The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) begins its summer schedule Saturday, as well as its ban on open containers on its buses.
Kurt Ravenschlag, RFTA’s Chief Operating Officer, said 2017 wasn't a great year for behavior on RFTA's buses.
"We had a handful of assaults on bus operators, we saw an increase of fights on-board buses," he said.
In many cases, alcohol was involved. RFTA never officially allowed alcohol consumption on its buses. It just didn’t enforce any rule against it. Ravenshlag said RFTA will be focusing on education right off the bat and he thinks riders will comply. Bus drivers have been trained to let riders know the new policy but Ravenslag is clear that drivers aren’t supposed to become the “alcohol police.”
Regarding the summer schedule: BRT buses will start running seven days a week, with higher frequency on the weekdays.
The Carbondale Circulator bus will also start running on the weekends again. The bus to the Maroon Bells starts and runs through the beginning of October. The road is closed to cars during the day.
