RTD selects Steve Martingano as Chief of Police and Emergency Management | | | | |
Steve Martingano, who has been a member of the department’s leadership team for a decade, will officially assume the role of chief on Tuesday, May 13, following a swearing-in ceremony at Denver Union Station. Until that time, he will continue to serve as RTD’s Acting Chief of Police and Emergency Management, a position he has held since July 2024.
Click the links below to read a memo from General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson about Martingano’s appointment and an interview with him this week.
| | RTD increasing officer patrols at Union Station, downtown ahead of events | RTD is proactively increasing its Transit Police officer presence at Denver Union Station and across the agency’s downtown Denver sector. The addition of officers and contracted security personnel supports the safety and security of customers and visitors attending major events and activities. | | RTD's three-year focus to 'Reclaim Union Station' improved safety, security | RTD is reporting a nearly 60 percent reduction in security-related calls and a three-year decrease in reports of criminal activities between 2022 and 2025 at Denver Union Station. The agency in March 2022 announced a robust plan and timeline to “Reclaim Union Station,” a collaborative and multi-faceted strategy aimed at enhancing safety and security at the transit facility. | | Honoring the Legacy of Leadership, Resilience and Cultural Impact During Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month | |
Diversity Spotlight celebrates the diversity of RTD employees and the larger community that RTD serves and fosters an appreciation of our social and cultural similarities and differences. Diversity Spotlight supports RTD’s values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration and ownership.
May marks the celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a time to honor the history, culture and contributions of AANHPI communities to the fabric of American life. This year's theme, "A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience," reflects on the enduring strength and leadership demonstrated by AANHPI individuals throughout history. From the earliest waves of immigration to the present day, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have exemplified extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity. These communities have navigated exclusionary policies, systemic discrimination and economic challenges, all while making profound contributions to American society.
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RTD launches human trafficking awareness campaign in May | | | | As part of Youth on Transportation Safety Month, RTD is partnering with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) and the Denver Anti-Trafficking Alliance (DATA) to launch a monthlong human trafficking awareness campaign, running May 1–31. Human trafficking doesn’t only happen far from home — it occurs in our communities and on our transit system. Traffickers often use buses, trains and transit centers to move victims. And for many survivors, public transit may be their first step toward safety. | | |
That’s why all RTD employees are encouraged to participate in TAT’s half-hour transit training course, which is specifically designed to help transit professionals recognize and report suspected trafficking. Click here to enroll in the course.
By staying informed and alert, we can each play a role in protecting vulnerable individuals and making our transit system safer for everyone.
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| | | Anyone visiting RTD’s Manager of Community Engagement Brandon Figliolino’s LinkedIn profile will see that his headline says “Community Builder.” However, when he’s off the clock, he’s building endurance on the streets and trails in the Denver metro area and setting new personal records on his road bike on Strava, a mobile app for athletes to track and share their activities. | | |
At last night’s monthly meeting, the RTD Board of Directors unanimously approved the modified 2025 Fiscal Policy. These modifications were made in response to the voter-approved 2024 ballot measure exempting RTD from TABOR’s revenue restrictions. Additionally, the Board approved the official version of the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, which incorporated revisions to the plan previously adopted by the Board in June and October of 2024; approved the summary scope of work for a solicitation for state lobbying services; and adopted a resolution creating a pilot program to provide a set number of fee waivers for Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) and Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act (CCJRA) requests. The Board moved to adopt amendments to the bylaws regarding disciplinary action against Board members, including the grounds, process and measures the Board may take to hold directors accountable. Lastly, the Board reviewed its position on Senate Bill 25-161, which seeks to reform transit in Colorado. |
| Bus Maintenance celebrates the career of Vehicle Engineering Manager Bill Weidenaar as he enters retirement | | Last week, Bus Maintenance hosted a retirement party for longtime Vehicle Engineering Manager Bill Weidenaar after 19 years of service with the agency. RTD wishes Weidenaar well in his retirement. | | Welcome to RTD's newest employees | Thirty-five employees joined the agency at Monday’s orientation. Welcome aboard! We are glad you are here. | | Every day across the Denver metro area, RTD employees are making lives better through connections. The agency is proud to spotlight our exceptional workforce who go above and beyond in their roles and embody RTD’s core values. Join us in celebrating colleagues who personify the values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration and ownership. | | Bus operator patiently waits for customer rushing toward bus stop | |
I wanted to comment on the exceptional work bus operator Michael Hogan did on Saturday. I was on my way to Future Fest. I took the bus from I-25 and Broadway Station to Civic Center Station. The bus was on Broadway, and we approached a light where there were two women. One had a fairly severe limp, and it was apparent they needed to get on the bus.
> Read more <
| | Bus operator avoids accident with cyclists at stop sign | |
I would like to commend your bus operator Maxwell Taylor. Today, I was on the SKIP, and we headed down the hill to Table Mesa Station in Boulder. Two bike riders ran a stop sign and got in front of the driver as he was driving. The driver was able to slow down correctly without hurting passengers or the bikers. Great job keeping everyone safe!
> Read more <
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Addise Aneto
Bus Operator
Ruben Capo-Chichi
Bus Operator
Cheryl Eaton*
Bus Operator
Erik Fernandez-Carrillo
Bus Operator
Jhonny Jeanty
Bus Operator
Timothy Jones
Bus Operator
Ezana Kidane*
Bus Operator
Craig Meyers
Bus Operator
Taisha Tapia
Bus Operator
Michael Tollerson
Bus Operator
Pamela Wheeler
Bus Operator
Dale Wingert
Bus Operator
Haileyesus Agaje
Bus Operator
Sisay Alemayehu
Bus Operator
Brian Avery*
Bus Operator
Mesfin Ayalew
Bus Operator
Andrew Bliss
Bus Operator
Wallace Burns
Bus Operator
David Endricks
Bus Operator
Wondwosen Lemma
Bus Operator
Robert Miller
Bus Operator
Raquel Mitchell*
Bus Operator
Boris Otis
Bus Operator
Isaiah Quick
Bus Operator
Derrick Robinson
Bus Operator
Christopher Stewart
Bus Operator
Matthew Yslava
Bus Operator
Tame Abrham
Bus Operator
Harouna Diallo
Bus Operator
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Rafael Diaz Almonte
Bus Operator
Clarity Green
Bus Operator
Habe Kebedew
Bus Operator
Vernon Moore*
Bus Operator
Elvin Soto
Bus Operator
Check Tagbo
Bus Operator
Charles Wagner
Bus Operator
Christopher Whiteside
Bus Operator
Phiho Castro
Train Operator
Bernard Celestin*
Train Operator
Adrian Chapa*
Train Operator
Sergio Chavez
Train Operator
William Dix*
Train Operator
Ian Gause
Train Operator
Xavier McKnight
Train Operator
Sonia Muniz
Train Operator
Nathaniel Romine
Train Operator
Juleone Silva
Train Operator
Jhon Tampubolon
Train Operator
Michael Vigil
Train Operator
Zandra Bermudez
Seasonal Landscaper
Armando Martinez*
Seasonal Landscaper
Juan Mendez
Seasonal Landscaper
Tibisay Urribarri
Seasonal Landscaper
Joseph Wilder
Seasonal Landscaper
Andre Ramsey
Service Worker
Kenneth Merrit
Rail Laborer
Preston Andreasen
General Repair Mechanic
Shawn King
General Repair Mechanic
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Anthony Burriss
Senior Network Engineer
Charlie DeLaCruz
Dispatcher, Commuter Rail
Lorenzo Hernandez
Transit Police Officer
Jalen Vasquez
Transit Police Officer
Abbey Geerdes
Transit Police Officer
Garret Clinton
Transit Police Officer
Benjamin Dibiamaka
Transit Police Officer
Melinda Herman
Transit Police Officer
Joshua Martinez
Transit Police Sergeant
Matthew Westrum
Supervisor, LRV Service & Cleaning
Michele Metziner
Budget Analyst III
Christopher Thurman
Supervisor, Overhead Catenary System
Scott “Scotland” Vigil
Dispatcher
Sergio Rubio
Dispatcher
Jim Burch
LRT Field Supervisor
Jeff Carlson
LRT Field Supervisor
Cristobal Flores-Ramirez
LRT Field Supervisor
Shelton Hardy
LRT Field Supervisor
Ernest Garcia
Street Supervisor
Kibrom Hagos
Street Supervisor
Ryan Gerard
Public Safety Dispatcher
Caitlin Saier
Public Safety Dispatcher
Latham Leonaitis
Senior Information Security Analyst
Aaron Romero
Technical Support Analyst II
(*) denotes rehire
| | In memoriam: former RTD Board member Bob Broom | | | | |
RTD mourns the loss of longtime former Board of Director Robert "Bob" Broom. He was first elected to the Board in 2017 to represent District F, and he served two terms, which ended in 2024.
Broom was an avid fan of the Denver Broncos and loved to travel the globe with his wife of 63 years.
Former Board member Doug Tisdale recalled his friendship with Broom during last night's Board meeting.
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"Director Broom was always a source of insight, patience, civility and gentlemanliness," Tisdale said. "He was a source of inspiration to all of us and was incredibly welcoming, genial and humorous, in his own quiet way."
Board Chair Julien Bouquet shared memories working with Broom during his years on the Board.
"He was a thoughtful, insightful and very funny Board member," Bouquet said. "He brought an immense wealth of experience and public finance to this Board."
If you would like to speak with someone about this loss, please call RTD’s
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at 1.800.284.1819. Additionally, all impacted employees are encouraged to reach out to their supervisor, mentor or another member of management to receive assistance.
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Today is the deadline to complete cybersecurity training | |
Cybersecurity may seem daunting, but RTD’s annual training makes it straightforward. It guides employees in identifying and reporting threats, such as unauthorized data access or potential leaks that could affect the agency.
Salaried employees and select represented employees, as well as contractors using the agency's computing resources, are required to complete annual cybersecurity training. However, RTD’s Cybersecurity team encourages all staff to join in and enhance their ability to recognize and prevent cyber threats.
Training must be completed by the end of the day today. Employees can access the training by selecting Learning from the Workday menu or by clicking the link below. Have questions about training? Email csaware@training.rtd-denver.com.
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| RTD launches new security-related metrics webpage | There are many misperceptions related to personal safety and security when using RTD facilities and vehicles, so objective facts are needed to change attitudes and perceptions. To support this effort, a webpage has been created using data and metrics provided by Transit Police. The webpage is now available by clicking on the link below. | | From Wellness: May is Mental Health Awareness Month | The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and many other organizations recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month. The theme of this year’s campaign is “In Every Story, There’s Strength,” which celebrates the power of storytelling to fuel connection, understanding and hope for those navigating their own mental health path. | | The Employee Survey remains open through May 16. Click the link below to take it if you have not already done so. Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts during outreach events at divisions in recent days. |
| Tomorrow: Learn how to stay safe online at Facts-n-Snacks | | | | Join members of RTD’s Cybersecurity team at tomorrow’s Facts-n-Snacks series as they provide tips and advice on how to stay safe online. The session will be held at 2 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. | | Invites were sent Friday. Please contact Austin Nettleton (austin.nettleton@rtd-denver.com) for another invite or for questions related to the session. Can’t make it? A recording will be uploaded to the Facts-n-Snacks Hub page shortly after tomorrow’s session concludes. |
| Webinar to detail proposed Boulder to Longmont BRT service | | | | |
RTD is hosting an informational webinar in early May and an online public survey throughout May and June regarding future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Boulder and Longmont.
The webinar will offer details about proposed stations, stops, frequencies and service levels for the two Diagonal Flyer routes (DF1 and DF2) that will operate along the CO 119 corridor, also known as the Diagonal, when service begins in 2027.
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Participants can access the Zoom meeting link on the Community Events page of the RTD website. Three time slots are offered for the online webinar:
- Monday, May 5, noon-1 p.m.
- Monday, May 5, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, May 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
The webinar is an informational meeting with no public comment scheduled during the session. Customers are invited to share feedback on the proposed DF1 and DF2 routes through a service hours and frequency survey that will be offered in May and June on the CO 119 Bus Rapid Transit Project webpage.
Additional feedback opportunities will be available during service change public meetings that will take place in February 2027 ahead of the proposed May 2027 start of service for the Diagonal Flyer routes.
| | RTD has a number of solicitations currently underway at the agency or planned for the near future. To view and download current solicitations, see upcoming opportunities, and review pending and awarded contracts, follow the links below. | | | | Debra's Quote of the Week | |
“Does it pay to listen? Always."
— Arlene Dickinson
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