BroncosRide set to return after a long absence

By Chase Bierenkoven

This week, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) voted to reinstate a long-running staple of Denver’s football weekends by bringing back BroncosRide. The motion passed with a 9-5 vote.

BroncosRide was a staple for decades, running buses from Park-n-Ride lots to Broncos games and other events like Rockies games. But it was suspended before the Broncos' 2020-21 season, back when the team was in the doldrums of its post-Manning rut.

RTD board members voted this week to reinstate the service, with some calling it a “win-win” that would increase transit options and win some public goodwill as the agency faces a budget crisis.

The service could allow RTD to serve an additional 6,500 train passengers and 3,870 bus riders during events, the agency estimated. It could require four additional rail operators and 101 additional bus operators for each event.

RTD already runs enhanced rail service during events, but the new plan would significantly expand bus and rail service.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, BroncosRide would see some 6,400 riders every game. New estimates are based on sold-out games and an increase in ridership to almost 10,000 riders.

While the ridership increase is up for debate, the Broncos have sold out hundreds of consecutive home games.

RTD previously said it discontinued the BroncosRide service, in part, because of federal regulations that say agencies like RTD can’t compete with private charter providers. RTD didn’t immediately respond to a question about whether the new service would clear those requirements.

A few obstacles stand in the way of the reinstatement of the service.

The Broncos' first preseason game at home is just under two months away, giving RTD relatively little time to prepare.

RTD will need to figure out how to pay employees who may be working on “goodwill” for a sixth or even seventh day of the week to drive buses and trains. Then there’s the simple matter of where RTD will park buses during games.

Given the time crunch, some RTD board members proposed an amendment to push reinstatement to 2027. The vote failed narrowly.

There’s also the elephant in the room: cash.

RTD is strapped for it, and the estimated $2.1 million the service would cost is yet another bite out of the budget. RTD just voted to spend a similar amount on marketing for the planned Colorado Connector.

But BroncosRide is also an opportunity for RTD. Public demand for the service is high, especially following the Broncos’ close-ish brush with the Lombardi Trophy last year. RTD could use the goodwill, but reinstating a service that isn’t entirely essential while other areas may see cuts presents a tough Catch-22.

For now, RTD will go forward with reinstating BroncosRide. Timelines are still being hammered out, and a July meeting should shed further light on plans to potentially get service up and running for the Broncos’ first home preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 21.

RTD is considering running enhanced bus service from the following set of stations: