Navigating the Boulder Bus System

The Boulder public transportation system, RTD (Regional Transportation District), makes it easy to travel around Boulder in a cheap, environmentally friendly way. In this guide, you will learn how to navigate the bus system, how to pay, how to ride, how to take your bike on the bus, and finally, some tips on bus etiquette.

How to navigate

1. Find bus information. The RTD website offers a helpful Trip Planner function, which allows users to enter in their starting and ending destinations and then plans out the best bus route. Customers can also call RTD for bus information (at 800-366-7433) between 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (weekends/holidays from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.). The third option is to simply stop by the Boulder Transit Center—also known as the downtown Boulder bus station—at 14th and Walnut to pick up schedules and maps, or to talk with customer service.

2. Plan your trip. Schedules may look complicated, but once you become familiar with them, they’re really quite easy. On the outside of a schedule, you’ll find the route number, the route name, and a list of major destinations accessible via that bus. On the inside, you’ll find a route map with major streets and destinations, and departure and arrival times for major stops along the route, based on direction of travel and day of the week.

3. Tips for Reading a Schedule:

• Make sure you are looking at the correct day of the week. If it is a holiday, be aware that bus schedules are different. Open the schedule and locate the direction of travel and day of the week.
• Find the intersection closest to where you want to catch the bus. The bus usually makes stops between the major intersections listed on the schedule.
• Look down the column under that intersection to find departure times from that stop.
• Times are listed without using colons. So “426″ means “4:26.” Look for an “A” or a “P” to indicate AM or PM.
• Find the intersection closest to your destination.
• Read horizontally along the line that lists your departure time to determine when you will arrive at your destination. If no arrival time or (—) is shown, then that particular bus does not stop there. Look at the lines above and below for a bus that does make that stop.

4. Find your bus stop. All bus stop signs are red and white and list all routes that stop at that location. Bus stops are generally located every few blocks along “Local” bus routes. “Express” and “Limited” route stops are located farther apart. Tip: On many routes, the stop for your return trip will be located across the street from the stop where you boarded the bus.

5. Verify your route. When you see a bus approaching, look at the electronic destination sign above the front windshield to verify the route number.

How to Pay

There are 3 main ways to pay for a trip on Boulder’s bus system.

1. If you will only be taking a few trips, the easiest way to pay is simply on-board the bus with exact change. Local trips cost $2.00 each, which is paid into the machine as you enter the bus. A discount price of $1.00 per ride is available for seniors (65+), individuals with disabilities, Medicare recipients, and students in elementary, middle and high school (ages 6-19). Proof of discount eligibility is required when boarding.
2. Day-passes are available for $6.00. Simply present your pass to the driver of each bus you board. Five-day-passes are also available for $45.00.
3. If you plan on riding the bus more often, 10-ride ticketbooks are available for $18 (or $10 discounted), and can be purchased from the customer service window at the downtown Boulder bus station at 14th and Walnut.

The bus also goes directly from the downtown Boulder station to Denver (for $4.50 or $2.25 discounted) and to Denver International Airport (for $12 or $6 discounted); children under 15 years of age ride free to the airport.

How to ride

Many bus stops have several different lines that stop there, so it is a good idea to wave at the bus you want to ensure it stops for you. If you plan on changing bus lines, ask the driver for a transfer. This will gain you access to another bus going in the same direction within the hour.

Drivers most always announce upcoming stops by their street names or intersections, but sometimes the intercoms are difficult to hear, so check with the driver if you’re unsure of where your stop is. So that the driver stops at your stop, pull down on the yellow cord that runs horizontally across the windows or press the yellow strip to the side of the windows. This will make a “ding” sound and the red “Stop Requested” sign will light up at the front of the bus. If you’re not sure when to get off the bus, sit close to the front and ask the driver to call out your stop for you.  When the bus stops, exit through the rear door (if the bus has two doors) so that people can board the bus more easily.

The most used bus lines have fun names like Hop, Jump, Leap, and Stampede. The most useful for tourists is the Skip, which goes north and south on Broadway. This line stops at many major tourist destinations, such as the University of Colorado, Central Park, and the Pearl Street Mall.

Bike-n-Ride

The best way to get around Boulder is a combination of bike and bus. All buses are equipped with front bike racks that are first-come, first-served, and each can accommodate 2 bikes. (If the rack is full, the driver will let you know if you can load your bike either in luggage bins or inside the bus.)

Here is a step-by-step guide of how to use the bus bike racks:

1. Signal bus operator to let him or her know you want to load your bike.
2. You must be able to lift the bike and place it on the rack yourself.
3. To release the rack, squeeze the center handle and slowly lower it down.
4. Place front wheel on side labeled “front wheel.”
5. Pull up and out on the support arm and hook the arm securely over the top of the front wheel closest to the fork.
6. When boarding, let the driver know the bus stop location where you will be exiting.
7. Stay toward the front of the bus and watch your bike to ensure its safety.
8. Exit at the front door and tell the driver you are removing your bike
9. If you are the last person to unload your bike, return rack to its upright position

Bus Etiquette

Do leave the “courtesy seats” located near the front open for seniors and people with disabilities.
Do ask the driver if you’re unsure of your stop.
Don’t eat food too obviously. Technically, eating is not allowed on the bus, although people definitely do it.
Don’t scream into your cell phone. It’s doubtful that anyone will say anything to you about it, but you will probably get some displeased glares.

[Photos courtesy of Payton Chung, RTD, Ben Mason, and cloudsoup.]