November 27, 2024

Thanksgiving is upon us, a time when many Americans gather with family and friends, enjoy a special meal, and reflect on all that they are grateful for. This annual holiday provides space to affirm the goodness in the world and to acknowledge the love and support of others in our lives.

Click the link below to read the full message from RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson.

Meet 2024 Mobility Hero Sergio Rubio, who is driven to help his customers

If you have been on Route 204 in Boulder recently, chances are you’ve seen Sergio Rubio. The almost-12-year RTD bus operator often provides his customers with more than a wide smile and a warm greeting – he has helped many people plan a trip, understand the agency’s fare structure and figure out efficient connections. And he does this in English and Spanish.

New light rail, bus operators graduate from training Friday

A joint graduation ceremony for RTD’s newest bus and light rail operators was held Friday in Blake Conference Room T&D. Nineteen bus operators, seven light rail operators and one light rail field supervisor were honored. Congratulations to each of you!

From left to right and starting with the front row, bus operators are: Yosef Belayneh, Norman Frazier, Jaalah Herman and Aldo Tmayo; second row from front: Zachary Thomas, Michael Hogan, Rodney Archuletta III, Getachew Abe and Hassan Attia; second row from back: Jarred Logie, Caleb Mbikayi, Mark Gilick, Nirjal Majhi and Richard Paiz; and back row: Mitchell Renville, Leo Rivera, Mukesh Mahara, Cristian Padilla Espino and Rech Mienasobekela.



From left to right, the newest members of the light rail team are: Waynne Smart (operator), Bengie Towers (operator), Mario Porras Chavez (operator), Ron Hillard (operator), Marty Packman (operator), Keith Cooper (field supervisor) and Brian Edwards (operator). Front row: Muhammed Naseer (operator). Pictured on the far left is instructor Brian Rothfuss.

Welcome to RTD's newest employees

Nineteen new employees joined the agency at Monday’s orientation. Welcome aboard! We are happy that you are here.

Bus operator shares photo of sky at light rail station

Operator Lino Cerqueira snapped this photo of the moon lighting up some clouds in the night sky at Arapahoe at Village Center Station last week.  

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.

Facilities Maintenance employees quickly remove graffiti from bench

This morning, Nov. 4, as I was waiting for my train, I noticed some profanity and graffiti on a bench on the platform. I took a photo to report it. Just moments after I did, our facilities maintenance crew showed up. They did not see me take the photo but noticed the graffiti while completing their routine station inspection. The worker took out their smartphone and took a photo, then used a cleaning agent to wipe it all away!

> Read more <

IGM completes successful platform migration to a cloud-based system

The Information Governance and Management (IGM) team successfully migrated our Laserfiche platform from “on-premises” to the cloud. This was only possible with the help of our Laserfiche provider, MCCi, and even more assistance from members of the Information Technology Department. They were there at every turn and extremely responsive to all MCCi requests.  

> Read more <

Deborah McCombs

Bus Operator

Gary Clements

Bus Operator

Abinet Kenore

Bus Operator

Destaalem Seyoum

Bus Operator

Ephrem Aregahegn

Bus Operator

Abdulhakim Ayalew

Bus Operator

Tgabu Bushena

Bus Operator

Roque Diaz

Bus Operator

Carrin Hayes

Bus Operator

Elijah Holt

Bus Operator

Tia Jimmerson

Bus Operator

Joshua Meyer

Bus Operator

Ariel Milton

Bus Operator

Donnel Simpson

Bus Operator

Maid Sirovina

Bus Operator

Wondmagegnhu Weldetensay

Bus Operator

Marisol Martinez-Suarez

Service Person

Erika Carbajel

Service Person

Rudolfo Valdez

Electronic Technician

Robert Ayres

Train Operator

Randall Browner

Train Operator

Joseph Carter

Train Operator

Michael Hancock

Train Operator

Alain Koki

Train Operator

Jerald Mallory

Train Operator

Hunter May

Train Operator

Maureesha McAdory

Train Operator

Salina Rios

Train Operator

Baja Silalahi

Train Operator

Matthew York

Train Operator

Orion Parks

Street Supervisor

Larry Coppage*

General Repair Mechanic

Victor Vargas-Zamora

Service Person

Waylon Johnson

Transit Police Officer

Shayione Marshall

Transit Police Officer

Brandon Saunders

Transit Police Officer

Anjana Sanigaram

Senior Java Developer

(*) denotes rehire

Employees share what they are thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday

“I am grateful for my wife and the life we have.” – Brett Ryals, Mariposa Storeroom Supervisor  

"I am grateful for many things. I’m grateful for my coworkers at both of my jobs. I’m grateful for our city that I love so much. I’m grateful for the outstanding people helping the less fortunate all over our city, our state and our country. I’m grateful for environmental agencies that are seeking to clean our planet and make it a livable environment for future generations.” – Dillon Colagrosso, Business Support, East Metro 

“I am grateful because I want for nothing; I have a job, a roof over my head and loved ones who care about me. My heart is full.” – Melissa Dubinsky, Business Support II, Planning 

“I am thankful for living in Colorado and having the opportunities I do to enjoy the outdoor activities I love within just minutes from my residence.” – Austin Nettleton, Senior Specialist, Public Relations

Photo credit: Boulder County

Stay informed on CO-119 Bus Rapid Transit progress

Construction is underway on the CO-119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project. Click the link below to learn how to receive construction alerts about upcoming closures and detours that will affect RTD employees, customers, cyclists, motorists and pedestrians along the Diagonal Highway.

Empower advisor to visit Boulder Dec. 5

Swing by the Boulder Division’s operator lounge to discuss retirement strategies and planning tips with RTD’s Empower Retirement advisor. They will be available 9 a.m.-4 p.m.



Unable to make it? No problem, simply schedule a consultation to set up a time that’s right for you to chat about your retirement. Click the link below to RSVP.

Inside Connections: Nov. 6

Denver region voters approve Ballot Issue 7A

Introducing RTD Gives

After 50-plus years, one of RTD's longest-serving employees has retired

Introducing the new ServiceNow Employee Center IT support portal

Inside Connections: Nov. 13

To our veteran colleagues: Thank you for your service (video)

Proposed budget in 2025 aligns resources with strategic plan

Inside Connections: Nov. 20

Chief Financial Officer MacLeod to retire in March 2025

Hustling for the holidays: RTD gears up for a busy holiday season

SBO Office implements new diversity and compliance portal

RTD Solicitations

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

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”



— William Arthur Ward

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