[Colorado-Talk] Reminder/Update: Tonight's RTD Board Meeting

Wed May 27 14:36:10 UTC 2026

Tim
Thank you for your leadership.    A few thoughts to take or leave.
1. There is already precedent for not cutting AAR access when routes are
cut as this was done during COVID.  This would not be inconvenient for
users, it would completely cut them out of community.

2. I suggest we take a communuty centric approach.  A thriving city or
metro area needs functioning transit.  We have already seen that transit
use declines as frequency declines.  Maybe we can get with PIRG and transit
alliance,  unions, and others to have unified voice against reduced service
and increased fares.  While it clearly affects those of us who can't drive
or cannot afford a vehicle the most, the lack of transit is bad for our
community.   In these times of division and scarcity mindsets I think a
message about bettering our whole community might resonate more than
messaging solely about us.
3.  RTD fairly recently did a whole fare study and reduced fares after
learning we were one of the most expensive regions in the country.
Increasing fares so soon after all of that work doesn't promote strategic
thinking.  Also, during the experiment of free fare for better air
ridership improved significantly as did the atmosphere on the busses.   I
am not suggesting we recommend eliminating fares during a fiscal crisis,
just that we point to data and advocate not increasing them..at least not
significantly.    Again, I would advocate a more community centric approach
pointing out that with the affordability issues throughout the metro area
an increase could further erode ridership.  I have no idea if this is
possible or if it would be worth it but I wonder if their tech could
accommodate a voluntary increase for individuals.  Like could we set up our
my ride accounts to add some amount like 25 or 50 cents per ride as a
choice so those that could afford it and want to support transit could
without burdening the whole system?  It might not work because we have lost
so many of the choice riders.
I am curious what NFB thinks about reducing Flex Ride services?

Thanks everyone for your advocacy.   I hope that if us non drivers can team
with unions and environmental activists we can build a large enough
coalition because no matter what we will need to back to the voters next
year.    I think that may be a tough sell.

Julie Reiskin  Co Executive Director CCDC

On Wed, May 27, 2026, 8:17 AM Tim Keenan via Colorado-Talk <
colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hey, RTD riders and transit advocates!
>
> Time is short, so please read this carefully.
>
> Yesterday RTD management released their latest proposal for addressing the
> agency's budget deficit.
>
> The good news: the hard push for an immediate 20% service cut appears to
> be off the table for now.
>
> The bad news: service cuts are still very much in play, and the disability
> community has serious concerns about what's in this proposal. ADAPT
> Colorado, a fellow disability rights organization that has been watching
> this closely, has already identified three major red flags. We agree with
> every one of them.
>
> Red flag number one: route reductions could reduce paratransit
> eligibility. If RTD cuts fixed routes, the ADA-mandated paratransit service
> area shrinks with them -- and existing riders could lose their eligibility
> entirely. ADAPT has been pushing RTD to grandfather existing paratransit
> riders if cuts do occur, so that people who are eligible today don't lose
> access they've come to depend on. Chair O'Keefe has indicated support for
> this, but there is resistance from other quarters. We need the board to
> hear that grandfathering existing riders is the bare minimum.
>
> Red flag number two: fixed-route fare increases are on the table, and
> paratransit riders could feel the impact. By law, paratransit fares cannot
> exceed twice the standard fixed-route fare. That's a ceiling, not a floor
> -- RTD isn't required to raise paratransit fares if fixed-route fares go
> up. But given the financial pressure management is under, the risk is real.
> For riders who just absorbed a significant fare increase on
> Access-on-Demand on January 1st, any further increase would be a serious
> hardship.
>
> Red flag number three: at least one board member continues to push for
> eliminating Access-on-Demand entirely. This is deeply alarming. ADAPT has
> demonstrated using RTD's own data that AOD is the most cost-effective
> paratransit option RTD offers -- and that Access-a-Ride is currently
> failing on multiple performance measures. AOD is the only reliable option
> for many riders. Eliminating it would not save money. It would shift those
> riders to a more expensive service that is already struggling, and it would
> expose RTD to serious legal liability under the ADA.
>
> Management's new approach has shifted from a specific 20% cut proposal to
> a menu of options for the board to prioritize. That sounds less alarming,
> but it isn't -- because buried in that menu are options that could
> devastate our community. The key votes are now scheduled for June 9 and
> June 10 in committee, with a full board vote on June 23. Those dates are
> coming up fast, and tonight's meeting is the first opportunity to speak
> directly to the board since this proposal was released. We need to get our
> perspective on the record while there's still time to influence the outcome.
>
> We do have allies on the Board. Directors Benker, Ruscha, Larsen, and
> Guzman have all pushed back on management's approach. They need to see us
> in that room tonight.
>
> Tonight's meeting: Wednesday, May 27, 5:30 PM, 1660 Blake Street, Denver.
> In person is more powerful -- please come if you can.
>
> Zoom registration:
> https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x8BY5TdBSH-kLMrJO3zOUg#/registration
>
> Written comments, please send ASAP if you haven’t already:
> RTD.Directors at rtd-denver.com.
>
>
>
> See you tonight.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Tim Keenan
>
> State Transportation Chair
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Colorado
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