DENVER (KDVR) — A sweeping new national study is revealing just how widespread open drug use has become on public transit systems across North America — and Denver’s Regional Transportation District was one of only five agencies selected to participate.
Released by the research group Leading Mobility, the report found that substance use on buses, trains, and platforms is not isolated to any single city but is a “system-wide issue” affecting transit systems from Portland to Philadelphia.
Researchers say agencies are increasingly facing “mission creep” as they are expected to address issues like homelessness, mental health crises, and addiction — challenges they were never designed to manage alone.
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“At the end of the day, we’re a transportation service … we need support when it comes to mental health, when it comes to substance use, when it comes to individuals who are shelter-in-place — those are things that are beyond the transit agency,” said David Cooper, the study lead.
RTD: Findings are already shaping safety strategy
RTD officials tell FOX31 the study is influencing how they deploy resources. According to the agency, reports of open drug use submitted through its Transit Watch app have dropped every year since 2023, though more than 700 reports have still been filed in 2025…