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Carbondale hears reports of Downtowner app glitches and budgeted plan for a third vehicle in 2026
Summary
Town staff told the Latinx advisory board that a new regional 'Roaring Fork' app is rolling out and legacy 'Downtowner' service should remain available for a transition year; staff said trustees have budgeted an extra vehicle for 2026 to reduce long wait times, pending trustee approval and a contract with Downtowner.
Town staff described problems some riders have reported with the recently deployed regional transit app and outlined a near-term plan to increase local capacity.
An unidentified transit staff member said the new regional app, deployed Friday, is intended "to make it easier to use all of the downtown or services throughout the Roaring Fork Valley" and that the legacy Downtowner app would remain available for a year to help users transition. Residents reported being prompted to download the new app and, in some cases, seeing 'not available' messages even while vehicles were visible.
Staff said the contract standard shows an average wait time of about 20 minutes; they noted extreme waits recorded as high as 87 minutes. To address long waits, trustees have included an increase in service in the draft 2026 budget that would add a third vehicle during peak hours and run it year-round. Staff said the extra vehicle would initially prioritize park-and-ride trips to support regional bus rapid transit connections, with hours currently described as Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–10 p.m., and weekends 9 a.m.–10 p.m., and the third vehicle running weekdays roughly 1 p.m.–7 p.m.
The town also discussed funding. Staff said RFTA’s three-year micro-mobility grant covers about half of operating costs but will expire in 2027; local officials and boards will need to consider long-term funding options, including possible user fees or general-fund support. Trustees had also directed staff to hold off on charging fares locally until outcomes from neighboring Glenwood’s planned $1 pilot are clearer.
On rider data, staff said the new app will request minimal demographic details (age/birthdate) to produce aggregate ridership insights so the town can tailor service by user groups, not track individuals. Residents asked about school routing; staff said they avoided stopping at the high school during peak pickup/drop-off to prevent buses being delayed in school lines but would explore alternative bypass routing if feasible.
Staff said they will contact Downtowner to investigate app glitches and that, if trustees approve the budget next week, the town would execute a contract with Downtowner to operate the additional vehicle during peak periods.
