Denver, CO – This is the problem with entities that don’t have a profit motive – they always fail financially. According to the Regional Transit District (RTD AKA “Ride to Denver”), their revenue from fares is about 20 percent of their operating costs.
Now in the real world, not known as the blank check from the taxpayer world, this type of business would cause bankrupt by this point. But since the RTD is subsidized by many entities paid for by we the taxpayer, it is still allowed to operate.
Their answer is to cut service, of course, to make up for the shortfall. Less service means fewer fares (revenue). Why don’t they come up with a financial model that actually works and is self-sufficient? Well, it’s because the government can’t be self-sufficient.
Revenue is not the only problem plaguing the RTD.
There are major project delays. In 2004, voters unwisely passed FastTracks after being lied to about the cost and delivery. Fastracks was supposed to be completed by 2017. Even with the RTD cutting projects, clearly, they didn’t deliver. Governments projects almost always run over on time and cost (again, no profit motive).
The Northern section of Fastracks, up to Thornton, is delayed again. This time by another two years. How is this acceptable? If a project in the private sector were delayed by this much, heads would roll.
To add insult to injury, the RTD can’t hire and retain workers. In fact, 30% of their positions are open. Of course, this is more justification for service cuts. But really, this is a management and culture issue.
The RTD is a boondoggle and a money pit.
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Did you say delayed on the North side another 2 years? Best news I’ve heard all week! It would be nice if they scrapped the trax thing entirely but it’s already in place, no stopping it now. My favorite in your face complete waste of money is the 2 road guard individuals they put up there full time and it happens all over town wherever tracks are under construction. They have little umbrellas, read long books, sit on lawn chairs and basically are paid to sit and do nothing at developing crossing rails. They are full time human stop lights for a train related vehicle that comes once a week. Your tax dollars hard at work. People looking forward to this may not yet understand how trax will bring Denver homeless to our door on a daily basis and it won’t be long before they’re at the rec, sleeping in parks, and begging near every light rail parking area anywhere near the trax. Denver gets closer every day. We really do need a wall in Colorado, around Denver.
I work driving a bus. My 5 day work week is almost 50 hours, then I am mandated to work a sixth day. I won’t be working there much longer.