RTD COLLEGEPASS

What is the RTD CollegePass?

• Auraria’s RTD CollegePass offers students access to RTD’s Regional/Airport services for $131/semester, or ~$30/month (for reference, a monthly pass with RTD for this same level of service costs $200/month). This $ is collected as a student fee by your academic institution each semester.
   

Will more classes be held in person in Spring 2021? Will I need to commute to campus?

• As is the case with COVID, our operating procedures are evolving in real time and will depend on transmission rates, risks, treatments, vaccinations, etc. As of right now, it sounds like most institutions are planning on another semester of hybrid remote/in person learning. Check with your specific academic institution to get a better idea of how they may proceed this spring.

• MSU Denver has announced their tentative plans to increase in-person class offerings in March—read more here.  
   

Can we have an “opt-in” program for only those students that are interested in continuing the pass?

• Unfortunately, our campus-wide contract with RTD is an all-or-nothing deal. This means that, based on majority vote, either all students receive a discounted RTD CollegePass for $131/semester or no students receive an RTD CollegePass and must purchase RTD transportation on their own (at full cost or through another discount program).  
   

How much will it cost me to use RTD if we don’t have a pass?

• RTD’s LiVE program offers a 40% discount on fares for income-eligible riders that fall at or below 185% of the federal poverty limit. Learn more about the LiVE program eligibility and application process here. Check out RTD’s full list of discount programs here.

• If you are not income-eligible, you can find RTD’s rates here and a table to help you identify right product for your commuting needs.
   

What % of the campus population relies on alternative transportation to get to campus?

• According to a survey conducted in 2019, nearly 64% of our student population uses light rail or bus to get to campus (during non-COVID times). You can learn more about student commuting behaviors and the impact of various commute modes by reading the transportation section of our GHG inventory (pg 25) and checking out the 2019 transportation survey. 
   

I know that many Auraria students do not own their own car and rely on their discounted CollegePass to get to work, run errands, and simultaneously remain financially stable. If I want these folks to have access, but I don’t need the pass, what should I do?

• Unfortunately, because our Auraria contract is all-or-nothing, the only way to access the discounted Auraria CollegePass rate is if students vote to reinstate the pass. However, students that fall below 185% of the federal poverty limit can access RTD’s discounted LiVE program for 40% cheaper fares.
   

Is it safe to ride RTD during COVID? What is RTD doing to prevent the spread of COVID?

• This is a hot topic right now! According to several recent publications, there may be no convincing evidence that transit is contributing to the spread of COVID. Taking transit in the era of COVID is certainly a personal decision that should be made based on your own assessment of potential risks and personal comfort, but here are a few resources that have been shared with the ASCP recently that may be insightful:

  • Riding Transit During COVID-19 is Safer than Most Think When Everyone Follows Basic Safety Guidelines (RTD)

  • How to Stay Safer on Mass Transit (New York Times)

  • Protect Yourself When Using Transportation (CDC)

  • Changes Made to Keep Everyone Safe During the COVID-19 Outbreak (RTD)

  • Fear of Public Transit Got Ahead of the Evidence (The Atlantic)

  • In Japan and France, Riding Transit Looks Surprisingly Safe (CityLab)

  • There Is Little Evidence That Mass Transit Poses a Risk of Coronavirus Outbreaks (Scientific American)

  • Why you shouldn’t be afraid to take public transportation amid the Covid-19 pandemic (El Pais)

• Here’s what RTD is doing to prevent the spread of COVID. You can also follow their IG account @ridertd for some of this information.
   

Is RTD even running its normal routes that will serve me/my needs?

• RTD has made some adjustment to their routes and frequency due to funding and driver shortages. Check out their service pages to see if they’re still running the routes you need at the times you need them.