DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado residents with disabilities crowded a Regional Transportation District board meeting on Tuesday night demanding that the cost of using special transportation programs be controlled.
The board is considering making changes to the Access-On-Demand ride program. Eleven percent of Colorado residents have disabilities, many depend on RTD services for transportation now tough decisions must be made about how to keep programs going amid rising costs.
RTD tells FOX31 the subsidy cost is rising at a rate of 3% per month, beyond $1.2 million in August. Costs related to wheelchair use are adding up to an additional 1 million a month.
A spokesperson tells FOX31 RTD has seen a 306% increase in the amount appropriated at the Access-on-Demand program’s inception in 2023. The staff is now proposing modifications to control program costs in order to remain fiscally sustainable in 2026.
Testimony from disabled residents and advocacy groups continued for more than three hours.
Dawn Russell of the Adapt organization tells FOX31 affordable transportation services are crucial for those who need to travel to work, church, stores and other locations.
“Obviously my wheelchair comes with me everywhere that I go,” she said.
One resident testified that charges higher than a couple of dollars would cause a hardship for those using ride services every day to get to their jobs.
“With a base fare of $6.50 and then minimum driver gratuity of $3.50 that’s ten dollars one way twenty dollars both ways,” she said.
James Flattum of Greater Denver Transit tells FOX31 with no clear information on how many riders use the program more research must be done before any changes are made.
“The legacy service cost $106 fixed for ride as opposed to the new access on demand service only cost RTD between $16-$22 in subsidy per ride,” he said.
The meeting continued past 10 p.m. as the board took initial votes on modifications.
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