Will Free Bus Rides Clear Up Denver's Smog?
It’s been all over the news: RTD is going FARE-FREE for the entire month of August! Our elected officials pushed for the transit agency to adopt a month of no-cost rides in an effort to combat Denver’s chronic smog problem. But the move also comes as the metro area grapples with a decades-old traffic congestion issue that many think could be solved if car drivers would just fundamentally change everything they know about their own transit habits. Today on the show, producer (and bike-loving) Paul Karolyi sits down with host (and unabashed single-occupant car driver) Bree Davies and special guest, retired public radio heavyweight (and public transit lifer) Jo Ann Allen to get deep on RTD.
Don’t miss Jo Ann’s new column for the Denver Post! The first one is out now, and it’s all about Black generational wealth. We are also delighted to recommend Jo Ann’s podcast, Been There Done That!
Paul mentioned a couple of articles about RTD’s month of free fares: this one from the Washington Post profiling a Denver bus driver, and this one from friend of the show Nate Minor for CPR about the time RTD offered free fares in the 70s.
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? We’ve got you covered in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Follow us on Twitter! @citycastdenver
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
- Control Group Productions presents THE END
- How to Buy a Home podcast
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Denver and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Republicans for Weiser, Colorado and the Blue Wave, and the Evans-Rutinel Showdown
President Donald Trump’s approval rating is at record low, and there are close elections happening across the country this November – cou...
Is Colorado About to Hike Taxes on the Rich? Your Guide to 87, 136 and Prop. NN
Colorado’s midterm election ballots are packed with big decisions for voters, including two competing taxation measures. Dr. Paul Teske,...
How the Broncos Are Buying Up Land for a New Stadium
Ever since Mayor Mike Johnston was inaugurated in 2023, he’s made a priority of both keeping the Broncos in Denver, but also working with...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: Why Salt Lakers are Adopting Storm Drains — Presented By City Cast Denver
How much ownership or responsibility do you feel as a resident of Denver? In Salt Lake City, people are being asked to “adopt a storm dra...
City Council’s Controversial Votes, a Crowded Race on a Crowded Ballot, and Green Chile Season!
There are ten candidates in the running to fill the vacant at-large city council position. With less than three weeks until election day...
The Politics of Swiping Left or Right, Spooky Season Recs, and the Rise of Vegan Restaurants
Are politics creating a division in Denver’s dating scene? Or are lovers on opposite sides of the political spectrum just really good at...
What's the Denver-est Halloween Costume of 2026? Plus, Your Takes on Compost, Pizza, and Denver's Unwritten Rules
Host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love are opening up the mailbag to hear from you, our dear listeners. We’re sharing your idea...
CoCo Ballot Blame Game, Victor Marx's Scandal Streak, and the Viral Punch at DIA
There’s a measure on this November’s ballot that would create a sales tax to support the proposed Front Range Passenger Rail, but around...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: A St. Paul Cell Phone Ban Teens Might Actually Like — Presented By City Cast Denver
Another Denver school year has begun — how are cell phones being handled? In Minnesota, one high school is demonstrating that a strict no...
A Cheesy New Ethics Complaint at DIA, CoCo Vote Veers Off Course, and Denver's Best PSL
It might not feel like it, but we are, actually, in the fall season! Contributor Michelle Jackson joins producer Olivia Jewell Love to ch...