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Deputy CEO Office realignment update | |
In an email sent Tuesday to all DCEO Office employees and a selection of groups across the agency, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Angel Peña provided an update on the realignment that he committed to sharing earlier this year. It includes links to refreshed Hub pages and updated organizational charts for the DCEO Office and its eight divisions, "providing clearer visibility into responsibilities, key contacts, and reporting relationships across RTD," he wrote.
Click the link below to review Peña's message, which includes links to resources.
| | Diversity Spotlight: Celebrating value and talent during National Disability Employment Awareness 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 National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) theme, "Celebrating Value and Talent," carries forward last year's spirit as the nation marks its 250th birthday, highlighting the role people with disabilities have played in shaping workplaces, communities, and the economy. It reminds us that a strong workforce is one where everyone has a fair path to contribute, and that talent shows up in every kind of body and mind.
| | FasTracks refunding results in rating reaffirmation from Fitch | | | | RTD received a reaffirmation of its AA+ rating from Fitch Ratings, underscoring the agency’s financial strength with a stable outlook. The most recent rating, announced Sept. 23, applies to the $265.8 million in sales tax revenue refunding bonds for the FasTracks project, series 2026B. Fitch also reaffirmed RTD’s Issuer Default Rating and outstanding FasTracks sales tax revenue bonds at AA+. The rating is based on a dedicated tax and revenue bond analysis and is capped at the same level as the Issuer Default Rating. | | |
Introduction of RTD CONNECT network concepts postponed | |
The Board of Directors decided to postpone the introduction of the RTD CONNECT network concepts at a study session originally scheduled for yesterday and a series of stakeholder workshops this week. The Board made this request after the project team briefed the Board last week.
The Board has requested that additional network concepts be developed before seeking input from customers, stakeholders, and community members. Specifically, the Board is interested in seeing concepts that reflect different revenue scenarios. Customer, stakeholder, and community engagement will launch once network concepts are finalized.
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| 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. | | Access-a-Ride dispatcher helps customer find a replacement ride home | I am submitting a commendation for Access-a-Ride dispatcher Sharon Perez, who really helped me find a new ride back home because my first bus was involved in an accident. | | Bus operator coordinates with dispatch to ensure customer makes transfer | Operator Erik Fernandez-Carrillo made a call to dispatch to coordinate with the driver of Route 8 to put a hold on it for me. That driver was kind and professional. | | Ribbon-cutting celebrates launch of Route AL between Longmont, Denver Airport Station | |
RTD launched its newest SkyRide service, Route AL, on Sunday as part of the latest round of service changes. The route provides Longmont customers with a direct, reliable connection to Denver International Airport.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday at RTD's 8th Avenue and Coffman Street Park-n-Ride, local leaders and regional partners gathered to celebrate the opening of this route and vital connection between Longmont and the world.
During the event, speakers highlighted how the AL service strengthens regional mobility and provides new opportunities for residents. Board Director Karen Benker, who represents District I, emphasized the long‑standing challenges of airport travel from Longmont. “This is a big deal because I think we all know getting to Denver International Airport is pretty hard from Longmont,” she said. “And now it's going to be easy, it's going to be affordable, and it's going to also be dependable.”
Route AL operates hourly from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The line travels from the 8th Avenue and Coffman Street Park‑n‑Ride along US 287, with stops at the Niwot and Lafayette Park‑n‑Rides, before continuing along E‑470 to Denver International Airport.
Click the thumbnail above to watch a video recapping the event.
| | A double rainbow makes for a picture-perfect moment | |
Route NB bus operator Chris Whiteside captured this beautiful photo of his bus beneath a double rainbow at Nederland High School earlier this month during his break.
Do you have a photo from your workday that you would like to share? Send it to the Internal Communications team (insideconnections@rtd-denver.com) to be featured in a future issue of Inside Connections.
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Candace Smith
Chief Communications and Engagement Officer
Janette Kiernan
Transit Environmental Specialist
Tom Worker-Braddock
Project Manager I, Long-Range Planning
Jairam Balgobin
Accounts Payable Supervisor
Daryl Kitchen
Accountant I
Shaine Carroll-Frey
Bus Operator
Santiago Cuevas
Bus Operator
Brian Goggin
Bus Operator
Ariana Gregg
Bus Operator
Habtamu Meselu
Bus Operator
Ataklti Nigus
Bus Operator
Audie Barrera
Train Operator
Azuka Chukwukere
Train Operator
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Travis Mcmillian
Train Operator
Solomon Dejene
Transit System & Support Supervisor (Bus)
Christopher Espinoza
Transit System & Support Supervisor (Bus)
Victor Guimaraes Pekar
Regional Operations Center Controller (Bus)
Jennifer Handgen
Regional Operations Center Controller (Commuter Rail)
Daniel Rocha
Regional Operations Center Controller (Light Rail)
Charla Candy
Police Operations and Training Administrator
David Hosanna
Small Business Office Compliance Officer
Jason Sinocruz
Transit Equity Manager
Alonzo (Manny) Huff
Facilities Maintenance Mechanic
| | Best Dressed Operators of the Week: Chris Luong | This week’s best dressed operator is Chris Luong from Boulder Division! Thank you, Chris, for making RTD look sharp! | | From Cybersecurity: Introducing a new approach to Cybersecurity Training | |
October Cybersecurity Awareness Month began in 2004, when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cybersecurity Alliance partnered to promote stronger online safety. Since 2009, presidential proclamations have supported this national effort to help people build safe and smart online habits. These habits make it easier to spot risks and protect information. Each year, organizations across the country, including RTD, share simple tips to help keep communities safe online.
Cyber-smart starts here
To build on this national effort, Cybersecurity is expanding training beyond October to support year‑round learning. Starting tomorrow, Cybersecurity will host the second annual Phishing Tournament. Each week, emails will be sent to employees mimicking real-life phishing messages. Employees who correctly identify and report the test phishing message will advance through the knockout rounds. Everyone who makes it through the championship round, Oct. 26-31, will be entered for the chance to win a prize.
The first bi‑monthly cybersecurity training will also begin tomorrow, with new trainings offered throughout the year. Every other month, Cybersecurity will publish quick guides, microlearnings, and videos to support safe digital habits at work and at home.
To kick off this year’s program, the October training will focus on phishing and social engineering. Participants will learn about current cyber scams through short videos and lessons, along with helpful handouts that offer quick reminders of what to watch for.
Beginning tomorrow, employees can access training through Workday Learning and contractor training through KnowBe4. Training content can be accessed in any order and completed at one’s own pace. Training links are also available on the Cybersecurity Awareness and Training page on the Hub.
For questions or support with any cybersecurity training, please email csaware@training.rtd-denver.com.
Get ready to learn and stay cyber-smart.
| | ‘We are OneRTD’: GM and CEO Debra A. Johnson highlights leadership, vision at WTS Colorado Podcast Club | | Last Wednesday, RTD hosted the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) International and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for the latest WTS Colorado Podcast Club event. At the event, General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson spoke about her recent appearance on the “A City in Motion” podcast and discussed the challenges that face the agency and public transportation as a whole. |
| From Civil Rights: Trainings will explore disability etiquette | | | | The Civil Rights Division is proud to offer employees the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and understanding of how to interact with people with disabilities. Two training sessions are available to employees. | | |
The first session, "Disability Etiquette 1.0," covers the foundations of disability etiquette and accessibility while exploring essential topics such as ableism, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definitions, person-first language, program accessibility, effective communication, and service animals.
The second session, "Disability Etiquette 2.0," expands upon the prior session by challenging participants to go beyond the basics and apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios. This training emphasizes problem-solving, case studies, and group discussion around complex accessibility issues. To participate in this session, participants must have completed Disability Etiquette 1.0.
Ten seats are still available, and priority will be given to employees who routinely interact with individuals with disabilities or run programs that engage with the community and need to pay extra attention to how they communicate with individuals with disabilities.
To learn more about these training opportunities and register, please contact Civil Rights Division Director Kellie Irving (kellie.irving@rtd-denver.com).
| | | New deadlines established for proposals, purchase requests | |
Due to the significantly higher volume of requisitions submitted at year-end and staff schedules around upcoming holidays, the Contracting and Procurement team may require additional time to process purchase requests. Teams that have not yet submitted a purchase requisition for a project or purchase they would like processed in 2026 are strongly encouraged to submit their proposals as soon as possible.
Suggested deadlines:
- Requests for proposals are due immediately
- Invitations for bids are due by Oct. 16
- Requests for quotations, micro purchases, and cooperative agreement purchases are due by Nov. 13
Teams with an urgent need for a project or purchase to be processed in 2026, please have the department head responsible for the request contact Contracting and Procurement Director Dana Steele as soon as possible to coordinate agency priorities among departments.
Teams with an emergency request, such as a broken boiler or a safety issue, should notify Contracting and Procurement as soon as possible, as these needs will be processed on an expedited basis.
Please share this information with anyone who may be affected by these deadlines.
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| Empower Retirement to visit Operations divisions next Wednesday | Next Wednesday, RTD’s Empower Retirement advisor Clayton Faber will be visiting East Metro 9 a.m.-noon and Elati 1-4 p.m. to provide employees with practical financial guidance. Those who cannot meet in person can click the link below to schedule a free one-on-one consultation with him. | | Tomorrow: Learn about emergency preparedness at Facts-n-Snacks | Join Emergency Management Manager Diana Rawles at 2 p.m. tomorrow in Blake Conference Room B to learn how to prepare for different types of emergencies. Light refreshments will be provided to attendees. Click the link below to register. | | |
Correction: Because of incorrect information provided to the Internal Communications team, Jason Sinocruz’s title was misstated in Friday’s Hot Sheet. He is RTD’s new Transit Equity Manager. |
| 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 | |
“The surest way to make your dreams come true is to live them.”
— Roy T. Bennett
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