City of Rifle

A RFTA bus is parked near the Rubey Park Transit Center in downtown Aspen.

Garfield County may fund Hogback bus route for one more year, but future is unclear

Regan Mertz

Funding from the county will stop after 2027. The Town of Silt, the City of Rifle and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority are working to find a more permanent funding solution.

A RFTA bus is parked near the Rubey Park Transit Center in downtown Aspen, as a cyclist makes their way by.

Government

Rifle, RFTA make moves to support Hogback bus route, but its future remains uncertain

Regan Mertz

The Hogback bus route will end in November if Silt and Garfield County do not agree to a new three-year plan.

Government

Parachute’s on-demand ride program expands into Rifle and sees a slight increase in riders

Regan Mertz

Some Rifle city councilors see it as a way to improve connectivity in Garfield County. But transportation challenges remain if RFTA shuts down the Hogback bus route this fall.

Jen Quevedo, center, serves as a medical interpreter for a patient at Grand River Health in Rifle, Colo. Quevedo now serves as the hospital's language access coordinator.

Social Justice

A Colorado hospital profits from resolving language barriers

Halle Zander

Without qualified interpreters at doctors' offices, non-English speakers can face bad — even fatal — health outcomes. A hospital in rural Colorado is training its existing bilingual staff to address the service gap.

A RFTA bus picks up passengers at Rubey Park Transit Center in Aspen. The transit agency connects the region from Aspen to Rifle.

Government

RFTA could lose its Hogback service later this year

Regan Mertz

Funding cuts from Garfield County are contributing to decreases in the summer and fall bus services. The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority is continuing to seek funding to keep the Hogback service fully operational.