Denver Transit Board Approves $1.2 Billion Budget

The Denver-area Regional Transportation District (RTD) board approved a historic $1.2 billion budget for transit operating expenses, reports Bruce Finley in The Denver Post. 

The agency is also introducing a new tap system for fare collection and making fares free for youth. “RTD staffers say they’re counting on increased fare revenues in 2025 to cover costs of letting residents aged 19 and under ride for free,” Finley adds. Only around 4 percent of the agency’s costs are funded by fare revenue. 

“RTD officials said in an email that the new budget will lead to increased service. Starting in January, agency supervisors plan to reinstate 15-minute train frequencies along the E Line and the H Line. They also plan to boost bus service between Denver International Airport and Boulder.” Ridership dropped sharply between 2019 (106 million rides) and 2023 (65 million rides), but the agency projects ridership will increase slightly in the next year.