The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Want to be right or want to get what is needed?
By Mark Reaman
The board of directors of the Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) has earmarked up to $71,000 to help fund a second daily bus trip between Crested Butte and Denver in 2025. As approved, it would only be spent if Chaffee County agrees to the same contribution for the service.
The RTA had received a request from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to help fund the second Bustang bus trip. Currently, a bus leaves Crested Butte at 5:15 a.m. and arrives at Denver’s Union Station at 10:50 a.m. after traveling through Salida. The standard fare is $45. The return bus leaves Denver at 1:50 p.m. and gets to Crested Butte at 7:35 p.m. The idea is to provide an afternoon departure from Crested Butte along with a morning departure from Denver. The exact times are yet to be determined.
CDOT reached out to the RTA and said it would like to provide the route given its stout ridership but wanted a financial subsidy to do so. The passenger counts indicate the Crested Butte to Denver route is very popular with 17,506 passengers using the service last year.
During the November 15 RTA meeting, the board members expressed some discomfort with subsidizing the extra route but ultimately decided it was best to try and obtain the additional service given the demand from local residents.
RTA executive director Scott Truex informed the board that CDOT estimated the additional service would cost about $425,000 annually and the department was asking the RTA and Chaffee County to pick up half that cost (25% each) while CDOT would cover the other half.
“Given the numbers we are seeing using the service I could get behind that concept. We are occasionally leaving some people behind,” Truex told the board. “This would also provide us some redundancy with bus service to Denver.”
He said such an additional route could come online by May 1 of 2025. That would mean the subsidy would be prorated to $142,000 and cost the RTA half of that or $71,000. “I think we could commit to $71,000 contingent upon Chaffee County doing the same,” he suggested. “CDOT has also asked if we are interested in perhaps subsidizing a route to Montrose and I haven’t responded to that. Understand that any dollars we spend for this means dollars we’re not spending elsewhere for things like more service in the valley.”
“I see the need but am apprehensive about setting that precedent,” said board member Liz Smith. “I see that CDOT is underfunded at the state so doubt we would ever get out of that situation once we start. I am hesitant about the way it is proposed.”
“I had heard from some CDOT representatives that the second route was budgeted for and they were ready to do Montrose. Now they want us to backfill the cost? That’s not great,” said board member Laura Puckett Daniels noting the ridership numbers shows the need for CDOT to provide the additional service.
“To me this is the classic situation of either we get to be right or we get what we want,” said board member Ian Billick. “If we can get service started, we are more likely to keep the service when the state and federal budgets get hammered. This is a Crested Butte council priority and serves a socio-economic community that needs it. I agree that it’s not right, but we need to get where we need to be. I’m supportive of going forward with Scott’s recommendation.”
“I’m leaning that way too,” said board member Steve Morris. “Having a 5:15 a.m. departure in Crested Butte makes getting there from Mt. Crested Butte almost impossible. Having an afternoon departure is important. I too am not a fan of the model, but I see the need.”
“I got frustrated with CDOT on the phone call over the issue,” said Truex. “Montrose was in their budget a few years back, and I was optimistic about the second bus to Denver based on conversations at that time but none of that was in writing. The CDOT turnover has been high lately and there isn’t institutional knowledge about what was put in place. It’s frustrating for sure.”
“I’m open to funding it especially since at the state level the transportation money seems geared to things like rail,” said Smith. “Bustang often feels like an afterthought for the state. I have concerns over its sustainability as well.”
Truex said in the big picture, it would tap the RTA budget for about $100,000 a year and the RTA brings in about $6 million a year in tax funding. “I don’t like paying for it either but it’s a matter of your priorities. I don’t know what Chaffee County will even do.”
Smith said she would reach out to her fellow county commissioners in Chaffee County “to get their temperature” on the situation and funding.
Billick suggested the RTA approve the expenditure at the November 15 meeting “to provide leadership for that extra required service. It helps move away from cars and helps citizens in that lower socio-economic group. I see it as a critical service. It’s a more powerful statement to let Chaffee County know we’re in already and we’re definitely in if they are on board.”
“I agree that we can be right, or we can be happy,” said Puckett Daniels. “I’d rather be happy.”
Smith reiterated concern that the subsidy will be expected to continue once the precedent is set.
“I agree but it’s a service we need,” said RTA chair Matt Schwartz. “I also would like us to have the Montrose service as well. It would definitely be used by Gunnison residents.”
The board voted unanimously to allocate the $71,000 for the Crested Butte to Denver service that would hopefully start May 1. As approved, the expenditure is contingent upon a financial match from Chaffee County.
