Props to the Regional Transportation District for taking ridership and their mission seriously enough to revisit fares, leaning toward discounts for the region’s poorest riders.
While promising, the changes don’t go far enough, and they don’t address a metroplex that will need reliable mass transit more than ever.
There’s no doubt that RTD is the abused and oft-forgotten Colorado government. Partially controlled by a state legislature that seems to loathe it and a large board of directors — which almost the entire public would be hard-pressed to name a single member — RTD has long struggled for legitimacy, and more than anything else, money.
It’s difficult to imagine a part of Colorado government that has the ability to so vastly improve the lives of everyone who lives in the metro area, and yet garners so little respect, attention and support.
The need is great for mass transportation in the metroplex, not only because we are a vastly mobile society that lives our lives often far from home, but because without a reliable and affordable mass-transit system, the metro area will become impassible almost every hour of the day.
Thankfully, despite the endless whining and criticism of short-sighted naysayers, visionaries were bold enough and determined enough to create not only the Regional Transportation District in 1969, but the light rail system that offers great promise to frustrated metro commuters.
But it’s not working. While there are transit lines and routes that serve pleased commuters across the vast system, by and large, the buses stop too infrequently, aren’t on time and cost too much to lure the majority of potential riders into a seat. Compared to most large cities its size, metro RTD is confusing and inefficient for commuters. So they stay in their cars. The light rail system can’t really even exist in most parts of the metro area without riders first getting in a car to drive to either a starting point, a destination or both. As bad as metro traffic has become, especially on interstates, it’s still better than riding the bus or train. For now.
It’s not for the lack of trying. The root of the problem is money, and in RTD’s case, it’s the lack of it.
We have critically underfunded the service to point of nearly ruining it. Metro Denver is a vast, sprawling city, and providing constant bus service to places such as Conifer, Castle Rock, Boulder, the far eastern reaches of Aurora and everywhere between is a massive undertaking.
RTD serves about 3 million people across 2,300 square miles in eight, huge counties. RTD does all this with a $626 million budget made up of tax revenue and fares.
It’s just not enough. RTD must charge so much for fares, that those who truly struggle and need the service to get to work and school can’t afford it. Except for the relative few who qualify for reductions, the system roughly costs at least about $6 a day to use. While that may seem reasonable to many, for anyone making at or near minimum wage, and there are tens of thousands of metro residents who do just that, the expenditure is a serious hardship.
The RTD board is currently looking at expanding its fare discount program, essentially creating a 40 percent discount for those who make 140 percent of the federal poverty level, about $22,000 for a single person, about $44,000 for a family of four.
This will provide real relief for thousands of current riders, and go far to lure new commuters on board.
But the reductions come at a cost to other paying customers, raising the rates for day-tickets and monthly passes. No doubt many riders will see cheap gas and a parking fee a better alternative despite time wasted in traffic jams.
The 1 percent sales tax is just not enough to fund a reliable system at rates riders can afford — and will pay.
While the RTD board should certainly approve these modified reduced fares, it’s time for the district to pursue whatever is the best way to raise revenues without hiking fares in an effort to increase ridership and improve service. If there’s another way to bring RTD service up to the level it needs to be, we’re anxious to hear it. But in the almost 50 years RTD has been in operation, no one there has found the answer yet.