Letter from Local Elected Officials to CDOT on Bustang’s 4th Anniversary

CoPIRG

July 13th, 2019

Colorado Department of Transportation

2829 West Howard Place

Denver CO, 80204

 

Dear Transportation Commissioners,

We want to wish a happy birthday to the Bustang program as it celebrates its fourth 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 addition, Bustang Outrider provides connections between Lamar, Pueblo and Colorado Springs; Gunnison and Denver; Durango and Grand Junction; and Alamosa and Pueblo.  Dozens of communities are serviced along these routes.

In its fourth year of operation, demand for Bustang continues to grow. In the spring, ridership along its West, North, South, and Denver Tech Center routes grew by 21% and carried approximately 21,000 riders a month. Bustang Outrider service, while only about a year old, serviced over 2,000 riders a month over the winter. Farebox recovery continues to be strong across the system generating over $500,000 in revenue in March 2019 alone.

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 and the Bustang Outrider service by both connecting new communities to the system and by adding more buses along the routes that are at capacity. We also support continuing to offer innovative services like the RamsRoute, which connects students at Colorado State University-Fort Collins with Denver, and the Bustang service to home Broncos games. 

Coloradans need travel options to get around the state and the steady growth in Bustang ridership demonstrates that it is providing critical service and continues to be a good foundation to build from. 

Congratulations on Bustang’s fourth anniversary, and keep up the good work.

Sincerely,

 

Torre, Mayor, City of Aspen

Ann Mullins, Councilmember, City of Aspen

Skippy Mesirow, Councilmember, City of Aspen

Adam Frisch, Former Council Member, City of Aspen

Sarah Smith Hymes, Mayor, Town of Avon

Tamra Nottingham Underwood, Councilor, Town of Avon

Jennie Fancher, Councilor, Town of Avon

Jacque Whitsitt, Mayor, Town of Basalt

Gary Tennenbaum, Councilor, Town of Basalt

Auden Schendler, Councilor, Town of Basalt

Katie Schwoerer, Councilor, Town of Basalt

Jennifer Riffle, Councilor, Town of Basalt

William Infante, Councilor, Town of Basalt

Ryan Slack, Councilor, Town of Basalt

Eric Mamula, Mayor, Town of Breckenridge

Duff Lacy, Mayor, Town of Buena Vista

Dan Richardson, Mayor, Town of Carbondale

Louis Yllanes, Trustee, Town of Carbondale

Ben Bohmfalk, Trustee, Town of Carbondale

Marty Silverstein, Trustee, Town of Carbondale

Tera Radloff, Mayor, City of Castle Pines

Melissa Coudeyras, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Castle Pines

Tracy Engerman, Councilmember, City of Castle Pines

Jason Gray, Mayor, Town of Castle Rock

John Suthers, Mayor, City of Colorado Springs

Richard Skorman, President of Council, City of Colorado Springs

Yolanda L.  Avila, Councilmember, City of Colorado Springs

Jill Gaebler, Councilmember, City of Colorado Springs

David Geislinger, Councilmember, City of Colorado Springs

William “Bill” Murray, Councilmember, City of Colorado Springs

Christopher Ryan, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Delta

Robin Kniech, Councilmember, City and County of Denver

Kendra Black, Councilmember, City and County of Denver

Stacie Gilmore, Councilmember, City and County of Denver

Mark Nickel, Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Dillon

Andy Jessen, Board of Trustees Member, Town of Eagle

Wade Troxell, Mayor, City of Fort Collins

Susan Gutowsky, Councilmember, City of Fort Collins

Ross Cunniff, Councilmember, City of Fort Collins

Emily Gorgol, Councilmember, City of Fort Collins

Julie Pignataro, Councilmember, City of Fort Collins

Ken Summers, Councilmember, City of Fort Collins

Jessica Burley, Council Member, Town of Frisco

Jonathan Godes, Mayor, City of Glenwood Springs 

Shelley Kaup, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Glenwood Springs

Rick Taggart, Mayor, City of Grand Junction

Chuck McDaniel, Councilmember, City of Grand Junction 

James I Miles, Mayor pro Tem, City of Gunnison

Leia A. Morrison, Councilor, City of Gunnison

Roger Stagner, Mayor, City of Lamar

Jacki Marsh, Mayor, City of Loveland

Kathi Wright, Councilmember, City of Loveland

Ken Jaray, Mayor, City of Manitou Springs

Becky Elder, Councilwoman, City of Manitou Springs 

Gary Smith, Councilman, City of Manitou Springs

Dave Bowman, Mayor, Town of Montrose

Barbara Bynum, Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Montrose

Doug Glaspell, Council Member, Town of Montrose

Judy Files, Council Member, Town of Montrose

Roy Anderson, Council Member, Town of Montrose

Roy McClung, Mayor, Town of Parachute

Nicholas Grandisar, Mayor, City of Pueblo

Dennis E. Flores, President of Pueblo City Council, Chair of PACOG  

Mark Aliff, Councilmember, City of Pueblo

Ed Brown, Councilmember, City of Pueblo

Terry Zupan, Board Director, Town of Pueblo West

John Clark, Mayor, Town of Ridgway

Eric Johnson, Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Ridgway

Robb Austin, Councilor, Town of Ridgway

Ninah Hunter, Councilor, Town of Ridgway

Tessa Cheek, Councilor, Town of Ridgway

Beth Lakin, Councilor, Town of Ridgway

Russ Meyer, Councilor, Town of Ridgway

Harald Kasper, Town Council Member, Town of Salida

Brown-Kovacic, Council Member, Town of Salida

Todd Brown, Board Chairperson for San Miguel 

Authority for Regional Transportation and 

Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Telluride

Dave Chapin, Mayor, Town of Vail

Travis Coggin, Council Member, Town of Vail

Kevin Foley, Council Member, Town of Vail

Jenn Bruno, Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Vail

Kristie Melendez, NFRMPO Chair and Mayor, Town of Windsor

Barry Wilson, Board Member, Town of Windsor

Michael Yohn, Commissioner, Alamosa County

Helen Sigmond, Commissioner, Alamosa County

Darius Allen, Commissioner, Alamosa County

Sean Wood, Commissioner, Clear Creek County

Randall Wheelock, Commissioner, Clear Creek County 

George Marlin, Commissioner, Clear Creek County

Roger Partridge, Commissioner, Douglas County

Lora Thomas, Commissioner, Douglas County

Abe Laydon, Commissioner, Douglas County

Hilary Cooper, Commissioner, San Miguel County

Lance Waring, Commissioner, San Miguel County

Karn Stiegelmeier, Commissioner, Summit County

Elisabeth Lawrence, Commissioner, Summit County

Matt Scherr, Commissioner, Eagle County 

Cami Bremer, Commissioner, El Paso County

Holly Williams, Commissioner, El Paso County

Debbie Bell, Commissioner, Fremont County

Dwayne McFall, Commissioner, Fremont County

Jonathan D. Houck, Commissioner, Gunnison County

Julie Westendorff, Commissioner, La Plata County

John Kefalas, Commissioner, Larimer County

Steve Child, Commissioner, Pitkin County

Kelly McNicholas Kury, Commissioner, Pitkin County 

Wendy Buxton-Andrade, Commissioner, Prowers County

Terry Hart, Commissioner, Pueblo County