RTD free fare begins Monday
RTD is offering free rides during the month of August. It's part of the "Zero Fare for Better Air" initiative designed to reduce ground-level ozone by increasing transit use. It's made possible by Colorado Senate Bill 22-180 in the partnership with the Colorado Energy Office.
RTD experienced a decrease in ridership during the pandemic. It's also impacted employment. They're stepping up their hiring efforts, offering a large signing bonus to join their team.
Daily riders like Eric have felt the impact, but thinks free fare is a great idea.
"Last weekend, I was waiting for about 30 minutes for the light rail," Eric said. "It's been bringing me late to work on the weekends lately, which is kind of a struggle. I still think it's good for the environment, and especially on weekends when you've been partying. But you have to prepare."
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CBS4 asked RTD if they're equipped to handle a potential wave of free riders.
Tina Jaquez, RTD interim Senior Manager of Public Relations and Engagement, says they'll work to adjust.
"We are putting out service based on the staff that we have. We don't know how many people are going to come out and ride during the month of August," Jaquez said. "We can adjust our light rail vehicles if needed. If there are certain events going on downtown, we can add vehicles or cars if we need to pick up extra people."
The news of free transit caught the eye of social riders like Samantha.
Right now, her family only uses the light rail to get to Colorado Rockies games.
"I just saw that August will be free today when we were getting our tickets and I think it's great," Samantha said. "We would make more trips downtown if it's free. It's one less expense."
While RTD doesn't expect ridership to reach pre-pandemic levels in August, Jaquez says riders should plan ahead and be patient during the month of free fares.
"They should use the trip planner, leave early, and sign up for service alerts, which will tell people if there are any changes to the schedule. We could see changes to our service because we are down operators," Jaquez said.