April 24, 2024

In honor of Administrative Professionals Day,

thank you to all whose work keeps RTD on the move

Today is Administrative Professionals Day, a day dedicated to those who keep businesses and organizations on track.

Meet some of RTD’s mighty business supports who ensure the agency has what it needs to serve the people of the Denver metro area.

Nia Rollins

Civil Rights Division

Dillon Colagrosso

East Metro

Terri Decker

N Line Commuter Rail Maintenance of Way

Strength in unity: RTD announces dates for 2024 ro(a)deos

Superheroes are strong on their own, but even stronger as a team. The Justice League has Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. The Avengers have Captain America, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch and Vision. RTD has its bus and rail operators, mechanics and service workers. Now, it’s time to call upon everyone to display their strength and unite for the 2024 ro(a)deo season!

Happy anniversary to the A, G and W lines!

What is better than the anniversary of one rail line? How about the anniversaries of three rail lines? The A, G and W lines all celebrate milestones this week.

On Monday, RTD’s A Line marked eight years of service between Union Station and Denver International Airport. The line continues to be the agency’s most popular, serving nearly 50 million people since its opening on April 22, 2016. April 26 is the opening date anniversary for the G Line, which began serving customers between Union Station and Wheat Ridge five years ago, and the W Line, which has carried the public between Union Station and Golden for 11 years.



Revisit the openings of the A and G lines by clicking the links below, and congratulations to RTD’s Light Rail Transportation department for 11 years of the W Line!

East Metro celebrates Rockies home opener with staff event

As the hopeful Colorado Rockies kicked off their home opener on April 5, the employees of RTD’s East Metro Division warmed up the grills to commemorate the return of the beloved residents of 20th and Blake streets. Bus operators, supervisors, mechanics and other staff were treated to an enticing, baseball-themed spread of beef or plant-based hot dogs, chips, fresh fruit, sweets and drinks. Smiles and laughs were shared as employees congregated on this sunny day, discussing the usual day’s bus trips, the future fortunes of the Rockies, and the condiments or ingredients for the best hot dog at a ballpark. Over 100 employees were served by the management team, joyfully diving into the thoughtful meal like a big family at a summer barbecue.

Click on the thumbnail above to watch a recap video of the event on the Hub.

East Metro staff shine during agency's donation drive

Last week, East Metro held a special event to encourage employees to donate goods to Bienvenidos Food Bank and Gateway Domestic Violence Services as part of the agency’s donation drive. Colleagues showed up in force to donate requested items to help those in need. Great job, East Metro employees!

The donation drive is open through April 30. Donate today by dropping items listed in the link below in the designated donation bins located at every facility.

Every day across the Denver metro area, RTD employees are making lives better through connections. The agency is proud to spotlight our exceptional workforce who go above and beyond in their roles and embody RTD’s core values. Join us in celebrating colleagues who personify the values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration and ownership.

IT Service Desk, Cybersecurity provide support for orientations

I would like to send out a huge thank you and appreciation to our IT Service Desk and Cybersecurity teams! They have been coming to orientation using “People Power” to ensure all of our new hires get access to Microsoft 365.

> Read more <

Civil Rights business support is invaluable to entire division

Nia Rollins has been a wonderful addition to the Civil Rights Division (CRD). She is a champion of the work that we do, and the all-star cast of CRD teammates speaks exceptionally highly of her. 

> Read more <

Recent promotions

• Jamie Beauregard  – Division Customer Care Liaison (formerly Sales/Information Representative) 
• Moulaye Toure – Lead Division Supervisor (formerly Division Supervisor)

Any employees interested in similar opportunities in the future should visit the Careers page.

April's new hires

Randy Lichter                

Transit Police Officer

Michael Montoya

Transit Police Officer

Andrew Schwab

Transit Police Officer

Marla Bainbridge

Procurement Specialist I

James Feehan

Application Architect

Brayan Delgado Gomez

Seasonal Landscaper

Armando Martinez

Seasonal Landscaper

Deanna Martinez

Seasonal Landscaper

Samuel Bryant

Service Person

Lawrence Morgan

Seasonal Landscaper

Abera Bogale                

Bus Operator

Vincent Capolungo

Bus Operator

Jerome Casper

Bus Operator

Joe Edwards                 

Bus Operator

Abraham Feleke            

Bus Operator

Kokhob Hagos

Bus Operator

Pedro Haro 

Bus Operator

Tony Henry

Bus Operator

Jhonny Jeanty

Bus Operator



Demeke Mersha

Bus Operator

J Munoz

Bus Operator

Brian Nunez

Bus Operator

Angel Rodriguez

Bus Operator

Patricia Sams                

Bus Operator

Simona Swearingen       

Bus Operator

Daniel Akens

Train Operator

Matthew Burns

Train Operator

Jason Cathey            

Train Operator

Austin Cook

Train Operator

Angelina Lucero

Train Operator

Paula Miller

Train Operator

Adam Payne

Train Operator

Brooke Pederson

Train Operator

Nancy Reyes

Train Operator

Brandon Holman

Signal/Traction Power Maintainer

Joshua Mendoza Villa

Signal/Traction Power Maintainer

Jadan Orgeron

Signal/Traction Power Maintainer

Sara Tesfamariam

Collector/Breath Alcohol Technician



Daniel Battenhouse

Transit Police Officer

Latoya Hill

Transit Police Officer

Vincent Ellis

Transit Police Officer

Gisa Simmons

Civil Rights Outreach Specialist

Tyler Albo

Assistant General Counsel

George McCarrolle

Data Architect

Leah Tanner

Engagement Intern

Yohanna Verónica Reyes Mejia

Custodian/Public Facilities Maintenance

Derek Barcelon

Rail Laborer

Obadare Ayeni

Bus Operator

Jahanbakhsh Badshah

Bus Operator

Enehidel Diaz                

Bus Operator

Ludovique Elombe

Bus Operator

Krystal Flores Molina

Bus Operator

Merhawi Gebrewahid

Bus Operator

Juan Ibarra

Bus Operator

Frank Leos

Bus Operator

Jonathan Mills

Bus Operator



Daniel Kraft

Signal/Traction Power Maintainer

Reminder: RTD-PD to introduce overnight staffing May 5

RTD’s Transit Police Department is moving to a 24/7 staffing model starting Sunday, May 5. Overnight coverage will enhance the personal safety and security of RTD’s frontline employees and customers, including those who use the agency’s transit services outside of regular business hours.

Credit: Lindsey Ford / Rocky Mountain PBS

Navigation case manager for the unhoused featured on PBS

Rocky Mountain PBS recently spent time with Alton Reynolds, RTD’s navigation case manager for the unhoused, to learn about his work to provide individuals with the resources they need to get back on their feet. Click the link below to see the feature, which published Monday, and to learn about the agency’s plans to add more team members in positions like this one.

March with RTD at this year's Cinco de Mayo Parade with RTD

Join other RTD staff members on Saturday, May 4, and march through Denver’s Civic Center Park area in this year’s Cinco de Mayo parade, celebrating community and culture in Denver. Staging will begin at 9:30 a.m., and the parade will start at 11 a.m. at 13th and Welton streets. The parade will finish around 1 p.m. at 13th and Lincoln streets. A festival of free family entertainment will follow the parade, with local vendors, artists, and three stages of music and dancing all weekend. Don’t miss the Chihuahua races, taco-eating contest or the lowrider car show! Spend the weekend enjoying the vibrant spirit of Mexican culture at Cinco de Mayo Denver. Sign up today by clicking the link below.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month events continue at bus operating divisions

While Distracted Driving Awareness Month may be winding down, RTD is keeping the message alive! Join Bus Transportation leaders for one final event from noon to 2 p.m. April 30 at District Shops and participate in activities designed to increase awareness of distracted driving.

Don’t forget to take the #JustDrive pledge to drive distraction-free at https://www.nsc.org/Pledge.  

From Human Resources: Do your part to stop the spread of illnesses

While the sun may be out and temperatures are warming up, cold, flu and COVID-19 season continues. Stop the spread of viruses by washing your hands and staying home if sick. Click the button below to download a handy guide on how to prevent the spread of illnesses, and do your part to keep yourself and your fellow employees healthy.

Reminder: Cybersecurity training must be completed by April 30

Time is running out to complete annual cybersecurity training! All non-represented and select represented employees are required to complete the training by Tuesday, April 30.

Have questions? Email csaware@training.rtd-denver.com.

Facts-n-Snacks: Learn how to prepare for active shooter situations



Join Emergency Management Specialist Diana Rawles and RTD-PD Lt. Andrew Cross at 2 p.m. tomorrow on Microsoft Teams as they discuss potentially lifesaving information about how to prepare for and respond to active shooter situations. Click the link below to join the session.

Disclaimer: This presentation will include discussion of death or dying, suicide, injury, blood, violence, self-harm and mental health challenges. Please use discretion if these topics will be disruptive to your wellbeing. These sessions are not required by any training curriculum, and participants can leave at any time.

Boulder division receives strong grades in latest safety inspection

Safety and Environmental Compliance recently completed an inspection at Boulder. The division passed with a 93%, with 41 out of 44 division-specific items identified as safe. Items that were identified as unsafe include issues with replacing valve caps on compressed gas cylinders that are not in use, eyewash station accessibility, and improper maintenance of eyewash stations and emergency showers. These items are actively being remedied.



Kudos to the Boulder Division staff, who continue to put employees’ safety first!

Current and upcoming solicitations

RTD has a number of solicitations currently underway at the agency or planned for the near future. To view and download current solicitations, see upcoming opportunities, and review pending and awarded contracts, follow the links below.

• Current Solicitations
• Upcoming Solicitations
• Contracts Pending Award

A clarification: In last week’s edition of Inside Connections, the location of the April 30 Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project open house was mislabeled as St. Elizabeth School. The location of the open house will be at the Kitchen Network, at 1785 Quebec St., Denver. Spots are still available for staff interested in participating. Visit the link below to sign up.

Debra's Quote of the Week

“Love life. Engage in it. Give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.” 

— Maya Angelou

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