Clear Creek County Shuttle Bus Fills Important Role For All Coloradans
IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - It might be one of the unintentionally best kept secrets of Clear Creek County: The RoundAbout buses. The small buses are basically free taxi services to anyone within the county to anywhere, so long as the buses are running.
Floyd Gaeth and his family counted on the bus service Friday while traveling to an abandoned gold mine near Idaho Springs. Both he and his wife are legally blind, and their son Timmothy is in a wheelchair. Getting up to the mountains in the first place would be a challenge without help, but getting up dirt roads like the one to the mine all on their own would be almost impossible (although they threatened to try).
"To be able to come to a rural area such as a mountain town and do some things like that would not be at all possible without the RoundAbout," Gaeth said.
The bus service has seen a dramatic increase in the last few years, aside from 2020 due to COVID-19. The county has even purchased a new bus to help deal with increased demand, as well as searching for more drivers for the popular service.
"You know a lot of people don't have the license or just want to save a buck on some gas because we all know gas is pretty expensive right now," bus driver Ian Ospina said as he laughed.
He said he's seen the bus used for everything from a daily commute to work, to a trip the grocery store, bank, auto shop, food bank, you name it, he's seen it.
"It's huge growth. I'm happy that this is happening. This is something that we need so badly," Ospina said.
The buses are open to visitors and locals alike. You can plan ahead for your next adventure and make use of the free service.