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Diversity Spotlight: Honoring the 36th anniversary of the ADA, celebrating Disability Pride 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.
The 2026 Disability Pride Month theme, "The World Works Better with Us," celebrates the invaluable contributions, perspectives, and leadership of people with disabilities while recognizing that communities are stronger, more innovative, and more inclusive when everyone can participate fully.
This July, RTD proudly recognizes Disability Pride Month and commemorates the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Together, these observances celebrate the leadership, resilience, and contributions of people with disabilities while honoring the advocates whose determination transformed accessibility into a fundamental civil right.
| | Transit Police support MARTA during historic World Cup | |
As the world was captivated by the FIFA 2026 World Cup, members of the Transit Police Department (RTD-PD) experienced the rush firsthand while supporting patrols across the Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Agency (MARTA)’s transit system during the Atlanta matches.
A total of 21 RTD Transit Police officers shared their expertise in transit patrol and high-volume event operations over a four-week period. RTD deployed four to five officers weekly to Atlanta — enough to support MARTA effectively while maintaining coverage of the agency’s own service area.
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This week, crews in the Downtown Loop Midblocks area advanced construction throughout the Stout Street corridor. Between 14th and 15th streets, crews continued subgrade preparation and compaction, while crews between 15th and 16th streets prepared to pour the concrete track slab by placing and tying rebar and installing concrete molds for embedded track, as well as placing specialized materials to protect against stray electrical currents from active rail.
In the Colfax Avenue Alignment area, crews continued rail system utility installation. Between Ninth and Kalamath streets, crews progressed drainage improvements by compacting material around the inlets to reinforce the structure. Between Seventh and Ninth streets, crews continued drainage work by using a concrete placing method called “cast-in-place” to build the drainage inlets, meaning concrete is poured directly into temporary molds onsite to cure in its final position and shape, rather than using pre-made concrete components. The team also continued welding rail segments ahead of track installation.
As of Tuesday, the current phase of the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project is 16% completed.
| | 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 helps customer with oversized luggage | The bus operator tonight, Adalberto Ayala, was exemplary. He went out of his way to help me load and unload my oversized luggage, ran the bus efficiently, was kind and engaging, and brought sincere enthusiasm to his role. Drivers like him make riding the bus a pleasure, even at the end of a long day of travel. | | Bus operator makes sure customer’s lost items are returned in a timely manner | Lewis Housley is the best operator I have ever had for the Route NB. He is friendly, patient, and knows exactly what to do. He always turns lost items into the lost and found or directly turns them over to regulars on his bus, as he did for me with my grabber when I had forgotten it. | | SBO, C&P host successful first in-person vendor open house | | On Tuesday, July 14, the Small Business Opportunity Office (SBO) partnered with the Contracting and Procurement (C&P) Division to host RTD’s first in-person vendor open house at Blake Street. The event brought together 171 representatives from local, small, and disadvantaged businesses for a morning of guidance, networking, and agency updates. | | Attendees participated in one of two sessions, featuring welcome remarks from General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson and Deputy CEO Angel Peña. Presenters provided actionable insights into OpenGov bidding practices, maximizing the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) certification program, obtaining SBE certification, and leveraging the EcoPass program. | | Following the presentations, participants met directly with project managers at 11 departmental information tables in the atrium to discuss upcoming solicitations across departments such as Bus and Rail Operations, Facilities Maintenance, Infrastructure Delivery, and Finance. | SBO and C&P thank all the vendors who attended, the project managers who shared their expertise, and Safety and Environmental Compliance, Facilities Maintenance, and Transit Police for helping make the event a remarkable success! | | Harvard Business School alumni tour rail facilities | | |
Chief Financial Officer Kelly Mackey, third from right in first photo, and Acting Chief Operations Officer Dave Jensen, at right in second photo, hosted a group of Harvard Business School alumni Friday at the agency’s light rail maintenance facility and control center. The visit offered a behind-the-scenes look at the complex work involved in operating and maintaining a major transit system.
During the tour, alumni inquired about system costs, fare revenue, investment income, staffing, logistics, and the technical aspects of power distribution and train propulsion. The visit was coordinated through the HBS Club of Colorado, where Mackey serves on the Board.
“Fresh questions often lead to new ways of thinking — and there is always something we can learn from one another,” Mackey said. “Thank you to Dave and our Operations team for sharing their expertise and giving us an inside look at the incredible work that happens behind the scenes every day to keep our region moving.”
| | Welcome to RTD’s newest employees | Twenty-four new colleagues joined the agency at Monday’s orientation. Welcome aboard to each of you! | | Best Dressed Operator of the Week: Melkamu Ketara | This week’s best dressed operator is Melkamu Ketara from East Metro! Looking sharp, Melkamu! | | Dialogue with Debra rescheduled for Aug. 6 at Elati Division | | | | The agency’s next all-hands forum will take place two weeks from tomorrow, at 10 a.m. on the maintenance floor at Elati. Colleagues at that facility are welcome to attend the session in person. All other employees can tune in via Zoom, linked below. To submit a question for the session, use the form linked below. | | Ro(a)deo Round-Up: Week of July 20 | | |
From Cybersecurity: Decluttering devices can keep data safe | Downloading mobile apps for a phone can help one conveniently access the online services used most. But over time, mobile devices can fill up with older apps that are no longer used. While it may seem harmless to leave an old game or shopping app on a phone, digital clutter isn't just a storage issue; it can actually be a security concern. |
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From Training and Development: Webinar with AIU is tomorrow | Tune into tomorrow’s webinar at 10:30 a.m. with American InterContinental University and learn about the university and how to apply for the Impact Grant, which can cover up to 100% of the tuition associated with select programs. Click here to learn more about the Impact Grant, and click the link below to sign up for the webinar. |
| From IT: VPN now available on all RTD-issued laptops | | | | Information Technology has updated remote access so that users with RTD-issued laptops can easily access the virtual private network (VPN) to safely connect to agency resources when working away from the office. | | |
Previously, VPN was available by request only, but it is now installed by default with no additional setup needed.
The VPN can be used to securely reach the apps and files needed when off the RTD network, as outlined in the Standard for Remote Access. To learn more about how to access the VPN, visit the IT Service Desk and search KB10892 in the Employee Services Center. For assistance accessing the VPN, submit a request through the Report an Issue form.
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Join Manager, Paratransit (O&M) Gretchen Vidergar and Principle, Eligibility & Travel Training Contract Oversight (Paratransit) Stephanie Barnard next week to learn more about all things paratransit. Dates, times, and locations are below. Click the registration links to register for a session. | | |
In-person
Blake Conf. B
11:30 a.m. July 28
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Virtual
Microsoft Teams
Noon July 29
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Virtual
Microsoft Teams
2 p.m. July 30
| | RTD to provide bus shuttles Saturday between Denver Airport, 40th Ave & Airport Blvd•Gateway Park stations | |
RTD will conduct essential maintenance on the A Line 3 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. During this period, commuter rail service will be suspended between Denver Airport and 40th & Airport•Gateway Park stations. Customers are advised to plan accordingly and allow additional travel time to connect to and from the airport.
Regular A Line service will continue to operate between Denver Union and 40th Ave & Airport Blvd•Gateway Park stations.
The scheduled work will improve the commuter rail line’s overall reliability and safety. Bus shuttles will support A Line service between impacted stations and will not mirror regular train schedules.
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The Contracting & Procurement Division and the Small Business Opportunity Office (SBO) would like to extend their sincere thanks to everyone whose outstanding work made RTD’s first in-person vendor open house a success. Tremendous planning, coordination, and execution made the July 14 event possible. Hard work, attention to detail, and commitment to serving the agency’s vendor community did not go unnoticed.
The vendor feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, a testament to the collaboration, professionalism, and dedication demonstrated by everyone involved. This event truly reflected what can be accomplished through collaboration.
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| Employee spots available for NTI public involvement course | |
The National Transit Institute (NTI) will host a three-day Public Participation in Transportation Decision-Making course at RTD 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 17-19 in Conference Room T&D at Blake Street, and spots are still available for employees.
The interactive training will cover techniques for identifying and engaging stakeholders, understanding community concerns, selecting effective outreach strategies, and practicing integrative facilitation. NTI is offering eight classroom spots for RTD employees, who should receive approval from their supervisor before registering.
Participants will practice public involvement strategies using real issues from their agencies. They will learn how public involvement shapes project decision-making, explore tools and techniques to support future engagement efforts, and create a comprehensive public involvement plan.
Click the link below to register and learn more about the course, and submit questions to Rutgers University Senior Program Coordinator Amy Gornik (abadaracco@nti.rutgers.edu).
| | 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 | |
"Silence is the last thing the world will ever hear from me."
— Marlee Matlin
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