A young girl with light skin pulls the stop cable while sitting next to her mother on an RTD bus.

A more equitable fare structure was a primary goal of the Systemwide Fare Study and Equity Analysis. For the purposes of the fare study, RTD defined equity as supporting transit-reliant and financially burdened customers while providing fair access to fares, products and discounts regardless of race, color, national origin, income or other marginalized status.

The intent of this assessment was to ensure the impacts of the fare changes would be fairly distributed among all customers. To do this, RTD conducted an equity analysis to ensure protected populations (minority and low-income) would not be unevenly harmed by fare changes (e.g. new fare prices, products or programs or new ways to pay for fares) and unprotected populations (non-minority and/or non-low-income customers) would not unevenly benefit.

FARE EQUITY

EQUITY AND THE SYSTEMWIDE FARE STUDY

To create a more equitable fare structure, the study prioritized intentional and inclusive customer and community engagement as well as evaluations of the impacts of potential fare changes on protected populations. Throughout the study, RTD:

Actively engaged historically underrepresented populations through partnerships with community-based organizations, including focus groups conducted by RTD’s community partners (including Athletics and Beyond, CREA Results, Cultivando, Denver Streets Partnership, Focus ReEntry and Una Mano Una Esperanza) and surveys of organizations that serve underrepresented community members
Promoted language access by conducting customer and community meetings in Spanish and ensuring the availability of language assistance, through translation of the study website, handouts, and surveys
Held Equity Feedback Panels where diverse community members representing many unique identities used customer and community input to inform how RTD’s fare structure can meet the study’s equity goals
Conducted fare equity analyses of potential changes based on RTD’s Title VI Policies and in accordance with Federal Transit Administration guidance

Learn more about Title VI and its impact on the equity analysis below.

FARE EQUITY ANALYSIS OF
THE NEW FARE STRUCTURE

RTD performed a fare equity analysis on the new fare structure. The analysis found that the changes would have neither a Disparate Impact on minority customers nor a Disproportionate Burden on low-income customers. Moreover, though not all of the additional fare policies and programs that RTD is implementing could be included in the fare equity analysis, these policies and programs further enhance equity outcomes for the new fare structure.

LEARN MORE

View the full fare equity analysis findings here.

A mother and son with medium skin peek their heads out to check for the approaching RTD light-rail train.

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND THE RECOMMENDED FARE STRUCTURE

Community feedback was integral to the development of the new fare structure, policies and programs. To learn more about the fare study process and how customer and community feedback has shaped the direction, visit the fare study engagement process overview page.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

RTD will take steps to ensure that communication with members of the public with disabilities is effective throughout the study. Persons who require materials in alternative formats, need sign language interpretation, or require other communication consideration for participation, please contact RTD’s ADA Manager at Gabe.Christie@rtd-denver.com. Please provide three business days notice for services to be arranged.