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RTD Approves Access-on-Demand Overhaul With $4.50 Fare and 22-Hour Service Starting Jan. 1, 2026

RTD says the changes curb fast-rising subsidies as the program’s costs near $17 million a year.

Overview

  • Directors voted 10–5 after more than three hours of testimony from riders and advocates who called the service a lifeline.
  • The board rejected a $6.50 proposal, setting a $4.50 base fare and a $2.25 rate for LiVE participants.
  • The maximum per-trip subsidy drops from $25 to $20, with up to 60 rides allowed each month.
  • Daily service is reduced from 24 to 22 hours, with no trips from 1:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., a period used by less than 1% of riders.
  • RTD cites rapid growth and rising costs, including roughly $17 million annually, subsidy outlays up about 3% a month and above $1.2 million in August, plus about $1 million monthly for wheelchair-accessible service.