CDOT’s Bustang service hits the road

Colorado’s first state-owned bus service is open for business.

Bustang makes seven round trips per day from Colorado Springs to Denver. Buses also travel to and from Denver, Fort Collin and Glenwood Springs.

“They have a whole bunch of buses taking off pretty early in the morning and I could get to work around 8 o’clock,” said Branston Dibrell, who commutes from Colorado Springs to Denver for work.

Dibrell used to commute to work using the Front Range Express, or FREX, shuttle. The service shut down in 2012.

“Ever since then, I’ve been driving,” Dibrell said. “Even though I get there faster, the wear and tear on my car has been a big negative.”

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said FREX cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. Bustang is state-funded, which allows Colorado Springs to spend money elsewhere.

“That became, frankly, too expensive for us. It was detracting from our other transit operations,” Suthers said. “This system allows Colorado Springs to retain the money we were previously spending and apply it to our local transit system.”

The Colorado Department of Transportation owns and operates Bustang with the goal of responding to demand for reliable, alternative transportation.

The coach-style bus is handicap accessible and offers Wi-Fi, electrical outlets and a bike rack for commuters.

Bustang is giving commuters more traveling options.

“I’m going to try to do some work on the bus and see how the Wi-Fi works,” Dibrell said. “I can also catch up on some sleep on the bus.”

For more information on Bustang pricing and scheduling, click here.