<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Black";
panose-1:2 11 10 4 2 1 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings and salutations:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This email may be of interest to anyone in the Denver metropolitan area who uses or plans to use services from the Denver Regional Transit District (RTD). During the entire month of August, RTD will offer zero fares across its system as part of the <a href="https://www.metro-magazine.com/10175832/rtd-announces-zero-fare-for-better-air-during-august">Zero Fare for Better Air</a> initiative. <span style='color:#454545;background:white'>This collaborative, statewide initiative, made possible by </span><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb22-180" target="_blank"><span style='color:#096AB0;background:white;text-decoration:none'>Colorado Senate Bill 22-180</span></a><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>, in partnership with the Colorado Energy Office, is designed to reduce ground-level ozone by increasing the use of public transit. Current RTD customers will also benefit as they will not have to use or purchase fare products from August 1-31, during Colorado’s high ozone season.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#454545;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>What does this mean for those of us who are blind, print-disabled, or who have other disabilities? As I understand it, like everybody else, we will be able to ride buses and the light rail for free during the month of August. But what about Access-a-Ride?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#454545;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>Here is what Gretchen Vidergar, RTD’s Paratransit Eligibility Coordinator, said in a recent email exchange:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#454545;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>“Yes, Access-a-Ride is free. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>For Access-a-Cab and Uber, the $2 fare is free.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>RTD pays up to $14 for Access-a-Cab. The customer will be charged anything above $14 as they normally would.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>RTD pays up to $22 for Uber. The customer will be charged anything above the $22 as they normally would.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><span style='color:#454545;background:white'>We have asked to add this information added but the time frame from decision to implementation is way less then the usual prep time required to get things updated.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#454545;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>So, there you have it. Free bus and light rail service and less expensive Access-on-Demand and Access-a-Cab services during the month of August.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>