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Diversity Spotlight: A century of Black history commemorations: Colorado's Black transportation pioneers | | |
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.
The 2026 Black History Month theme, A Century of Black History Commemorations, marks 100 years since the establishment of what began as Negro History Week in 1926 — an effort to ensure that Black history, contributions, and leadership were neither erased nor marginalized. This centennial celebration invites reflection not only on the past but also on how institutions carry forward the lessons of history into present-day practice.
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| RTD to offer zero-fare service Feb. 4 for Transit Equity Day | |
RTD will offer zero-fare service systemwide on Wednesday, Feb. 4, temporarily removing fare costs for customers in observance of Transit Equity Day and honoring the legacy of civil rights leader Rosa Parks.
Transit Equity Day is observed annually on Parks’ birthday in recognition of public transit as a civil right and a critical pathway to opportunity. On Dec. 1, 1955, Parks was arrested after refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, an act that helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement and launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The boycott and peaceful protests, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., lasted 381 days and led to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in November 1956 deeming segregation on public buses unconstitutional.
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Nearly 5 million fare checks conducted on rail in 2025 | |
RTD’s Transit Police (RTD-PD) and contracted security officers conducted almost 5 million fare checks on the agency’s rail system during 2025. In 2026, with directed RTD-PD officer patrols across the system’s rail services, Chief of Police and Emergency Management Steve Martingano anticipates fare checks will further increase this year.
“Fare checks are an essential safeguard to ensure public transportation remains fair, sustainable, and accessible for everyone who relies on it,” Martingano said.
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Weekend work at Union Station to affect commuter rail service | |
RTD will conduct federally required maintenance work that will affect commuter rail service on A, B, G, and N lines traveling to and from Union Station Saturday and Sunday.
Service on the commuter rail lines to and from Union Station will be interrupted over a 48-hour period beginning Saturday and continuing through the end of service on Sunday. Expanded shuttle service will connect customers between affected stations. Regular service for all lines will resume Monday.
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| Kevin Diviness, Director of Quality Assurance (25 years) | | | | “I am retiring from RTD in March. I live near Elizabeth on the Front Range side. We're going to move full time to our place up in Breckenridge. I’ll be outdoors, skiing in the winter, hiking in the summer. That will be my new lifestyle. That's where we want to settle, at least for the next 15, 20 years. | | “That house is part of my story of how I came to be here. My wife and I have always loved Colorado. We took our honeymoon in Crested Butte. In 1999, we rented a place in Blue River, which is just outside of Breckenridge, and really liked it. We found a log cabin with a view of the backside of Keystone, and we ended up purchasing it from the architect in February of 2000, almost 26 years ago." | | |
At last night’s monthly meeting, the Board of Directors ratified its 2026 Standing Committee appointments for the Standing Committee for 2026; appointed Chief People Officer Lili Tran to the Salaried Trustee Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Salaried Employee Defined Contribution Retirement Plan Trusts; authorized specific staff members who sign payments exceeding certain thresholds to the bank account signature authorization; and voted in favor of adding RTD to the list of signatories on a joint letter to the Denver City Council, Denver Planning Board, and the Denver Unlocking Housing Choices Advisory Committee, as well as associated staff, to show support for the Unlocking Housing Choices initiative. The Board also voted in favor of adopting the short-term goals and other performance assessment components for evaluating the performance of the agency’s General Manager and CEO in 2026.
Additionally, the Board welcomed members from the Denver Broncos leadership team, including President Damani Leech and General Counsel Tim Aragon, as well as lobbyist R.D. Sewald from Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs. The Broncos representatives discussed plans for the new football stadium and associated development at Burnham Yard. RTD’s southwest and southeast corridors run parallel to the proposed site for the new stadium.
After the meeting, the Board reconvened to hold a study session on where the agency stands regarding fare revenue.
Click the thumbnail above to view a recording of the meeting.
| | 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. | | Information specialist helps customer visiting from California navigate system | I want to thank Information Specialist Lisa Clanin for her assistance today. I am giving her five stars for her customer service. I was new to town, as I had just gotten in from California, and Lisa explained things to me so well that I had no worries about my trip. | | Bus operator waits for older man to catch up to bus, board before departing | I was on a Route 17 bus, and there was an elderly gentleman who was trotting up to the bus stop. The operator, Bryon Martinez, saw him, and he waited for the man to get up to the stop and board the bus. It was really nice that the operator did that for this gentleman. | | With Cherry Street, half of East Colfax BRT arches are added | |
Yesterday, crews installed arches at Cherry Street Station, marking a significant milestone for the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit project. Arch installation is now halfway complete, with another 16 to go within Denver and Aurora. Construction on the Colfax BRT project is currently 40% finished.
In another visible sign of project progress, the first station canopy artwork, a piece by Lui Ferreyra procured as part of the 1% for Public Art program, was installed last week at the westbound Pennsylvania Station.
Click the thumbnail above to watch a video of the install, and click the link below to learn more about the installation.
| | Employees brave bitter cold to assist Broncos fans on Sunday | | |
On Sunday, as tens of thousands of Broncos fans descended on downtown Denver, RTD employees came together at Union Station to help them reach the stadium for the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots.
Communications and Engagement set up a tailgate-style booth at the light rail platforms to chat with customers taking transit to the game, as well as to support operators and security teams in the area. Transit Police provided doughnuts for hungry fans, and employees passed out over 400 sets of hand warmers, cookies, candy, RTD promotional items, and more.
Staff who volunteered included Special Services Technician Chasity Mitchell; Customer Sales Centers Manager Amerie Gagliardi; Business Program Manager Betsy Hinojosa; Partnerships Project Manager Cory Schmitt; Deputy Chief Operations Officer of Rail Operations Dave Jensen; Chief Communications and Engagement Officer Stuart Summers; and General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson.
“It was great to interact with fans, both Patriots and Broncos, taking transit,” Hinojosa said. “There were a lot of gracious out-of-town visitors who seemed impressed with our system. Customers were extremely appreciative and excited, and we were able to thank them for riding RTD.”
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Mebon Bobo
Bus Operator
Reggie Castillo Perez
Bus Operator
Kemal Devlic
Bus Operator
Tesfa Dibaba
Bus Operator
Felix Espinoza
Bus Operator
Tsegay Gebreyesus
Bus Operator
Lajuan Mannings
Bus Operator
Steven Mesch
Bus Operator
Ebrahim Omer
Bus Operator
Patrick Scott
Bus Operator
Adane Tsegaye
Bus Operator
Yisak Adago*
Bus Operator
Christopher Bell
Bus Operator
Wondu Bikila
Bus Operator
Alemyirga Gizaw
Bus Operator
Dennis Jean
Bus Operator
Charles Manzanares
Bus Operator
James Martin
Bus Operator
Kawasha Nettles
Bus Operator
Dwane Nervins
Bus Operator
Chad Nygaard
Bus Operator
Gregory Omer
Bus Operator
Simona Swearingen*
Bus Operator
John Wishart
Bus Operator
Daniel Rocha
Train Operator
Waymon Smith
Train Operator
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Yin Xiao
Train Operator
Juan Barraza
General Repair Mechanic
Alexander Klaer
General Repair Mechanic
Oscar Rosas-Munoz
General Repair Mechanic
Shaun Sprentall
Landscaper
Michael B. Reyes Reyes
Landscaper
Sebastian Ramirez
Service Person
Rokia Traore
Custodian
Roosevelt Cossom
Rail Laborer
Alberto Ayala Aguirre
Conductor
Charlie Krummel
Conductor
Brooke Saysackdy
Conductor
Gregory White
Conductor
James Norland
Light Rail Instructor
Danielle Lewis
Associate General Counsel
Brad Maier
Field Engineering Technician
Eric Steinkamp
System Administrator
Paige Swenson
Senior Labor Relations Generalist
Lili Tran
Chief People Officer
Todd Badgett
ITS Systems Administrator
Robyn Bardmesser
Transit Equity Specialist
Jerald Daugherty
Electronic Technician, IT
James Martinez*
Electronic Technician, IT
Paul Durston
Security Systems Engineer
Adonis Palustre
HR Data Analyst II
(*) denotes rehire
| | Best Dressed Operator of the Week: Robert (Bob) Starling | This week’s best dressed operator is Robert (Bob) Starling from Boulder Division! Thanks for representing RTD in style, Robert. | | From Safety: Know your safety targets | | | | |
RTD’s safety targets are set each year through the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP), in partnership between union and management through the Joint Labor Management Safety Committee (JLMSC). They focus on what matters most:
- People not getting hurt
- Fewer serious safety events
- Equipment works when it is needed
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These targets come from real incidents and real work across the system.
Continue reading to learn what these targets mean; how you, as an RTD employee, fit into the equation; and what happens after you report a safety concern.
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| From IT: Guidelines, resources for using AI in the workplace | |
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are now available for all RTD employees. Microsoft Copilot Chat is RTD's official AI chat tool. Several teams collaborated to study these tools, establish best practices, and set clear rules for safe and ethical use.
Click the link below to learn more about artificial intelligence at RTD, including guidelines for use and resources.
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Your story matters: Nominate to be featured in Women's History Month spotlight | |
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Civil Rights Division invites employees across the agency to submit a self-nomination to be considered for a feature in the March edition of the Diversity Spotlight. This recognition honors women whose leadership, resilience, and lived experiences are helping shape the future of transportation at RTD.
This year’s theme, “Resilience and Reinvention: Women Shaping the Future of Transportation,” celebrates the strength, adaptability, and impact of women across our organization.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your story matters — it does. This is an opportunity to claim your voice, reflect on your impact, and be recognized as part of RTD’s collective story.
Who can self-nominate?
You are encouraged to nominate yourself if you:
- Work at RTD in any role, department, or division
- Have a story connected to leadership, growth, resilience, innovation, or public service
- Want to uplift your journey and inspire colleagues across the agency
All roles, levels, and lived experiences are welcome.
Nominations are open through Friday, Feb. 6. Six to eight nominees will be selected, and Civil Rights Outreach Specialist Gisa McCray Simmons will contact participants the week of Feb. 9 with additional details and next steps.
To submit your self-nomination, complete the form linked here.
If you have any questions, please contact Simmons
(gisa.simmons@rtd-denver.com).
Thank you for helping us celebrate the women who move RTD — and our region — forward every day.
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| From Payroll: 2025 W-2s are now available on Workday | |
Employees can access their W-2 by clicking on the Benefits and Pay link in the drop-down menu on the top left of the website and selecting “My Tax Documents.” Paper copies of each employee’s W-2 were mailed out by today to the mailing address on file.
Non-exempt employees, who include all represented and some salaried colleagues, may be able to deduct a capped amount of eligible overtime pay from their federal income taxes. Click the link below for more information about this opportunity.
Please contact payroll with any questions regarding your W-2. Because RTD staff cannot provide tax advice, any tax-related questions should be directed to a tax advisor.
| | Jargon of the Week: Track ballast | | | | Ever looked at one of RTD’s many light and commuter rail tracks and wondered why the track is sitting on a bed of what appears to be loose gravel? Believe it or not, that “loose gravel,” or formally called track ballast, is incredibly stable and serves a critical purpose. | | Track ballast uses crushed stone to create a smooth and stable surface for the railroad. The stones help to properly distribute the heavy weight of the trains, and they keep the ties in place from trains moving at speed, thus making the rail stable and secure. Ballast also helps to protect the tracks from standing water by creating a natural drainage system that funnels out rainwater to the surfaces below. This also helps to keep unwanted vegetation from growing through the tracks, which could cause issues with the underside of the train and its cars. |
| 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 | |
"Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean."
— Ryunosuke Satoro
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| What did you think of this edition of Inside Connections? | | | | |
Need to report a concern with a vehicle, bus route, rail line or customer facility? Fill out the OneRTD Care Reporting Form by clicking the link below. |
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