Colorado Department of Transportation Appeals to Denver Commuters With New Service, ‘Bustang’
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| Bustang, the newest addition to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), will start operating on July 13, the Coloradan and Denver Business Journal report.
The new bus service will be operating statewide and will be providing weekday express rides for passengers from Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and Glenwood Springs to the downtown Denver Union Station. According to CDOT spokeswoman Amy Ford, Bustang will use 13 coach buses (all marked with Bustang’s sleek purple-and-black logo, complete with a leaping horse) and the entire program will take $10 million to launch. After the initial launch date, Bustang will require an estimated $3 million annually to operate. Each bus will be handicapped-accessible and will hold up to 50 riders at a time. Tickets will cost $10 for a single ride from Fort Collins; $12 from Colorado Springs; and $28 from Glenwood Springs. The CDOT has stated that it will provide discounted tickets when riders purchase multiple rides at once. Additionally, a 25% discount will automatically be given to disabled riders and to seniors 65 years or older. The new service marks what the CDOT calls “a new era of transportation” for Coloradan commuters living near the metropolitan hub of Denver. Unlike the average buses used for public transportation bus routes, the buses used in Bustang will resemble the high-end buses that rental bus companies typically use. The Coloradan states that each of the buses will have features including bike racks, on-board bathrooms, free wi-fi, and USB ports — among other amenities that are considered luxuries for a public transportation vehicle. The CDOT is still testing out different routes and drivers, but has announced that the buses will make six to seven runs per day, on weekdays, when the program is first launched in Fort Collins and Colorado Springs; the Glenwood Springs route is expected to be slightly less popular and will provide just one trip daily for 50 passengers. Officials have stated that they expect Bustang to see about 250 to 300 passengers daily on the Fort Collins Route, and as many as 500 passengers daily on the Colorado Springs route. |
