YOUR AD HERE »

With nearly half-full Snowstangs, CDOT says bus service to ski areas has been a success so far

About 40% of riders have been from out-of-town

John Meyer
The Denver Post
The buses carry 51 passengers that are climate controlled that have Wi-Fi access, a restroom and USB and power outlets. Tickets are $25 for Loveland and Arapahoe Basin, $40 to Steamboat.
Andy Cross / The Denver Post

As the Colorado Department of Transportation prepares to run additional “Snowstang” buses on Martin Luther King Day to augment its regular weekend service, officials say the program has been successful so far in its first season of operation.

CDOT says the service is meeting its goal to cover 40% of its costs through rider fares. The rest of the cost for the service is being subsidized by the ski areas involved: Arapahoe Basin, Loveland and Steamboat.

The 51-seat buses to Loveland and A-Basin have been running 49% full, according to CDOT. Steamboat buses are running 30% full, exceeding CDOT’s expectation of 25%. And it turns out 40% of the riders are out-of-state or international tourists.



“The cooperative funding by Arapahoe Basin, Loveland Ski Area, Steamboat Resort and the Town of Steamboat means the no-net-cost to taxpayer goal is also being met,” said David Krutsinger, CDOT director of transit and rail. “This is a remarkable achievement.”

CDOT spokesman Bob Wilson said discussions will be held soon to decide whether a separate pilot program — which ran buses from Denver to Estes Park a few weeks last summer and fall — will be made permanent.



Read more via The Denver Post.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible.

Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.