Glenwood Springs plans May 1 launch of on-demand microtransit with $1 pilot fare

Glenwood Springs officials told the City Council on March 20 that the city will launch a microtransit pilot on May 1 under the regional Ride Roaring Fork app, with a localized Glenwood subset.

City engineer Ryan Gordon said the pilot will roll out with four vehicles (two ADA-accessible), one transit van (11 seats) and one minivan (6 seats), with parking secured on city property. Initial hours will be Monday'Friday 7 a.m.'10 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m.'10 p.m. Gordon said the city will begin the service with a $1 fare and evaluate pricing after collecting ridership and cost data. Gordon explained there will be an option to pay cash and that drivers will log cash rides so the city can capture usage patterns.

Gordon described efforts to coordinate branding and outreach across the valley. The system will be part of a single regional app called Ride Roaring Fork with each community identified inside the app (the Glenwood service will be presented as a local subset). Staff said they are coordinating promotional outreach with the Chamber of Commerce, DDA and tourist board and will provide training materials and onboard information for users.

Councilors asked about equity and pricing (Councilor Sims asked whether the $1 would be per person or per ride; Gordon replied, “It's gonna be 1 ride per person”), vehicle wraps, and service area boundaries; staff said the service will cover the entire city, including West Glenwood neighborhoods, and will be open to visitors as well as residents.

What happens next: staff will return with biweekly updates as the launch date approaches and will continue outreach and materials production to ensure riders and businesses know how to use the app.