RTD ridership barely increased despite efforts to promote public transit, newly released numbers show, raising concerns that continued rail maintenance “slow zones” and security problems are causing people to rely on their cars.
Metro Denver residents boarded Regional Transportation District buses and trains 65.23 million times in 2024, up .1% from the 2023 ridership (65.17 million) and 38% below the pre-pandemic 2019 ridership of 105.8 million, according to the data provided to the agency’s elected directors.
Colorado legislators have been pressing for increased ridership.
Newly-elected RTD director Chris Nicholson said lagging ridership is a problem and that lawmakers have suggested a goal of doubling the number within a decade. “Massive disruptions on light rail” as RTD contractors work to fix and replace deteriorating tracks is largely to blame, Nicholson said.
“The disruptions to light rail have harmed how the public sees us. We’ve lost customers who used to trust us with their travel,” he said. “It’s going to take work to get those people back or get new people to try the service.”
While the overall numbers remained flat, ridership increased on the RTD’s Access-on-Demand program that gives qualified people with disabilities up to 60 rides a month to locations they choose using Uber, Lyft, Metro Taxi, or zTrip.
Bus ridership increased from 40,747,000 in 2023 to 42,584,000. The ridership on light rail decreased from 12,740,000 to 11,162,000. The number of people riding on RTD’s A-Line commuter rail between Denver Union Station and Denver International Airport also decreased, along with ridership on RTD’s free MallRide shuttles downtown, where mall reconstruction and an RTD track overhaul last year impeded transit.
RTD’s general manager and chief executive Debra Johnson emphasized the slight increase despite maintenance challenges and said the agency will shift its focus as worker commuting patterns change.
“As companies and businesses continue to provide flexible in-office schedules for their employees, RTD is changing its focus from primarily providing commuter services. The agency is enhancing its bus service and connections to large-scale events, activity centers, concerts, and festivals,” she said.
At Greater Denver Transit, a grassroots advocacy group, co-founder Richard Bamber pointed to Los Angeles, Houston, Seattle, Salt Lake City and San Diego among cities where public transit ridership has increased to at least 85% of pre-pandemic levels.
RTD must increase the frequency of buses and trains, the reliability of service, and information about delays provided to riders waiting at stations, Bamber said. He referred to “the absolutely appalling way RTD handled the slow-zone crisis……. for eight months now” with service disruptions continuing. Transit-dependent low-income households are suffering the most, he said.
“To have this many defects pile up is just insane. There’s no certainty. You have no idea whether you’ll get to your destination in 15 minutes or 60 minutes. You cannot plan your life around it. This has made people give up on light rail and turn to other modes of transport.”
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