The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“It’s a great service to have…”
Starting next Wednesday, January 14, it will be possible to take a bus between Gunnison and Denver. The service will be operated by Blackhills Stage Lines of Norfolk, Nebraska and funded by the Colorado Department of Transportation and local governments along the route. The trip from Gunnison to downtown Denver will cost $32.10.
The bus will leave Love’s in Gunnison at 7:15 a.m., arriving in Denver at 12:15 p.m. The Denver drop-off will be at the Greyhound Station and it will be possible to connect to Denver International Airport every hour. On the return trip, the bus will leave Denver at 2 p.m. and arrive in Gunnison at 7 p.m.
Western State College officials see a great benefit of the bus service for their students. “We are really excited about it,” said associate vice president of student affairs Gary Pierson. “We got behind it financially…we think it is really going to make a difference in terms of recruitment and retention.”
“With our location and sometimes the distance students have to drive, especially during the winter, it’s a great service to have,” Pierson says.
There will be round-trip service Thursdays through Sundays. On Mondays, the bus will go only to Denver. There will be no service on Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, the bus will come only from Denver. A 15-passenger van will operate between Gunnison and Salida, while a 47-passenger coach will operate between Salida and the Denver Greyhound Station.
The Gunnison Valley Rural Transit Authority was the organizing entity for the service. It coordinated the grants and lined up the local government contributions. RTA executive director Scott Truex is excited about the addition. “It’s a great service for the valley that will help people here,” he said. “And I think we need to thank the Colorado Department of Transportation for their efforts in making the service happen.”
Other stops on the route between Gunnison and Denver include Poncha Springs, Salida, Buena Vista, Fairplay, Jefferson, Grant, Pine Junction and Cold Spring Park.
Riders in the north end of the valley can always catch the free RTA bus to Gunnison from Mt. Crested or Crested Butte and then jump on the new bus service.
Passengers can purchase tickets through the Black Hills website, www.blackhillsstagelines.com, or directly from the ticket agent at each station, in Gunnison’s case at Love’s. Tickets will not be sold over the phone, and will not be available for purchase from the bus driver.
You can also call your local depot or Black Hills Stage Lines at (402)371-3850 or (877) 779-2999 (toll-free), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST if you have any questions.
