Montbello Connector Microtransit Pilot
The City and County of Denver is piloting a free ride share program that Montbello residents can use to commute to local neighborhood destinations and transit stations.
Riders should download the Montbello Connector mobile app to request rides using their smart phone or call 720-868-0560 to request rides in English and Spanish. For Montbello Connector app support, please take the short survey below.
All rides will be free and available weekdays from 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. with on-demand trips anywhere in Montbello and/or between the Peoria Rail Station and the neighborhood. The area included in the ride share pilot is shown in blue on the map below. The service will utilize three vehicles: a wheelchair accessible van, a plug-in hybrid minivan and an all-electric sedan, the latter of which was purchased with money from the city’s new Climate Protection Fund.
Map subject to changes
Montbello Connector Microtransit Service
In September 2020, the City and County of Denver initiated a planning study to discover where a neighborhood transit service should be operated to serve community needs and improve mobility for its residents. Following a thorough review backed by community engagement and in coordination with RTD, Denver chose Montbello.
As part of that process, we led several meetings with stakeholders as well as RTD to better understand what was important to the community when it comes to public transportation. What we learned is that a ride share program could fill transportation needs of youth, older adults, and people who don’t own vehicles in this community.
This pilot will run for 12 months and will help inform DOTI's future efforts to provide local transit services to Denver's residents and visitors. This ride share service aims to make it easier for residents in Montbello to reach neighborhood destinations and connect to regional transit services provided by RTD.
Ride share minivan
Photo Credit: DOTI
Downloading the Montbello Connector mobile app
Photo Credit: Matt Draper
Giving a tour of the ride share vehicle
Photo Credit: Matt Draper
Mayor Michael B. Hancock and Councilwoman Gilmore
Photo Credit: Matt Draper
Hancock, Gilmore and community members sit inside
Photo Credit: Matt Draper
Ride share ADA accessible vehicle
Photo Credit: Matt Draper
Videos
How-To Video (Español)
What is Microtransit?
Microtransit is defined as: "a privately or publicly operated, technology-enabled transit service that typically uses multi-passenger/pooled shuttles or vans to provide on-demand or fixed-schedule services with either dynamic or fixed routing."
This means that microtransit vehicles are often smaller than full sized buses, use an app-based or call-in reservation system for on-demand trips and often serve a smaller geographic area vs. regional fixed-route transit.
Timeline of Events
Recent History of Denver Transit Service Development
- October 2018 – Denver partners with Transportation Management Agency (TMA), Transportation Solutions and Chariot, a private microtransit service provider to launch a pilot of ‘City Shuttle’, a free-to-ride City transit service between downtown and the Cherry Creek area to help service, retail, and hospitality workers with the commutes.
- January 2019 – Denver Adopts its First Major Transit Plan, ‘Denver Moves: Transit’. This first of its kind study recommends development of a Citywide frequent transit network as well as to ‘conduct pilot programs in partnership with on-demand/ shared-ride service providers to supplement RTD service’.
- November 2019 – Denver residents vote to create a City Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI), which will act as a modern agency focused on increasing mobility and safety while reducing congestion and fighting climate change.
- September 2020 – The City and County of Denver kicks off a planning study to lead to a community based pilot service as a follow up to the City Shuttle.
- October 2021 – The City and County of Denver launches pilot ride share service that Montbello residents can use to commute to local neighborhood destinations.
2021/2022 Holiday Service Closures
There will be no service on the following days:
- New Year's Day (January 1, 2022)
- 4th of July (July 4, 2022)
- Thanksgiving (November 24, 2022)
- Christmas (December 25, 2022)
- New Year's Day (January 1, 2023)