CDOT's Bustang Outrider Extends Free Fares for Trinidad to Pueblo Route

Trinidad — The Colorado Department of Transportation’s new Bustang Outrider Trinidad to Pueblo route will extend free fares until August 31. CDOT and the route operator, the South Central Council of Governments (SCCOG), had planned to offer free rides through May, but now passengers will have the opportunity to ride free through August. Fares on the Trinidad to Pueblo route will begin on September 1.

"We are very happy with the success of the Trinidad to Pueblo route and are encouraged by the positive response from passengers,” said Kay Kelly, the CDOT’s Chief of Innovative Mobility. “By providing complimentary rides throughout the summer, our goal is to offer even more southern Coloradans the opportunity to experience our bus service and assess it as a long-term transportation option.”

“We are seeing the benefits of our new service based on our current ridership,” said SCCOG’s Transit Director, Aaron Lopez. “As of May 31, we have had 50 operational days and a total ridership of 277 riders. We are excited to continue the momentum of this route throughout the summer and offer this invaluable service to our passengers.”

The Trinidad to Pueblo route bridges a transportation gap for Coloradans south of Pueblo. Passengers can travel from Trinidad to Pueblo — with stops in Aguilar, Walsenburg and Colorado City — and use Outrider’s current network of services to make statewide connections for essential needs and recreational opportunities.

The Trinidad-Pueblo route operates on weekdays, offering two daily round trips. Passengers can purchase tickets for the route using the Outrider mobile app or with exact cash when boarding the bus. Seniors (65 years and older), children ages 2 to 11, and disabled individuals are eligible for half-price fares. Caretakers for disabled individuals and children under 2 years old can ride for free. The payment model for this route will be consistent with other Outrider routes, with prices set at 17 cents per mile. One-way trip prices for the Trinidad-Pueblo route are as follows:

• Trinidad-Pueblo ($15)
• Trinidad-Colorado City ($11)
• Trinidad-Walsenburg ($7)
• Trinidad-Aguilar ($4)

Outrider services eight routes: Gunnison-Denver, Alamosa-Pueblo, Lamar-Colorado Springs, Durango-Grand Junction, Sterling-Greeley/Sterling-Denver, Telluride-Grand Junction, Craig-Denver and now Trinidad-Pueblo.

About Bustang Outrider

Learn more about Bustang Outrider routes, maps, schedules, purchasing tickets and more at ridebustang.com. Follow service alerts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @RideBustang. Riders can purchase tickets through the Bustang Outrider mobile app that is available to download from Google Play and the App Store or pay when boarding the bus using exact cash only (no bills larger than $20). Passengers can purchase tickets on all buses from each Park-n-Ride that Bustang Outrider services. To sign up for Outride text alerts, visit RideBustang.com/Text-Outrider or text “OUTRIDER” to 833-711-0252.