In an effort to support multimodal transportation in community oriented housing, eGo CarShare has partnered with housing cooperatives around Boulder to offer them discounted carsharing memberships and rates. Participating houses purchase a group deal at a reduced rate, which then enables all members of the co-op to receive a carshare membership. Some of the co-ops such as Masala, Chrysalis, and Ostara, are part of the Boulder Housing Coalition (BHC), a nonprofit, community housing-development organization; other participating co-ops are independent. eGo CarShare put a car on-site at Ostara in late 2014 and has now worked to bring a discounted deal to other co-ops in the areas well. The idea behind the partnership is to advance eGo CarShare’s mission of promoting alternatives to individual car usage, thereby reducing the social and environmental impacts of motor vehicle use, and to support co-ops by offering affordable alternative transit options that reduce their transportation impact, and save co-op members money.

The discounted carshare program is part of a comprehensive effort by Boulder co-ops to reduce their impact on parking and traffic in the community. Co-ops often struggle with Boulder’s rules and regulations regarding housing, including the occupancy ordinance which states that no more than three unrelated people can live together in a house or apartment. Parking and setback requirements also impact the ability to develop more cooperative housing. Affordable carsharing, which allows members to have another mobility option in addition to walking, biking, and transit, without needing their own personal vehicles, is a win for everybody.

Says Zane Selvans, a BHC board member and chair of Boulder’s Transportation Advisory Board, who lives at the Masala co-op, “We want to participate in carsharing not only for affordability and sustainability reasons, but also to be good neighbors. Parking and traffic impacts are one of the main complaints we come up against when we’re trying to make new or legalize existing co-ops, so we are actively seeking solutions to mitigate those impacts.”

Toyota Prius C Hybrid On-site at Ostara Co-op

Cooperative housing is a great addition to the Boulder landscape. It provides affordable housing, reduced environmental impact, and an emphasis on community. eGo CarShare, Colorado’s only local and nonprofit carsharing service, is uniquely able to partner with such institutions to provide excellent discounted rates to meet the needs of local residents and organizations such as Boulder’s co-ops.

If you live in a cooperative housing situation and are interested in participating, or to learn more about the carshare co-op program, please contact Alexis Bullen at [email protected] or 303-720-1185 x4.

RTD is requesting public input on a proposed service plan for US 36 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) between Boulder and Denver, which will be implemented in early 2016 – and on the results of their Fare Study to restructure fares District-wide.

Per our annual member survey data we know that over 80% of eGo CarShare members use the RTD transit system on a regular basis, so we encourage you to stay informed about RTD’s proposed service and fare changes which would take effect January 1, 2016. To get involved please review the info and links below and then ATTEND one of the upcoming public meetings throughout the Metro area to make your voice heard. NOW is the time to give your input to RTD about this important and impactful issue. Having an affordable, robust, and equitable transit system is essential to meeting our community’s sustainability and equity goals.

We applaud RTD for listening to, and incorporating, public input into this process. RTD staff and board members ARE listening, so it’s up to us to make our voices heard so they will know how the fares should be structured to best meet the needs of ALL riders. We should all recognize that fares will need to be set within the context of certain fiscal constraints to ensure RTD remains financially solvent, but your input will help ensure that RTD’s new fare structure and pricing will meet the public’s needs.

We strongly encourage you to attend a public hearing, but if you can’t make it to any of the meeting dates you can submit written comments about these issues to RTD. Send an e-mail (by April 8, 2015) to [email protected], and also Cc your RTD Director. Don’t know who your RTD representative is? Lookup your Director here.

2016 Proposed Fare Changes

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Fare Changes Public Meetings (partial list):

Denver: Wed, March 25 at Noon, and Wed, April 8 at 6:30pm, RTD Offices, 1600 Blake Street

Longmont: Wed, April 1 at 6:30pm, Longmont Public Library

Boulder: Monday, April 6 at 6 p.m., Boulder Public Library

Check the complete list of public meetings to find the one nearest you.

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Primary Concerns/Recommendations:

Concern: The proposed changes to both the fare structure and fees are very significant and therefore are worthy of careful contemplation. Currently RTD staff have set a very aggressive timeline to make it through this public input process. Public input sessions end on April 8^th, and the RTD board is slated to vote on whether or not to adopt the staff recommendations on April 21^st. Eight (8) business days is not enough time to allow staff to thoughtfully consolidate and reflect upon the input they will receive during all 16 fare study public hearings.

Recommendation: Ask RTD to take at least one more month to thoughtfully consider and incorporate all public input they receive throughout March and April before they present their final proposal to the RTD board.

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Concern: Significant fare increases (10-32%) will make transit unaffordable for many low-income riders.

Recommendation: Offer a 50% discounted fare for riders with incomes of $35,000 or less. Check out the novel affordable fare program Seattle (King County) just instituted!

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Concern: Currently the monthly Local Pass price is $79; RTD is proposing to increase it to $104 – this is a 32% increase! 53% of weekday bus passengers are “transit dependent” due to not owning a vehicle (because of having a mental or physical disability that prevented operating a vehicle, or not having a valid driver’s license). Meanwhile only 25% of light rail riders are “transit dependent” and RTD is proposing to decrease the majority of light rail fares by 35-48%. These proposed changes raise very significant equity concerns. Low-income riders will be hit much harder by these proposed fare increases than mid-to-high income riders.

Recommendation: Institute a 50% discounted fare for low-income riders and keep the monthly pass fare increases in step with the other fare increases. To keep them at a 12% increase they should be priced at:

                                         Local = $88; Express = $153; Regional = $187.

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Concern: RTD is still working on getting their SmartCard system to be fully functional. Without functions such as “accumulator” functionality, the boarding and payment process will be very time intensive and prone to error.

Recommendation: Ask RTD to prioritize the effort to make their SmartCards smart! Advances in their SmartCard and Prepaid fare card system would solve a lot of issues. It would significantly cut down on boarding times as it would eliminate the need for prepaid card users to be issued a “Day Pass” from the driver when they board, and it would reduce the chances of riders being overcharged for trips. Ask RTD to make technology improvements a priority now so the SmartCard technology is fully functional as of January 1, 2016 – when the fare changes go into effect.

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Proposed US 36 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Service Plan Meetings:

Boulder: Monday, March 16 at 6 p.m., Boulder Public Library

Denver: Monday, April 13 at Noon, RTD Offices, 1600 Blake Street

Click here for a complete list of meetings about the US 36 BRT.

Highlights about the US 36 BRT “Flatiron Flyer” proposed service plan:

What we like about RTD’s current proposal:

• Offering the BV (All-Station stops route) at a local $2.60 fare. The Express route (with minimal stops) would be $5.50 one-way.
• Increased frequency of 15-minute All-Station service mid-day and 10-minute Express route frequency during peak commute times.

The City of Boulder, in partnership with the US 36 Mayors and Commissioners Coalition (MCC) and 36 Commuting Solutions, has reviewed RTD’s proposed changes and has provided their recommendations.

Summary Concerns/Recommendations:

Concerns:

• The US 36 corridor is not receiving an equitable share of FasTracks investment dollars. Disproportionately more funding is being spent on other FasTracks corridors.
• The US 36 Bus Rapid Transit service plan includes reductions in trip frequency and the elimination of some existing service in Boulder.
• As currently proposed, Mid-day Express service between Downtown Boulder and Denver Union Station would be eliminated. Additionally the Express route would not make stops along the CU campus in Boulder, thus requiring CU riders to make a transfer in order to travel between CU and Denver. The Express “Flatiron Flyer” bus to and from Denver (as currently proposed) would only stop at the Transit Center and Table Mesa.
• The new buses serving the US 36 corridor will carry fewer bicycles.

Recommendations:

• We believe the corridor deserves operational support from RTD similar to the FasTracks funded light rail corridors in Denver, especially given the substantial level of public investment in the managed lanes.
• Retain mid-day Express service along the corridor and include stops at CU and the Hill. In particular an Express route stop should be included on Broadway at 16^th Street, as that stop was specifically enlarged a few years ago as part of the City’s “FasTracks Local Optimization” initiative to make room for the additional (and larger) BRT vehicles.
• Incorporate other recommendations provided by the US 36 MCC and 36 Commuting Solutions.

As 2014 comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to thank our amazing sponsors. Our sponsors put their money where their community is by sponsoring our carshare program, and exposing their organizations to our members and the surrounding community. We have been proud to partner with each of these locally based organizations and true leaders in their industries.

Thank you!

Downtown Boulder, Incorporated (DBI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the continued preservation and enhancement of Downtown Boulder as the heart of the greater Boulder community. DBI works to maintain downtown as the center of commerce, government, culture, and leisure. DBI members support the overall vitality of downtown through public advocacy, political involvement, and community events that enhance the Boulder experience for residents and visitors. Membership in DBI is voluntary, and open to any interested person or organization.

Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa, located just outside of Winter Park,  is a highly regarded and environmentally friendly year-round Ranch resort and spa offering rustically upscale accommodations, fine dining and an array of winter and summer outdoor and wilderness recreation activities. Make your reservation for Devil’s Thumb Ranch today and come experience what everyone is raving about!

Namasté Solar a Sunpower Elite Dealer, offers solar PV solutions for residential and commercial customers. Flexible financing options are available, including no money down and 12 months no payments, no interest. Namasté Solar’s unique, values-based business model includes employee ownership, democratic decision-making, community collaboration, open communication, an innovative solar grant program, zero-waste initiatives, and holistic profit measurement. Committed to positive social change, Namasté Solar prioritizes “doing the right thing” above all else for all stakeholders.

Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Inc., has been passionate about baking better breads for families for more than 35 years. Founded and headquartered in Boulder, Colo., Rudi’s Organic Bakery is the only nationally available brand offering a full line of nutritious and delicious, certified organic breads and baked goods. Rudi’s Organic is committed to baking breads using only the best organic ingredients and no artificial additives, preservatives and GMOs. In 2010, they created Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery, a line of gluten-free breads and baked goods made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients so that each bite tastes like the real thing. Rudi’s Organic and Rudi’s Gluten-Free products are available nationally at natural foods stores and select mainstream supermarkets.

The W. W. Reynolds Companies, Inc., is a commercial real estate development, leasing and professional property management firm located in downtown Boulder that currently owns, manages and leases over 3 million square feet of commercial office, retail and industrial property along the Colorado front range. Committed to growth through responsible development and sustainable practices, W. W. Reynolds is proud to be a sponsor of eGo CarShare!  For leasing information, please contact Chad Henry or Nate Litsey at 303.442.8687.

Find our how you can be a sponsor or partner with eGo CarShare today!  Contact: Karen Worminghaus at [email protected] or 303-720-1185 x 5.

Do you have an Eco Pass? Do you appreciate and value the freedom and mobility it provides for you? If so, please consider giving the gift of transportation to a local, low-income family this holiday season. Schedule your donation TODAY!

Did you know transportation is the second largest expense, after housing, for most people? Even in car-free households, families spend a large portion of their income getting around. Sometimes this cost makes it nearly impossible to access a job or to attend a child’s school play. As we looked around our community we saw amazing organizations making big impacts addressing people’s housing needs, and realized that we could help with people’s transportation needs. So we applied and were awarded a grant through the Denver Regional Council of Governments to offer a ‘Transportation Toolkit” to residents living in specific Boulder Housing Partners, Denver Housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity homes in Boulder and Denver. This toolkit includes deep subsidies for annual RTD transit passes (primarily through the Neighborhood Eco pass program), access and discounts to eGo CarShare, and free or subsidized B-cycle memberships. This grant requires a 17% local match however. We were grateful to receive matching funding from Mile High Connects and The Denver Foundation in 2014, but for 2015 we will need your help!

“To have the NECO pass is a massive blessing as it assures I will always have transportation for getting food, medical help etc.  Additionally it saves a tremendous amount of money that I can now use for basic living needs that I would not have had otherwise.  It is just a tremendous blessing.”  – Noel Taylor senior living in Tapiz at the Mariposa Development

This holiday season please consider sponsoring an annual transit pass for one of your neighbors! Below you will see the primary neighborhoods we are working in and how much eGo needs to meet the 17% match. Colorado Gives Day is Thursday, December 9th and we are asking that you make a contribution on this day. When donating enter in one of the amounts below (or another amount of your choosing) and specify which neighborhood (or specific resident) you would like it go towards in the comment section. Easy!

You can schedule your donation TODAY so you don’t have to worry about remembering to do it on December 9th.

A little about Colorado Gives Day: For the fifth year, Community First Foundation and FirstBank are partnering to present Colorado Gives Day on Tuesday, December 9, 2014. Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. This year, because of a new $1 Million Incentive Fund, every dollar you donate will be increased proportionally. That means if a nonprofit organization receives 10 percent of the total donations made on Colorado Gives Day, that same nonprofit will receive 10 percent of the $1 Million Incentive Fund!

See our website for more information about our Affordable Housing Transportation Toolkit program.