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RTD announces fourth round of Partnership Program pilot funding to support community mobility needs | Nine pilot projects have been selected to improve mobility for communities throughout the Denver metro area, building on the 15 projects supported since the Partnership Program launched in 2023. The program provides opportunities for local governments and transportation management associations/organizations (TMA/Os) within RTD’s service area to apply for funding for services or enhancements that complement existing transit services or fill a transit need. The 2026 Call for Projects made $6 million available annually for 2027, 2028, and 2029 – twice as much as last year and the most in the program’s history. |
| Bus operator training has begun this week on East Colfax | |
As the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project prepares for Bus-Only Lane Operations (BOLO) from Broadway to Colorado this fall, training for more than 200 RTD bus operators began on Monday. Training will occur daily between Grant and Williams streets until BOLO begins.
Bus operators will be training in the center, bus-only lanes to access the Pennsylvania, Downing, and Franklin stations. These lanes will be closed to all other vehicles, including bicycles and scooters.
The buses have begun using transit signal priority (TSP), which improves coordination with traffic signals and reduces idling at intersections. For safety, all drivers along the corridor are only permitted to make left turns at signalized intersections when they have a green turn arrow.
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Construction in the Downtown Loop Midblocks area advanced as crews along Stout Street installed underground duct bank conduits and placed self‑compacting base materials to protect the new utility system between 18th and 19th streets. Additional fencing was set up to reinforce traffic control and pedestrian barriers from 14th to 19th streets. Crews also excavated near 14th Street to continue duct bank work and placed geogrid materials and base course.
In the Colfax Avenue Alignment, crews broke ground on the Ninth Street crossing by demolishing and removing existing track panels and rail, marking the start of final intersection reconstruction in both work areas. The Ninth Street crossing is expected to be completed by mid‑August ahead of the start of classes at the Auraria Campus. Construction of embedded track continued between Seventh and Ninth streets, while teams finished a new drainage inlet and graded and compacted base materials between Ninth and Kalamath streets.
| | 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 praised for his dedication to excellent customer service, positivity | I would like to commend operator Steven Heinen for his outstanding customer service. Every time I ride with Steven, he is consistently kind, friendly, and respectful to everyone. | | Bus operator sees customer sprinting for bus, gives extra time to allow her to board | I would like to give a compliment to my driver today, Tigistu Ergo. There was a lady running far away toward the bus, and he saw her and took the time to stop for her. | | Welcome to new employees, new roles and responsibilities | | Five new employees joined the agency, and six colleagues transferring to new roles participated in Monday’s orientation. Welcome aboard to our new employees, and congratulations to our transfers for taking the next step in their careers here at RTD! | | |
Since May, almost 80 colleagues have transitioned into new duties and roles, many of them as a result of the recent Operations Department realignment. Please take a moment to review the list linked below, which details changes over the past three months. |
| Operator of the Month – August 2026: Calvin White | August’s Operator of the Month is Calvin White from East Metro Division! White was chosen for his quick reaction to helping a customer who began experiencing a medical emergency. While on his route, he noticed the customer near the stop fall to the ground. He immediately called dispatch to request medical assistance, enabling emergency services to respond quickly and transport the customer to a nearby hospital. White’s rapid response upon witnessing this event is another testament to RTD operators' willingness to continue making lives better through connections. | | Best Dressed Operator of the Week: Daniel Embaye | This week’s Best Dressed operator is trainee Daniel Embaye from Bus Operator Training! Even in training, Daniel knows that looking the part is key to being a successful operator. | | Dialogue with Debra is tomorrow at Elati Division | | | | Join General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson and members of the Leadership Team as they provide updates about what’s happening around the agency at tomorrow’s forum, taking place at 10 a.m. on the maintenance floor at Elati Division. Employees at Elati are welcome to attend the session in person. All others can tune in to the livestream linked below. | | A recording of the session will be added to the Dialogue with Debra page on the Hub after the event concludes. | | Ro(a)deo Round-Up: Week of Aug. 3 | The 2026 Light Rail Rodeo is Saturday at Elati | |
Head out to Elati Division on Saturday morning to enjoy a day of fun and friendly competition with family and colleagues at the 2026 Light Rail Rodeo! From 7 a.m. to noon, the maintenance floor will turn into a festival ground with games and activities for the whole family to enjoy, including a basketball challenge, Lego races, and exhibits. Don’t miss the all-new Rubber Chicken Challenge, in which RTD’s light rail operators will attempt to park their trains as close as possible to a rubber chicken on the tracks without running it over.
RTD’s very own Senior Specialist, Public Relations Austin Nettleton, aka DJ Squeezy, will be spinning tunes all morning long, keeping the vibes high! Want to hear a song or dedicate one to a colleague or loved one? Click the link below to submit a request in advance.
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| Join General Counsel Melanie Snyder as she provides a refresher about RTD's Code of Ethics at August’s Facts-n-Snacks, next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday! Dates, times, and locations are below. Click the following links to register for your desired session. | | |
Session 1
Noon Tuesday, Aug. 11
Virtual, Microsoft Teams
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Session 2
11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12
Virtual, Microsoft Teams
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Session 3
Noon Thursday, Aug. 13
In-person, Blake Conf. A
| | C&P launches electronic PIF project in OpenGov | |
Contracting and Procurement, in partnership with Information Technology, has officially begun implementing the conversion of the Procurement Initiation Form (PIF) into an electronic form within OpenGov. This initiative is part of the team's ongoing efforts to streamline and modernize the procurement initiation process, making it more efficient and user‑friendly for staff across the agency.
Stay tuned for updates as the project progresses, as well as more to come on the team's initiatives.
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| 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 | |
"Summer specializes in time, slows it down almost to dream."
— Jennifer Grotz
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