W Line impacted today by Xcel power shutoff | |
RTD adjusted W Line rail services today when Xcel Energy initiated a planned Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) at 10 a.m. in select parts of the Denver metro area.
Xcel Energy alerted RTD on Monday to prepare for a strong wind event and likely power shutoff. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning, which means wildfire risk is expected to increase, and strong winds heighten the risk of damage to Xcel Energy’s power lines.
The power shutoff impacted W Line service between Federal Center and JeffCo Gov’t Center•Golden stations. A bus shuttle was deployed between the impacted stations. Additionally, lighting, ticket vending machines, and fare validators at JeffCo Gov’t Center•Golden Station are not operational during the shutoff. RTD’s service impacts are related to the location of the agency’s traction power substations, which supply electrical power to the rail system.
RTD is also preparing for the possibility that four commuter rail crossings along the A Line may be impacted by the forecasted strong winds. Several crossing arms along the A Line have a length of 32 feet or longer, meaning the crossing mechanisms may be affected and unable to safely operate. If high winds are sustained, RTD will reduce the A Line’s frequency to 30 minutes and supplement service with a bus shuttle.
Weather conditions are expected to begin improving around 6 p.m. today.
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| RTD offering ability to pay cash for stored value on MyRide | RTD is offering customers the option to pay cash for stored value on the agency’s MyRide platform to make electronic fare payments from their MyRide account or physical MyRide card. Powered by VanillaDirect, the new payment option improves accessibility for customers to load stored value by paying cash at RTD sales outlets and participating retail outlets, including 7-Eleven, CVS, King Soopers, and Walgreens across the Denver metro area. Customers can use the stored cash value for fare payments by tapping or scanning their MyRide card or mobile barcode on any validator. They can also use the stored value to purchase mobile tickets in the MyRide app or online. Customers who load stored value by using a credit or debit card will still be able to do so. | | |
Employees: Your no-cost ride RTD benefit can connect you to the slopes | The holidays are here, and despite the lackluster snowfall to begin the ski and snowboard season, lifts across Colorado are spinning, and there is still plenty of fun to be had on the slopes. However, getting to them this time of year can be stressful, expensive, frustrating, and time-consuming. Rather than navigating winter driving conditions or searching for parking at crowded resorts, RTD employees can take advantage of their no-cost rides benefit and leave the car at home to connect to various services via RTD to get to the slopes. |
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'We Back The Fax Pass' supports businesses during Colfax BRT project | As progress continues on construction of the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, RTD is highlighting a new community rewards program to promote small businesses along the street. WeBackTheFax, a business support campaign, recently launched the “We Back The Fax Pass,” which encourages visitors and residents to support the independent businesses that define the historic corridor. |
| Keeping systems secure to keep the region moving: How RTD’s cybersecurity team protects digital tools and platforms | | | | At RTD, technology helps keep the region connected, from trip planning and fare payment to real-time arrival information and service alerts. As more customers rely on digital tools and online platforms, protecting the systems that keep digital tools functioning has become increasingly important. | | Behind the scenes, cybersecurity plays a critical role in safeguarding RTD’s technology. Senior Information Security Analyst Latham Leonaitis helps protect the agency’s systems by monitoring for threats and ensuring critical infrastructure remains secure. On a daily basis, Leonaitis and his team monitor and respond to potential incidents and look for ways to strengthen RTD’s overall cybersecurity processes. | | Tameka McMillan, ADA Investigator/Specialist (20 years) | | | | |
“First and foremost, I am a wife and mother. I just made it to my 15-year wedding anniversary, and I have a 13-year-old son. I spend a lot of time with my little family. We love to travel and experience things, really trying to ensure that my son is well rounded so that when we set him out on his own, he is ready for the world, and hopefully the world will be ready for him, too.
“I like to craft and create. If I'm not out walking a trail, then I'm trying to design something or learn a new craft or skill."
| | 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. | | Youth engagement specialist shines while coordinating consecutive holiday events | Youth Engagement Specialist Taylor Curtis is the official champion of holiday happenings! Taylor led the agency in back-to-back weekend community events, first with the Parade of Lights through downtown Denver Dec. 6, then straight into Visits with Santa Dec. 13 at Littleton•Downtown Station. | | Light rail operator finds solutions to help customers get home after disruption | My husband and I went to see “The Lion King” yesterday, and we used the train to get to the show. On our way home, the trains were shut down for some reason. We called Customer Care, and they worked with Transit Police to send an officer out to help us. The officer spoke with a train operator named Jackie Cordova, and together they were able to get us home. | | Santa makes a pre-Christmas stop at Littleton•Downtown Station | | |
Holiday magic filled Littleton●Downtown Station on Saturday as more than 300 community members stopped by for RTD's Visits with Santa! Children's faces lit up as they met Santa Claus, sipped hot cocoa, and got crafty making do-it-yourself ornaments to take home. Behind the scenes, RTD’s amazing employee elves kept everything running smoothly by spreading cheer, welcoming families, and making sure the magic lasted all afternoon. Community Engagement thanks everyone who helped turn the station into a festive winter wonderland! Employees who volunteered were Betsy Hinojosa, Julia Dambekaln, Maria Rouco, Scott Alexander, Tara Broghammer, Monica Oakes, Caitlin Arnold, Tatiana Chapman, and Victoria Broce.
Click the link below to view more photos from the event!
| | Watch the season come alive on RTD vehicles with special wraps | | Ever wondered how wraps are installed on RTD's vehicles? Check out two videos showing the transformation of a bus and light rail car into something special for the holidays. Click the thumbnails above to watch. | | |
Robert Brinker
Sales/Information Agent (3 years)
Larry Aldridge
Bus Operator (8 years)
Anthony Mack
Bus Operator (12 years)
Jorge Moreno
Bus Operator (22 years)
| | Best Dressed Operator of the Week: David Igunma | This week’s best dressed operator is David Igunma from Platte! Thank you, David, for looking fresh while on duty! | | From Safety and Environmental Compliance: How to properly dispose of hazardous materials | Being a large multi-modal metropolitan transit agency, RTD generates a number of unique waste stream types. Collectively, as an agency, RTD is responsible for the proper management of waste-like materials from their original point of generation to the final method of processing, whether for burial, recycling, or recovery. | | |
Jargon of the Week: Short turning | |
Short turning is a term used when a bus or light rail train is not operating along the full length of a route or line. Short turning can happen due to a variety of reasons, such as attempting to get a route or line back on schedule after a lengthy delay, a mechanical issue, or a track issue.
While buses can simply turn around when it is safe and legal to do so, short-turning light rail vehicles require access to pocket tracks or waiting at stations until the next timepoint, limiting the opportunities available to turn trains around.
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From Cybersecurity: How to tell if an online store is fake | Cybercriminals create fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers or use the names of well-known brands. When searching for the best online deals, shoppers may find themselves on one of these fake sites. Criminals often promote them on social media with wildly discounted items. By purchasing from such websites, victims can end up with their credit card information stolen and/or with counterfeit or stolen goods, or even nothing at all. Continue reading, and take note of the following steps while shopping online to make sure items purchased are legitimate and financial information stays safe and secure. |
| Reminder: Zero Fare for New Year's Eve is Dec. 31 | 7 p.m. Dec. 31 to 7 a.m. Jan. 1, RTD customers can ride all RTD services, including Access-a-Ride and FlexRide, at no cost to them, thanks to RTD’s partnership with Molson Coors. The program provides customers celebrating New Year’s Eve with a safe and reliable alternative to driving. | | 12 days of Transit Police facts for the hoildays | Teams and divisions around RTD achieved great things in 2025 – and that includes the Transit Police Department. Click the link below to review a "by the numbers" list that outlines many of their accomplishments. | | |
January service changes include reinstating the L Line, resuming regular D, H line travel patterns | RTD's latest service changes take effect Sunday, Jan. 4. Notable changes include the indefinite suspension of the Holiday Train (S Line); reinstatement of regular D, H, and L line services through the Downtown Loop and Welton corridors; and resumption of Route LD1 service to stops along Coffman Street between 9th and 3rd avenues in Longmont. Click the links below to read more and to view a full list of the changes. | | 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 | |
"Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness."
— Anne Frank
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