Subregional Service Councils

In response to recommendations from the RTD Accountability Committee, RTD created the Subregional Service Councils to provide feedback from a local perspective and generate ongoing dialogue regarding transit service.

Subregional Service Council Formation

In 2022, RTD convened a working group of external stakeholders to advise the agency on how to implement a recommendation from the Accountability Committee to create Subregional Service Councils (SSCs) to provide additional input to RTD on the service provided by the agency. The working group was made up of one individual from each county in the region, representatives from various non-governmental organizations, and the Denver Regional Council of Governments.

This working group recommended the membership, boundaries, and role of the SSCs. The SSCs are comprised of staff from cities and counties, as well as Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) and non-governmental organizations. The working group determined that a “travel-shed” boundary model would best suit the region’s needs, as these areas were large enough to account for connections between communities, but small enough to still represent local interests. An interactive map of the SSC boundaries can be found here. The group determined that the SSCs should meet three to four times per year to provide additional input to RTD on changes occurring locally, and how service could be improved to better serve RTD customers.

Map

Subregional Service Councils and the Partnership Program

The SSCs have a critical role in RTD’s new Partnership Program. The Partnership Program helps communities meet local mobility needs. The program has a dedicated annual budget to support partnership projects and a standard process for intake and evaluation. As part of this process, SSCs will have ongoing dialogue about projects that would help meet local mobility needs.

Subregional Service Councils and Service Changes

One regular discussion topic that will occur during the SSCs is an information exchange regarding upcoming service changes. RTD Service Planners provide information on proposed route and frequency changes and SSC members share news on upcoming residential and commercial developments in their communities. SSC members can also voice how the proposed service changes might impact transit-dependent communities.

The intent of the SSCs is not to immediately influence service for an upcoming run board, but rather to take a longer-term view of the transit needs across the district.

Membership

The five SSCs include representatives from: