New Bustang service prepares to hit the road

Colorado’s first-ever state-owned bus service is almost ready to hit the road.

The new Bustang goes into service next month in the Pikes Peak region. It offers rides from Colorado Springs to Denver, Fort Collins and Glenwood Springs.

It’s the first bus system to be fully operated by the Colorado Department of Transportation and funded by the state. The coach-style bus is handicap accessible and offers Wi-Fi, electrical outlets and a bike rack for commuters.

“This is such a needed asset for our community, and we’re so excited to be on the route,” said Colorado Springs City Council member Jill Gaebler.

Gaebler pointed out that the old city-run shuttle service to Denver, FREX, was difficult to fund.

“We just really couldn’t, as a community, afford to pay for that,” Gaebler said. “The new Bustang is funded through faster funds through the state of Colorado, so that just provides a better option for our community and for the whole state of Colorado.”

Gaebler and other city and community leaders got a sneak preview of the Bustang on Thursday, riding from Interstate 25 and Woodmen to Monument.

“Coloradans have been telling us they needed this for a long time,” Michael Timlin, CDOT’s bus operations manager told KRDO NewsChannel 13.

The Bustang will begin operating on July 13. For more information on its schedule and pricing, click here.