City Cast Denver logo
July 29, 2022

Will Free Bus Rides Clear Up Denver's Smog?

City Cast Denver

Will Free Bus Rides Clear Up Denver's Smog?

00:00:00
View all City Cast Denver episodes

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:


Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey Denver

Stay connected to City Cast Denver and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
June 4

Wanda James on Working for Barack Obama, Being Censured, and Running for Congress

Diana DeGette has been representing Denver in congress since 1997, winning reelection 14 times in nearly 30 years on the job. The 1st Con...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
June 3

Melat Kiros on Money in Politics, Antisemitism, and Her Run for Congress

Could Denver see a new face in congress in 2026? Diana DeGette has held the 1st Congressional District seat for nearly thirty years, hand...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
June 2

Will the Broncos Stadium Actually Get Built By 2030? Plus, AI Backlash in Englewood and Which Congressperson Snubbed Us?

Last week the City of Englewood shared a video about the work they are doing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. But the municipality was...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
June 1

Your Guide to June 2026 in Denver

The sun is out, and we’re ready to take a dip! From a cool way to rent a boat to the best spots to get in – or near – the water on a day...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
May 31

'Your City Could Be Better': How Chicago's Libraries Meet Community Needs — Presented By City Cast Denver

Where would Denver be without its libraries? Chicago is opening its 82nd public library branch in June, and loaning out books is just the...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
May 29

Gov. Polis is Trolling Again, Pattie Gonia vs Patagonia, and How to Be a Water Narc

Gov. Jared Polis has been the talk of the town since he commuted the sentence of noted 2020 election denier and former Mesa County clerk...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
May 28

What Are Colorado's 'Unlikeliest' Places to Find Love? Plus, Denver's Tapas Moment

From Chef Theo Adley’s French-inspired small plates at Heretíc to Johnny Curiel's Spanish bistro bites at Mar Bella Boqueria, tapas are h...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
May 27

Has DIA Finally Fixed Its Delayed Train Problem? Plus, the Fight for Police Reform in Aurora

The family of Kilyn Lewis – a 37 year-old unarmed Black man shot and killed by Aurora police in 2024 – filed another lawsuit against the...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
May 26

2026's Precarious Peach Crop, Immigrant Visa Issues, and More Insider Farmers Market Facts

A warm winter combined with late-spring cold snaps and ongoing drought concerns are impacting Colorado growers across the state. But what...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art
May 22

Unsheltered Homelessness Drops, Denver Wildfire Concerns, and Was Casa Bonita a $50M Mistake?

Are wildfires a threat Denverites should be worried about? After the urban devastation the Front Range experienced with the Marshall Fire...

City Cast Denver podcast episode art