| Following an initial email contact, Bob Wilson answered all my questions over the phone. Answers are based on notes and may not be word for word.
Question: As more and more people take transit, RTD is facing a funding gap. What ideas do you have for raising more money for bus and train service within the metro Denver area?
Bob Wilson: RTD should seek construction grants from the state and federal government to complete FasTracks as well as grants to replace buses. We will probably have to go back to the voters to ask for funds to complete the project.
Question: What are three things you think RTD does well?
Bob Wilson: 1. RTD provides a good base system for the one-third of Denver's residents who cannot drive. This includes a good paratransit system. 2. RTD is good at saving energy and sustainability, and they are getting better. c. RTD builds most projects on time and under budget.
Question: What are three things you think RTD needs to improve?
Bob Wilson: 1. Communications. 2. How RTD obtains support from the public. 3. RTD needs to widen its sources of funding.
I sent an email to Lorraine Anderson with the same questions that I asked Bob Wilson. Here is her unedited email response.
Lorraine Anderson: The information that I received through RTD is that ridership has fallen by approximately a million trips since 2008. To me, that means that fewer people are working and needing to commute to jobs. Consequently, the system is not working as efficiently as when there were more riders. I do know that RTD has tried to cut service on the least used routes and times.
At this point, RTD gets its funding through Sales Tax receipts and fare box returns. Since the economy is relatively flat, there is a shortfall of funding. Fare box recovery is only about 30 percent of the total cost of operations. There is a tiny bit of revenue received by advertising.
Certainly a more robust economy would provide more revenue, riders and better prospects for providing improved service. If I am elected, I will work with the board to find more efficiencies in operation that try to provide better service for all riders. Perhaps it would be to work with the employers, service providers, and riders to find better ways to schedule trips and service. Pursuing Grants is also a way to improve service. I do know that RTD does do that.
I would work with the State Legislature to make sure that State mandates are not making it harder for RTD to operate more efficiently. Certainly, the Board must find other ways to fund operations to keep from being forced into cutting service and raising fares. |
