On-Demand Transit Supplements Denver-Area Bus and Rail

An on-demand transit service in Denver aimed at helping residents supplement regional bus service is proving successful, reports Jon Murray in the Denver Post. 

As Murray explains, “City officials’ initial hope was simple: to bridge transit gaps within an outlying part of the city where homes on winding streets are a good trek from grocery stores, community centers, rail stations and other vital services.” For the city, “the Denver Connector was fast and easy to put in place.”

“In its first year, the Montbello Connector took off, with monthly ridership reaching 5,201 passengers in November, according to city data. The city and its partners recently added Gateway to the original service area and, in mid-November, launched a second Denver Connector service — this time focused on Globeville and Elyria-Swansea, similarly disconnected neighborhoods located north of downtown.” Lone Tree, another city in the Denver metro area, is using a similar service called Link On Demand to provide on-demand service that connects residents to light rail stations and destinations around town.

The $3.2 million Denver pilot program has been extended until the end of 2024.