Diversity Spotlight: Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Pride Month 2025 — Rise Up: Pride in Protest | | |
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.
As we celebrate Pride Month 2025, we honor the legacy of the LGBTQIA+ community's enduring fight for equality, justice and acceptance. The theme, "Rise Up: Pride in Protest," resonates deeply, reflecting the powerful origins of the movement born from the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 — a defining moment when protest and resistance became the foundation of Pride. This theme is a reminder of the struggles and triumphs that have shaped the journey toward equality, a journey that continues today.
| | Light rail controller's keen eye for detail saves a life | Being a controller for RTD’s light rail system is not for the faint of heart. The position not only requires a deep understanding of how the system operates, but also an extremely keen eye for detail to make sure trains are moving safely and on time. For controller Tiffany Greene, her attention prevented serious harm to an individual who had found his way between rail cars on an H Line train stopped at Nine Mile Station. | | Meet Deasembra Garcia, RTD bus operator turned RTD police officer | Deasembra (Dee) Garcia started at RTD last year as a bus operator but quickly realized her true passion lay elsewhere within the organization, in the Transit Police Department. Joining the ranks just as Steve Martingano was sworn in as RTD’s new Chief of Police and Emergency Management, Garcia is eager to help the community she loves. | | Tim Wallace, Technical Training Instructor/Supervisor (15 years) | | | | “I began my journey with RTD at 20 years old. At the time, getting hired here was incredibly competitive, and I truly didn’t know what I was stepping into. What I found was a place filled with opportunity, strong relationships and personal growth. Through friendships I made at RTD, I even met my wife. I’ve had the chance to represent our maintenance team in four cities through the International Bus Roadeo, participate in the Leadership Program and complete the Eno/MAX Program." | | 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. | | Light rail operator remains professional in unpleasant situation | |
Our D Line operator, Christopher Stephan, had to deal with three men who were belligerent and crude. He was unfailingly polite, firm, respectful and no-nonsense.
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| | N Line operator relays A Line delays to customers at Union Station | |
Your operator Joshua Sumahit is really great, very helpful and communicative. I really appreciate that he verbally announced that the A line was running delayed.
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| | RTD unveils new bus livery in recognition of Pride Month | | Designed by graphic/web designer Travis McCain of the agency’s Marketing team, the concept behind the bus wrap design was to create a mosaic of the word "Pride" using the colors of the Pride flag. The idea was to showcase a two-dimensional decorative element and pattern in graphic form by using bold letters and movement to represent the celebratory energy of the event. This theme is a visual representation of the LGBTQIA+ community coming together to celebrate Pride month. The bus will be in operation all year and will be featured in the Vizzy Denver Pride Parade on June 29. | | RTD-PD assists with major incident response in Boulder | | Transit Police staff – pictured here in photos made by Getty Images and the Associated Press – took part in the law enforcement response requested by Boulder Police Department after an attack Sunday on the Pearl Street Mall. Several officers assisted on the perimeter of the area, and three K-9 teams searched for explosive devices. The incident remains under investigation. | | Community Engagement, Impact Team surprise and delight customers during 16th Street Summer Kickoff | | |
It was an Impact Team with a twist! Vivian Morales, Jenea Covington-Davis, Jordan Trujillo and Betsy Hinojosa joined forces midday Saturday to engage with customers and thank them for taking transit. Meeting first at Denver Union Station, the team interacted with customers at the light rail platform, offering new RTD “Take Transit” promotional items, answering questions and providing route information. The team even encountered a large group of therapy dogs in training!
From there, the team took the 16th Street FreeRide to Civic Center Station to meet customers heading to Outside Festival, before moving onto 16th•California and 16th•Stout stations, where the 16th Street Summer Kickoff was in full swing.
“The buzz of activity downtown this past Saturday provided RTD with the unique opportunity to support customers and operations through additional presence, but also to surprise and delight them with promotional items that communicate the value of transit and sustainability,” said Hinojosa, Business Program Manager for the Communications and Engagement Department. Customers were offered reusable canvas bags, reminding them to ride RTD while they perused the multitude of street vendors.
The team eventually met up with Brandon Figliolino, Pauline Haberman, Scott Alexander, Gabriel Martinez and Madelyn Vagle, who were interacting with festival attendees at the RTD booth at 16th and Market streets.
| | Pam Johnson’s colleagues celebrate her 40 years with RTD | | |
Last Thursday, Platte Sign-Out Clerk Pam Johnson was directed to leave her work area. The reason wasn’t clear, but she was told it was important. Upon stepping outside, Johnson watched as more than 100 colleagues who gathered in her honor applauded her 40th anniversary at RTD, bestowing her with flowers, thank-yous, a plaque and a pen. They came from many areas of the agency, including training, Facilities Maintenance, the Unit Shop, the Body Shop and various other departments. This surprise party was a special moment for Johnson, who began her career at RTD in May 1985.
What has sustained her so many years? “I like to work,” she said. Johnson has been at every division, including some that have since closed. She coordinates with colleagues in training, maintenance and dispatch, assigning buses to routes and ensuring they are available for different needs. Quite simply, Johnson is a touchstone for employees throughout RTD.
Platte Maintenance Manager Kevin Prior has known Johnson since 2016. When RTD introduced its fleet of battery-electric buses on 16th Street, he recalled, she helped figure out how to charge and schedule the vehicles. Johnson is consistent and well-organized, he said, “and gives helpful hints along the way.”
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June’s Operator of the Month is Jorge Munoz from Platte! Munoz was selected for his extraordinary compassion and quick thinking during a situation involving a severely distressed female at a bus shelter who was trying to harm herself. Munoz calmly engaged the female in casual conversation, de-escalating the situation. He invited her to sit on his bus, providing a safe and secure space until assistance arrived. She was then transported to the hospital for further care.
“Thanks to operator Munoz’s empathy, professionalism and swift response, the individual received the needed care,” Assistant Manager of Platte Division Kalee Wallace said. “Jorge went above and beyond the call of duty in this life-threatening situation. His actions reflect the highest standards of safety, service and humanity, and he is highly deserving of recognition and commendation.”
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Jerred Reed
LRV Maintenance Manager (formerly Incident Support Desk Supervisor)
Alicia Valerio
Transit Police Lieutenant (formerly Transit Police Sergeant)
Jaime Ruddock
Lead Video Investigation Specialist (formerly Video Investigation Specialist)
Yvette Rios
Supervisor, Treasury (formerly Assistant Supervisor, Treasury)
Any employees interested in similar opportunities in the future should visit RTD's Careers page.
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At its monthly meeting on May 28, the RTD Board of Directors heard comments from staff about modifications to the Access-on-Demand program and approved a budget transfer of $3.8 million between operating expense lines for transit security services. The Board authorized a one-year extension of the existing contract with Allied Universal Security Services, approved updates to the Title VI Program, authorized a $51 million budget transfer from the unrestricted fund for the purchase of 47 articulated buses, and approved an amendment to the Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy to include guidelines for disposing of RTD real property below fair market value.
Click the thumbnail above to view the full meeting.
| | From Civil Rights: Employees must use new, accessible business templates by July 1 | | |
In compliance with new regulatory standards issued by the state of Colorado and in advance of those standards being implemented by the federal government, new accessible business templates are now available on the Hub. These new templates are designed to ensure that all RTD employees can easily create documents that meet the new Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard.
These updated templates feature appropriate font types, sizes, header structures and color contrasts that enable content creators to produce accessible documents effortlessly.
To ensure compliance, all employees must delete their old templates and transfer any important documents to the new templates no later than July 1. A link to the new templates is here.
Standards in compliance with the new requirements are:
- All images must have alternate text
- Text should be in 12-point Tahoma font style
- Charts should be inserted into documents using the Add Chart tool
- Poor color contrast combinations (similar colors like yellow and white or blue and purple) should be avoided
Please contact ADA Manager Gabe Christie (gabe.christie@rtd-denver.com) with questions. To access and download all-new icons for RTD's Values, Strategic Initiatives and Strategic Priorities, click the link below.
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| Proposed August service changes are available for review | | | | RTD is collecting feedback through June 19 on proposed service changes, which will take effect Aug. 31 once finalized and approved. The changes are designed to increase reliability and connectivity, improve on-time performance, account for seasonal ridership trends and account for RTD’s continued work on the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project. | | |
The proposed changes also support the agency’s System Optimization Plan, which aims to enhance the overall transit experience for customers. Key changes include:
- Modifications of select light rail lines to accommodate work on the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project:
- Reroute the D Line to serve Union Station instead of the Downtown Loop
- Adjust the route of the H Line to operate between Florida and Southmoor stations
- Suspend L Line service
- Adjust E Line schedules to accommodate the addition of D Line service to Union Station
- Adjustments to Route 6
- Suspended service on Route 29
- Relocate Route AB2 to serve Boulder Junction•Depot Square Station, and introduce Route AB3 for direct airport service on Saturday between Downtown Boulder and Denver Airport stations
| | Introducing RTD’s new Empower advisor, Huntor Rainwater | |
Empower Retirement’s Huntor Rainwater will be RTD employees’ new representative for all things retirement, including planning, enrollment, contributions, investment choices and rollovers.
To set an appointment with Rainwater, call 303.229.9674, email huntor.rainwater@empower.com or click the link below.
| | Wellbeing Connection: June is Men’s Health Month | With men representing 75% of its workforce, RTD recognizes that men's health is vital to its vision to be the trusted leader in mobility. To address this fact, June is Men’s Health Month, an important opportunity to promote awareness of preventable health problems in males of all ages and to encourage proactive engagement in healthier lifestyles and the early detection and treatment of diseases. | | |
Bus Operations provides late night holiday service to customers impacted by A Line issues | |
RTD appreciates all Bus Operations employees for their dedication and assistance on the night of Memorial Day, when issues with the A Line caused transit delays and frustrated holiday travelers. Commuter Rail staff contacted Bus Dispatch just after 8 p.m. Monday to request bus shuttle service between Denver Airport and 61st•Pena stations, which lasted through much of the next day. Bus Dispatch assembled a bus shuttle with limited staffing due to reduced holiday service. With only one operator available, four additional operators volunteered to assist, including two who worked after their completed shifts. Additionally, street supervisors were stationed at Denver Airport and 61st•Peña stations to manage the situation and stayed until 2 a.m.
Bus Operations has greatly supported rail during maintenance work and service disruptions throughout the last year, and the teamwork is valued by the entire agency. RTD recognizes these employees, as well as the members of the Customer Care team, for addressing customer concerns Monday night and Tuesday. RTD makes life better through connections, and it is clear these colleagues are fully dedicated to that mission.
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From Contracting & Procurement: Learn how to submit an ICE | | | | All RTD employees have a fiduciary responsibility to be good stewards of public funding; hence, it is essential that they know how to create and submit an independent cost estimate (ICE) for procurements totaling $10,000 or more. A thorough, accurate and current ICE is a critical tool for RTD to ensure accurate, fair and transparent project cost assessments. | | |
To support this need, Contracting & Procurement will host a series of in-person and virtual training sessions designed to explain what an ICE is and how to properly create one. Dates, times and locations are as follows:
- 1 p.m. June 16 (virtual, Microsoft Teams)
- 9 a.m. June 17 (in-person, T&D Conference Room, Blake)
- 2:30 p.m. June 24 (in-person, Civic Center Plaza)
- 2 p.m. June 25 (virtual, Microsoft Teams)
RSVPs are required to attend all sessions. Fill out the form linked below to register.
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| Next Facts-n-Snacks: Updates to RTD's Title VI Program | | | | Join Transit Equity Manager Martin Romero at Facts-n-Snacks next week to learn about updates to RTD’s Title VI Program, in accordance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Dates and times are below; invites to the sessions will be sent this week via email. | |
- noon-1 p.m. June 9 (virtual, Microsoft Teams)
- 11 a.m.-noon June 12 (virtual, Microsoft Teams)
- 1-2 p.m. June 13 (in-person, East Metro operator training room)
Please contact Austin Nettleton (austin.nettleton@rtd-denver.com) with any questions or concerns.
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16th Street FreeRide: a new name for RTD’s familiar service | |
16th Street isn’t the only thing getting a fresh name! RTD’s Free MallRide is now 16th Street FreeRide. While the name has changed, the service remains the same. The shuttle will continue to travel between Union and Civic Center stations at no cost to customers.
Over the next several months, bus exteriors will reflect the new name and data within RTD’s systems will be updated. Keep an eye on future Hot Sheets for further updates.
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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 | |
"Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do."
— Brené Brown
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