Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PikeRide usage spikes in December; board weighs Mountain Metro route changes
Summary
PikeRide reported a significant December spike attributed to holiday travel and weather, with hub growth noted at the Manitou Springs Library. Board members also discussed Mountain Metro: Route 3 will operate at no charge (with Manitou subsidies), and members urged restoration of stops removed from Route 33.
Staff presented month-by-month PikeRide data showing a marked increase in December ridership and hub activity. "You'll notice the massive spike that we had there in December... attributed to both the holiday and the unseasonable weather," James said, noting that 2025 starts and stops were higher than 2024 and that the Manitou Springs Library hub is gaining use.
James provided hub-level figures for Manitou: 1,556 starts and 1,695 ends, illustrating patterns of inbound and outbound trips and the role of external hubs such as Old Colorado City and Colorado Springs in shaping Manitou usage.
Mountain Metro updates followed. Board members welcomed Route 3 operating at "no charge" for users but asked staff and communicators to emphasize the subsidy structure rather than the word "free." One board member explained, "it's not really free... Manitou was kicking in one-third of the cost and the Colorado Springs parking enterprise is kicking in two-thirds." Members urged careful wording in public messaging.
Separately, Luke Prince raised concerns that recent Route 33 changes removed some downtown stops, reducing access to the business district. He urged restoring stops or ensuring overlapping routes both stop at downtown stops: "If there's going to be a route stop, make both buses overlap and make both buses stop."
Staff said Mountain Metro data for the month were delayed due to technical issues and expected to provide missing reports at a future meeting.
