RTD directors are set to vote Tuesday evening on sweeping changes to the agency’s widely used Access-on-Demand service, which provides curb-to-curb rides for people with disabilities.
Why it matters: Disability advocates and dozens of state lawmakers warn the changes would gut what many call a lifeline — not a luxury.
The big picture: The proposal, which comes after more than a year of debate, would add a $6.50 fare (up from $0), lower the maximum subsidy per ride from $25 to $20, and end 24/7 service.
- Access-on-Demand provides users 60 monthly rides from services like Uber and Lyft.
What they’re saying: The changes are necessary to rein in costs and ensure the program’s survival, RTD CEO Debra Johnson contends.
- “Subsidizing the entire cost of the fare … created great demand” and is “unsustainable,” Johnson said in a statement to the Denver Post.
Between the lines: The proposal comes less than a year after 79.5% of Denver-area voters approved a measure to let RTD permanently keep all sales tax revenue above TABOR limits — with an explicit promise of “maintaining the availability of services for people with disabilities.”…