The Regional Transportation District is wrapping up the final day of its two-month Zero Fare for Better Air initiative, while a one-year pilot program that allows youth ages 19 and younger to ride all RTD services at no cost is about to start.
RTD allowed free rides for passengers in July and August in an effort to cut down on poor air quality in the region while attracting new riders.
“A final report that includes ridership numbers, customer survey data, and other metrics related to the zero-fare initiative is currently being compiled, and RTD plans to publicly release the information in October,” according to a news release.
“RTD welcomed many new customers to its system during Zero Fare for Better Air,” General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson stated in the release. “The agency focused this year’s campaign on creating a welcoming transit environment that encouraged individuals in the Denver metro area to discover new commuting habits and explore sustainable transportation options. Early indications point to successes with the initiative, and I am eager to review the final report and learn more about the impact of this year’s program.”
Zero Fare for Better Air program experienced its busiest weekend ever on July 14 and 15 while supporting the transit needs of thousands of customers attending multiple major events, including the Taylor Swift concerts and the Colorado Rockies v. New York Yankees games, in the downtown area, the release said.
The Zero Fare for Youth program, which was approved by RTD’s Board of Directors in July, starts on Friday and focuses on welcoming a future generation of transit users to the system while reducing transportation costs for families.
To ride at no cost, youth participants must show either a current school ID, valid government-issued ID, alien registration/permanent resident card, military ID/dependent card with date of birth, or RTD-issued youth special discount card to the bus operator or fare inspector.
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