CDOT launched a Trinidad-to-Pueblo bus route to bridge a transportation gap. Is it working?
The Bustang Outrider route from Trinidad to Pueblo that the Colorado Department of Transportation launched in 2023 to bridge a transportation gap south of the Steel City served more than 1,000 riders in its first year.
The route takes people from Trinidad to Pueblo and vice versa, with scheduled stops in Aguilar, Walsenburg and Colorado City. Between March 2023 and last month, 1,231 passengers took the route, which CDOT initially launched to offer a form of transportation to people who live south of Pueblo and don’t have their own vehicles.
The South Central Council of Governments operates the route.
“The Trinidad to Pueblo route has helped connect rural Coloradans to essential needs and recreational opportunities along the Front Range and beyond over the past year,” Paul DesRocher, director of CDOT’s transit and rail division, said in a news release. “We’re thrilled that the community has supported and embraced this route since its launch, as we continue with our mission to provide additional transit options for the people of southern Colorado.”
CDOT launched the route in March last year with free fares to celebrate the new service. It later extended the free fares because of an increase in ridership. By June, 328 passengers had used the route, so the monthly rate of riders slightly increased over the subsequent months.
“We’ve seen steady, consistent growth throughout the year, so we’ve been pretty happy with it as more people realize this service exists,” said Bob Wilson, a spokesperson for CDOT.
CDOT celebrates route with Trinidad organizations, residents
CDOT hosted a community event on Saturday in Trinidad to celebrate the first anniversary of the route. Some of the people who attended and used the route shared that they thought the bus was well kept and praised its WiFi capabilities, which allow them to work while riding, Wilson said.
Attendees also shared that they were “happy to see this type of service come all the way down to Trinidad,” he added. CDOT previously said the route provides an option for people without their own form of transportation to travel to Pueblo or other locations across southern Colorado for recreational opportunities or medical services, among other purposes.
“We wanted to recognize the community and be very clear that in this one year, ridership is increasing,” Wilson said of the event. “This route so far is successful and we’re happy about it and glad to be a part of this community.”
How to catch the Trinidad-to-Pueblo bus and what to know about the route
Power outlets and wheelchair accessibility are other notable features provided to passengers on the route. The bus can transport 15 passengers. Unlike other Bustang vehicles, it does not have a restroom.
The route runs twice a day between Monday and Friday and offers northbound and southbound rides. The southbound option departs from Pueblo Transit Center at 9:50 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Trinidad at 11:45 a.m. In the afternoon, it departs at 3:45 p.m. and arrives at 5:30 p.m.
The northbound ride leaves Trinidad at 8 a.m. and reaches Pueblo Transit Center at 9:45 a.m. Its afternoon departure is at 2 p.m. with a scheduled arrival in Pueblo at 3:40 p.m.
There haven’t been enough requests to integrate a weekend service for the route, but that remains a possibility in the future, Wilson said.
Fares for the route range between $4 and $15 and depend on a person’s location of departure and arrival. People ages 65 and older and children ages 2 to 11 are eligible for half-price fares. Caretakers for people who have a disability and children under 2 can ride for free.
The Trinidad-to-Pueblo route is one of eight that Bustang Outsider services in Colorado. Its Lamar-Colorado Springs and Alamosa-Pueblo routes also pass through the Steel City. The other Outsider routes include Craig-Denver, Durango-Grand Junction, Gunnison-Denver, Sterling-Denver/Sterling-Greeley and Telluride-Grand Junction.
Riders can purchase tickets for the Trinidad-to-Pueblo route using the Bustang Outrider app, available on the Apple Store or Google Play, or with cash when boarding the bus. More information about Bustang schedules, routes and fares can be found on ridebustang.com.
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Chieftain reporter Josué Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: CDOT's Trinidad to Pueblo bus route surpasses milestone
