The COVID-19 pandemic has kept businesses closed, employees working and students learning from home and Fort Collins Transfort buses nearly empty. As a result of an 83% decrease in ridership, and to protect the health of Transfort employees and the public, effective Saturday, April 18, several routes will be temporarily eliminated, and service on others limited.
Temporarily suspended routes include: 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 31, 32, 33, FLEX and Around the Horn. Routes that will continue on a limited schedule include: 2, 3, 5, 8, 14, 16, 18, 81 and MAX.
Aaron Fodge, Colorado State University alternative transportation manager, said Routes 2 and 3 will still stop at the CSU Transit Center, providing access to the main campus for essential employees.
Bus service to the Foothills Campus will temporarily be available only on Route 2, which stops at the southeast corner of the campus at West Elizabeth Street and Overland Trail. MAX will continue to run on a limited schedule to access Foothills Campus.
No Sunday service on fixed routes
Transfort officials said the temporary service levels will resemble current Sunday service levels with the exception of routes that are essential. The service decrease includes modifying the hours of operation to begin at approximately 6:20 a.m. and end at 7:26 p.m. and suspending all fixed route service on Sundays, allowing a full day for employees to deep clean buses. “Transfort is closely evaluating direction given by the CDC, state and local officials to ensure we are implementing the latest protocols,” said Kaley Zeisel, capital asset and grant compliance manager at Transfort.
The suspension of the FLEX route that runs between Fort Collins, Longmont and Boulder is in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to “avoid travel between communities,” according to Transfort officials. The Poudre Express commuter bus that connects Fort Collins and Greeley was suspended on March 26.
Taxi service available
To ensure that residents in need can still access essential services, Transfort is offering a taxi service option with service provided by Transfort, Dial-A-Ride and zTrip. Customers can schedule a trip from a bus stop along the route that is suspended to another linked bus stop or transit center. There will be no fare associated with these taxi trips at this time. Although no buses will be running, those who wish to use the taxi service on Sundays could be picked up and dropped off at any bus stop in the system, Zeisel said.
The taxi service will be available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Taxi trips must be scheduled the same day the trip will be taken and can be scheduled by calling (970) 225-4831. Call center hours are Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The taxi service will not be available on the FLEX route.
For up-to-date route information and bus schedules, visit http://www.ridetransfort.com/
