DENVER (KDVR) — The Regional Transportation District board has approved updates to its Access-On-Demand ride program, and riders with disabilities will pay more starting in 2026.
RTD’s board of directors voted on the modifications to the program during a meeting on Tuesday evening.
RTD’s Access-On-Demand program provides curb-to-curb and same-day services, which Colorado residents with disabilities could heavily depend on for transportation.
The Access-On-Demand program changes include a new per-trip $4.50 standard base fare or $2.25 fare for riders eligible for reduced rates. There had previously been no base fare for riders.
RTD had also been subsidizing up to $25 per trip, but will now reduce the subsidy to $20. Customers, however, will still be able to take up to 60 trips a month.
The board also approved removing two hours of the program’s once-provided 24-hour-a-day service. The services will now operate 22 hours, except from 1:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., as trip services during those times are used less than 1%, according to RTD.
The changes to Access-on-Demand services will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
“Customers are able to book trips with up to two stops without incurring an additional base fare. For example, customers could travel from home to a daycare location to a workplace without being required to pay an additional base fare for the second leg of the trip and without the second destination counting against the 60-trip total,” said RTD in the announcement.
RTD said in the announcement that the subsidy cost for the program continues to increase at a rate of 3% every month, reaching more than $1.2 million in August. The agency also noted that costs to provide Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles from the program’s fleet are an additional $1 million a month.
A spokesperson for RTD told FOX31’s Shaul Turner on Tuesday that the agency has seen a 306% increase since the appropriated amount during the program’s inception in January 2023. The modifications to the program are to control costs to remain fiscally sustainable in 2026.
During the meeting, residents with disabilities and advocacy organizations spoke about the proposed changes before the vote.
Dawn Russell of the Adapt organization told Turner that affordable transportation services are crucial for those needing to travel to work, church, stores and other locations.
“Obviously, my wheelchair comes with me everywhere that I go,” said Russell.
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