Danny Katz
Executive Director, CoPIRG
Executive Director, CoPIRG
CoPIRG Foundation
Today, CoPIRG Foundation Director Danny Katz delivered a letter to the Transportation Commissioners for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) celebrating the success of Bustang, the statewide bus service, and showing support for continued expansion. The letter was signed by 41 mayors, city councilors, trustees and county commissioners from communities along the Bustang routes including Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Idaho Springs, Summit County, Eagle County, Vail, Avon, and Glenwood Springs.
“Bustang has provided thousands of people with the freedom to travel to Denver from Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and mountain towns along I-70 and vice versa without driving their car,” said Danny Katz, CoPIRG Foundation’s Director. “The huge growth in ridership demonstrates the clear need for even more statewide bus service like Bustang.”
In its second year of operation, Bustang saw a 52% increase in ridership, providing 155,864 passenger trips in the second year alone.
“Whether you don’t own a car or want to avoid the hassle of driving and paying for parking, Bustang is connecting our biggest cities and economic areas via wifi-equipped buses. It’s crazy it took until 2015 to have a statewide public bus service, but now that Coloradans have the option to ride a bus, people are using it. We should keep expanding the service until everyone in Colorado has transportation options.”
Katz presented the letter at CDOT’s October Transportation Commissioner meeting along with an oversized birthday card signed by Bustang riders.
To learn more about Bustang, go to www.ridebustang.com
The full letter with the signatories is below:
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September 15th, 2017
Colorado Department of Transportation
4201 E Arkansas Ave
Denver CO, 80222
Dear Transportation Commissioners,
We want to wish a happy birthday to the Bustang program as it celebrates its second anniversary. Since 2015, Bustang has provided important transit service that connects communities along I-70 and I-25 with the Denver Metro Area and vice versa.
In its second year of operation, Bustang provided 155,864 passenger trips, 50,000 more trips than its first year. All three routes have seen steady growth in their second year, with the South Route growing by 42%, the North Route growing by 50%, and the West Route growing by 77%. Farebox recovery has also increased, and in its second year, the Bustang program brought in $1.6 million in revenue.
The steady growth in ridership demonstrates the clear need for even more statewide bus service like Bustang. We support your continued efforts to expand Bustang. Already, new routes have been added to the West line and are planned for the North line. A new stop was added at Idaho Springs. The RamsRoute, which connects students at Colorado State University-Fort Collins with Denver, and the Bustang service to home Broncos games are also scheduled to return this fall. Bustang is also poised to launch weekend service on all routes.
Coloradans need travel options to get around the state and the steady growth in Bustang ridership demonstrates that it is providing a good foundation to build from.
Congratulations on Bustang’s second anniversary, and keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Jennie Fancher, Avon Mayor
Sarah Smith Hymes, Avon Mayor Pro Tem
Scott Prince, Avon Town Council Member
Jake Wolf, Avon Town Council Member
Eric Mamula, Town of Breckenridge Mayor
Rick Holman, Town of Breckenridge Town Manager
Elisabeth Lawrence, Town of Breckenridge Town Council Member
Mark Burke, Town of Breckenridge Town Council Member
Wendy Wolfe, Town of Breckenridge Town Council Member
Erin Gigliello, Town of Breckenridge Town Council Member
Jeffrey Bergeron, Town of Breckenridge Town Council Member
Tim Mauck, Clear Creek County Commissioner, District 1
John Suthers, Colorado Springs Mayor
Richard Skorman, Colorado Springs City Council President and Council Member, District 3
Jill Gaebler, Colorado Springs City Council President Pro Tem and Council Member, District 5
Yolanda Avila, Colorado Springs City Council Member, District 4
Merv Bennett, Colorado Springs City Council Member, At-Large
Tom Strand, Colorado Springs City Council Member, At-Large
Jill Ryan, Eagle County Commissioner
Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County Commissioner
Anne McKibbin, Town of Eagle Mayor
Kevin Brubeck, Town of Eagle Mayor Pro-Tem
Andrew Jessen, Town of Eagle Trustee
Scott Turnipseed, Town of Eagle Trustee
Gerry Horak, Fort Collins Mayor Pro Tem and Council Member, District 6
Bob Overbeck, Fort Collins City Council Member, District 1
Ken Summers, Fort Collins City Council Member, District 3
Kristin Stephens, Fort Collins City Council Member, District 4
Rick Voorhees, Glenwood Springs City Councilor, West Glenwood (Ward 2)
Shelley Kaup, Glenwood Springs City Councilor, At-Large
Michael Hillman, City of Idaho Springs Mayor
Dan Gibbs, Summit County Commissioner, District 1
Thomas Davidson, Summit County Commissioner, District 2
Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County Commissioner, District 3
Dave Chapin, Town of Vail Mayor
Jenn Bruno, Town of Vail Mayor Pro Tem
Dick Cleveland, Town of Vail Council Member
Kevin Foley, Town of Vail Council Member
Kim Langmaid, Town of Vail Council Member
Jen Mason, Town of Vail Council Member
Greg Moffet, Town of Vail Council Member