[Colorado-talk] Buses from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins and Denver to Glenwood

[Dan Burke]

Exciting news.  Folks can also find the article on Newsline in the
local section of yesterday's Denver Post.

Pasted below is the FAQ  from jthe Bustang landing page:

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

BUSTANG FACT SHEET

INTERREGIONAL EXPRESS BUS SERVICE

The Colorado Department of Transportation is launching an
Interregional Express (IX) bus service to connect
commuters along the I-25 Front Range and I-70 Mountain Corridors. By
linking major local transit systems together, the
Bustang service responds to demand from the traveling public to have a
reliable transit alternative along the highest
traveled corridors in the state.

When will the Bustang service launch?

The Bustang service will launch in Spring 2015.

Where will the Bustang station stops be located?

The Bustang service will operate along the I-25 Front Range Corridor
and the I-70 Mountain Corridor. There are three
major service routes that will stop at the following locations:

North Line - Fort Collins to DUS (6 round trips/weekday):
Fort Collins Downtown Transit Center

I-25 / Harmony Road Park-and-Ride

I-25 / US 34 Loveland-Greeley Park-and-Ride

Denver Union Station
South Line - Colorado Springs to DUS (7 round trips/weekday):
I-25 / Tejon/Nevada Park-and-Ride

Colorado Springs Downtown Transit Terminal

I-25 / Woodmen Road Park-and-Ride

I-25 / Monument Park-and-Ride

I-25 / Colorado Station (RTD Light Rail)

Denver Union Station
West Line - Glenwood Springs to DUS (1 round trip/weekday):
South Glenwood BRT Station

West Glenwood Park-and-Ride

I-70 / Eagle Chambers Park-and-Ride

Vail Transportation Center

Frisco Transfer Center

Denver Federal Center

Denver Union Station




Who runs Bustang service?

Bustang is managed by the Colorado Department of Transportation
(CDOT), an agency of the State of Colorado.
CDOT will contract with Horizon Coach Lines to operate bus service for
all Bustang routes.

How many buses will be in operation?

The Bustang service will have 13 over-the-road coaches in rotation on
each route. Each coach has a 50-passenger
capacity, and will come equipped with restrooms, bike racks, free
WiFi, 110v outlets, USB outlets, and are
handicap accessible.

What is the fare structure?

Fare prices are based on the route and the park-and-ride location
where you board Bustang. Customers boarding
at a park-and-ride location further away from Denver Union Station
(DUS) will pay a higher fare. Bustang service will
offer multiple-trip packages at a discounted price. There will also be
a 25% discount on walk-up tickets for seniors
65+ and disabled. There will not be a discounted price for children. A
"trip" is one-way travel, and tickets do not
include transfer or round-trip fare.

 One Way Trip Fare
Ft. Collins *
DUS $10 / trip

 Loveland *
DUS $9 / trip

 Colorado Springs *
DUS $12 / trip

 Monument *
DUS $9 / trip

 Glenwood Springs *
DUS $28 / trip

 Eagle *
DUS $22 / trip

 Vail *
DUS $17 / trip

 Frisco *
DUS $12 / trip

Where can I buy tickets?

Single trip tickets will be sold on all buses from each park-and-ride.
Passengers are able to pay their fare when
boarding the bus using credit cards or cash. If paying with cash,
passengers without exact change will be issued
a fare credit to be used on Bustang fare only. No change will be
dispensed for onboard fare purchases. Advance
tickets and ticket packages can be purchased via the Bustang website
and Bustang mobile app. Passengers who
purchase a ticket online will receive an email receipt with a ticket
barcode, which they should print and present when
boarding the bus. Passengers purchasing through the Bustang mobile app
will have a ticket barcode in the app.
There will be no physical tickets issued.

Can I cancel my trip after ticket purchase?

Cancellations for refund will not be accepted for Bustang service.
Tickets will be valid for up to 1-year from purchase
date and can be used on any Bustang trip of the same cost within that
1-year period.




Can I transfer to Bustang service from my existing bus service provider?

There will be options to connect from select park-and-rides with the
following transit partner agencies: Roaring Fork
Transit Authority, Eagle County Transit, Vail Transportation, Summit
Stage, Mountain Metro, Transfort and RTD.
Separate fare purchases must be made for local transit agencies and
for Bustang service.

What if I missed the bus or my connection after hours? Will there be a
Guaranteed Ride home?

CDOT is teaming with the local transit partners who provide a
Guaranteed Ride Home including travelers in northern
Colorado and in the Denver metro area. Currently there is not a
guaranteed ride home in the Pikes Peak region but
discussions are in progress.

There might be times that essential services travelers might need
assistance going to hospitals in
Denver. How will that work?

CDOT is working with the Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council
(DRMAC) for guidance and assistance
to enable passengers to get to their destination.

Can I use Bustang service for travel within my Metro Area?

Passengers who are traveling within the Denver Metro Area, Colorado
Springs Metro Area, or the Fort Collins Metro
Area will not be accepted. Bustang service is intended for intercity
travel between major regional centers. Please
utilize your local transit provider for travel within your Metro Area.

I will be traveling with infants/small children. Are the seats
equipped to handle car seats? Is there
storage available on the bus for strollers?

The seats will have seatbelts that allow for car seats to be strapped
in. There are also storage bins on the outside
of bus that provide room for strollers and other necessary equipment
to be stored.

How do I download the Bustang mobile app? What kind of
services/information will it provide?

Once development is complete, the Bustang mobile app will be available
for download in the Apple and Android
stores. It will provide schedule and fare information, and allow for
in-app ticket purchases.

What amenities are provided on the Bustang buses?

Each Bustang coach is equipped with a restroom, bike racks, free
Wi-Fi, power outlets and USB ports. There is also
a wheelchair lift and two wheelchair tie-down areas on each coach.

Will the driver announce stops in advance, and will there be
simultaneous visual signage/notification?

Each bus will have automated stop notifications, which will include
both audio announcements and an LED screen
displaying the name of the next stop/station.

Is medical equipment allowed on buses for individuals with disabilities?

Per Part 37.167 (h) of the US Code Title 49, respirators or portable
oxygen equipment is permitted:

(h) The entity shall not prohibit an individual with a disability from
traveling with a respirator or portable oxygen supply,
consistent with applicable Department of Transportation rules on the
transportation of hazardous materials (49 CFR
subtitle B, chapter 1, subchapter C).
Why does the Bustang service not provide a comparable complementary
paratransit service?

Per Part 37.121 (c) of the US Code Title 49, requirements for
complementary paratransit do not apply since the
Bustang service is a commuter bus service.




Are service/guide dogs allowed on Bustang buses?

Per Part 37.167 (d) of the US Code Title 49 Subpart G, public transit
providers are required to allow service
animals to accompany their handlers onto the transit vehicle, in this
case the Bustang buses:

(d) The entity shall permit service animals to accompany individuals
with disabilities in vehicles and facilities.
Part 37.3 defines a service animal as "any guide dog, signal dog, or
other animal individually trained to work or
perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including, but not
limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision,
alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds,
providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling
a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items."

Is there a fare charged for someone accompanying an individual with a
disability?

Fare guidance for companions and personal care attendants is under the
US Code Title 49 Subpart F paratransit
section, Part 37.129, even though Bustang is not a paratransit
service. Companions are charged the same fare as
the passenger with a disability they are accompanying. Personal care
attendants ride free. Please contact us
regarding providing us with personal care attendant qualifying information.

As per Part 37.123 of the US Code Title 49, to prevent potential
abuse, the rule provides that a companion (e.g.,
friend or family member) does not count as a personal care attendant
unless the eligible individual regularly makes
use of a personal care attendant and the companion is actually acting
in that capacity. As noted under §37.125,
a provider may require that, as part of the initial eligibility
certification process, an individual indicate whether he or
she travels with a personal care attendant. If someone does not
indicate the use of an attendant, then any individual
accompanying him or her would be regarded simply as a companion.

If the on-board restroom is not accessible for a passenger with a
disability, can unscheduled rest stops
be requested?

Per Part 37.3 of the US Code Title 49, a Bustang bus is defined as an
Over-the-Road Bus (OTRB) because the
passenger deck is located over a baggage compartment. So as per Part
37.201 (c) of the US Code Title 49,
unscheduled rest stops are not required for express runs under three
hours. For travel times exceeding 3 hours,
an effort will be made to accommodate unscheduled rest stop requests
for passengers with disabilities who are
unable to use the restroom. However, the stop is not required.

(c) If an OTRB equipped with an inaccessible restroom is making an
express run of three hours or more without a
rest stop, and a passenger with a disability who is unable to use the
inaccessible restroom requests an unscheduled
rest stop, the operator shall make a good faith effort to accommodate
the request. The operator is not required to
make the stop. However, if the operator does not make the stop, the
operator shall explain to the passenger making
the request the reason for its decision not to do so.
Per Part 37.201 (a) of the US Code Title 49, if an intermediate or
rest stop is made, a passenger with a disability,
including an individual using a wheelchair, shall be permitted to
leave and return to the bus on the same basis as
other passengers.






On 1/9/15, Everett Gavel via Colorado-talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> FYI --
> (From today's issue of CSBJ.com)
>
> "CDOT expects to launch 'Bustang' by spring...
> The Colorado Department of Transportation
> announced this week the anticipated launch of
> Bustang, Colorado's first state-owned
> and -operated bus system connecting Colorado
> Springs to Fort Collins and Denver to Glenwood
> Springs.
>
> Buses will run during the work week and provide
> transportation along the Interstate-25 corridor as
> well as mountain corridors accessed via Interstate
> 70. Bustang will offer service routes during peak
> commuting times with an official service launch in
> the spring, according to a CDOT news release."
>
>
>
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-- 
Dan Burke
My Cell:  406.546.8546
Twitter:  @DallDonal