle shuttle as a first- and last-mile solution. It was the first deployment of an autonomous vehicle operating in mixed traffic on a public roadway in the state of Colorado, and one of the first attempts in the United States.  

While it is critical to find solutions to climate change, it is also important to facilitate easier connections to the outdoors and nature. RTD provides bus routes and rail lines that serve parks, hiking trails, bike parks, skate parks, climbing and bouldering spots, and winter skiing at Eldora Mountain Resort.  

RTD continues to campaign for a better future for the planet and for humanity by continuing to explore alternatives to traditional fossil fuels and promoting the benefits of public transit over single-occupancy vehicles.