Are RTD buses commonly late and unreliable? (Denver, Lakewood: 2013, transfer to)

[BarryK123]

My daughter is at CU-Boulder. Seems that she frequently has problems with RTD buses not showing up, next one's 15 minutes late, etc. Then, she misses her connection, yada, yada. Is this standard operating procedure for RTD buses or is she just having some bad luck as a newbie bus rider?

Also, there seem to be discrepancies between the RTD web site and Google's route finder. For example, Google shows bus GS stopping at Broadway and 27th pnr, but the RTD site doesn't even show that as a stop. Am I missing something?

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by BarryK123

My daughter is at CU-Boulder. Seems that she frequently has problems with RTD buses not showing up, next one's 15 minutes late, etc. Then, she misses her connection, yada, yada. Is this standard operating procedure for RTD buses or is she just having some bad luck as a newbie bus rider?

Also, there seem to be discrepancies between the RTD web site and Google's route finder. For example, Google shows bus GS stopping at Broadway and 27th pnr, but the RTD site doesn't even show that as a stop. Am I missing something?

From my experience with using the buses, they are consistently on time, especially regional buses because they have less stops. I am a frequent public transit user and have been all over the system, on different buses, for many decades.

The GS bus which you are having problems runs from Boulder to Golden and to Federal Center and Cold Springs Park n' Ride.

I have examined the schedules and there is no discrepancy. It is your understanding of the schedules. The schedules do not show all stops--they show times of arrival at selected stops along a route. So, the GS does not show the Broadway and 27th PNR.

That PNR does not have buses coming in and out, the PNR is serviced by the stops along Broadway. The Northbound stop is in front of the PNR but the southbound is across the street, in front of the Commerce Labs. These are stops, with shelters, for regional routes, which have selected stops. GS services these stops.

The PDF map of GS will shop the 27th St. PNR as it shows the complete route map and this is a significant point along the route, but it will not show all stops.

The real up to date complete routes are on the interactive GIS map Denver | Interactive System Map on the rtd website http://www.rtd-denver.com/index.shtml
This will show you all stops and extensive information on the different map layers.

RTD also has a printed system map but that is only accurate as of the once a year printing and does not show changes. But the separate printed maps for each route are up to date with changes.

The problem you are seeing with Google is that that information comes from the GIS map and shows all stops. The schedules are again just time information for selected stops, not all stops, and are not generated for complete information. The printed PDF map gives the route but does not show all stops, but with the GS it does indicate this PNR. So, that accounts for the differences in information.

Livecontent

[BarryK123]

Thanks for the info.

As an example of the problems, last night she waited for one GS bus that just never showed up. The next one, scheduled 30 minutes later, was about 20 minutes late. Then, she needed to transfer to the 17 bus at the Cold Spring pnr in Lakewood, expecting to miss it as she had 18 minutes between the two, but it was also about 20 minutes late, so that part worked out.

[cowboyxjon]

Normally I would say that RTD buses are very consistent and usually on schedule, but I've been having problems with RTD ever since the most recent change (Aug 23rd?) where they tweak the schedules and change the bus drivers. I sometimes miss my connection from the 83L to the 79 even though I should have at least 10 minutes and other times I'm waiting at the corner of Leetsdale and Oneida for 20-30 minutes because the 79 is late. Everything ran smoothly prior to the latest shakeup.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by BarryK123

Thanks for the info.

As an example of the problems, last night she waited for one GS bus that just never showed up. The next one, scheduled 30 minutes later, was about 20 minutes late. Then, she needed to transfer to the 17 bus at the Cold Spring pnr in Lakewood, expecting to miss it as she had 18 minutes between the two, but it was also about 20 minutes late, so that part worked out.

Another option that will work out for your daughter is to go downtown from Cold Springs PNR to Market Street Station and take the Route B or Route BX, express, to Boulder.

Now that seems like the long way around but the B bus runs much more frequently to Boulder, day and night. In addition, you have many options to get downtown, very quickly, from Cold Springs. Cold Springs is the largest PNR and has much more buses. You could take the morning express buses to Market Street and return on them. There is the Route 16 and 16X west colfax; the airport bus AF to market street and even more buses. Of course, she has many options for return.

Your daughter will never have to wait long to go to/from Cold Springs. In addition the B and BX from Boulder goes back and forth very frequently. I know that because that is my main bus to downtown from the Westminster Center.

Also, in 2013 the west corridor rail, under fastracks, will open from Cold Springs to Downtown and that will give you more options.

I hope all this jargon helps. I have been taking these buses for years and sometimes the best route is not the most obvious.

Livecontent

[nelumbo]

I take the bus daily from that section of Boulder. There is usually a shakedown period at the start of the high school/college year, when traffic is abnormally bad, and the bus is later and slower than normal. This usually corrects by mid September. Buses are generally within 10 minutes of their scheduled time, unless there is bad weather (especially on longer routes).

When there is any snow, the bus(es) that I take become extremely unreliable, with buses going awol or showing up at least 40 minutes late. It is not uncommon for me to wait almost an hour for a bus that should come every 15 minutes when there is snow/ice - if the sidewalks are passable, I will usually walk the two miles on those days. Another less common problem that I have run into is over-capacity buses which will not stop to pick up more passengers - I'm ok with that on a frequent (less than 5-minute interval) bus route, but when it happens on a 30-minute interval bus, not so great.

As a long-time bus rider in this and other areas, I will add to livecontent's excellent advice that it is good to have maps/schedules on-hand (or memorized) for a variety of possible ways to reach your destination. Then you can adapt to changes in your schedule/location or traffic/route/bus related incidents a lot easier and with less frustration.