Inside Connections - June 12, 2024

June 12, 2024

RTD commemorates Juneteenth: Reflecting on freedom and mobility for all

Diversity Spotlight celebrates the diversity of RTD employees and the larger community that RTD serves and fosters an appreciation of our social and cultural similarities and differences. Diversity Spotlight supports RTD’s values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration and ownership.

Frederick Douglass once famously asked, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" This poignant question underscored the disconnect between the celebration of freedom and the reality of slavery for millions during this time period. Juneteenth (short for "June 19") marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. The troops' arrival came a full two-and-a-half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Trains on Southeast Corridor operating under speed restrictions

Using a recently adopted, enhanced inspection methodology, a scheduled track inspection last month on the Southeast Corridor revealed a number of minor issues and cosmetic defects. Currently, 10 mile-per-hour slowdown zones are in place along select sections of the track until crews are able to complete necessary maintenance. The light rail track remains safe for operations under the current speed restrictions. Visit the webpage below, which will be updated regularly, to learn more.

RTD partnering with CDOT to provide Bustang between Lone Tree, Union Station

RTD customers are able to ride the Bustang South Line between Sky Ridge, Colorado and Denver Union stations through Sept. 14 using RTD fares. The agency is providing the Bustang service to support customers with an additional transit option during scheduled maintenance.

Contracting and Procurement working to improve the user experience

Contracting and procurement for a public agency is inherently complicated and time-consuming. RTD’s public procurement agents carry the fiduciary responsibility to be good stewards of public funding, and to ensure that all goods and services are purchased and handled in a transparent, fair, open and competitive manner.

Read more on the Hub

Transit Police welcomes its newest K-9, Milo, to the department

Police dogs are invaluable partners for RTD and police officers, sweeping stations and patrolling trains and buses to identify dangerous or illicit materials. Milo, who joined RTD-PD in August 2023, is a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois born in Hungary through a bloodline bred specifically for this work. He will be joined later this year by three more K-9s, made possible through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

To our newest colleagues: Welcome to RTD!

Twenty-seven new employees took part in orientation Monday. Thank you for bringing your skills and talents to the agency to benefit the public we serve!

Bus Operations celebrates newest operators

On Friday, 18 operators were honored who completed training in May and will do so in the first half of June. Starting with the front row, they are: Ashford Wortham; second row: Adam Baroudi, Alain Tchoumy, Samuel Zor and Isaac Kakooza; third row: Mifetha Badege, Kayla Hudgin, Daniel Teweldbrhan, Roshawda Rodriguez-Harris and Marissa Holmes; and back row: Shalayah Davis, Antonio Atkins, Kyan Harris and Paris Evans. Not pictured are Moges Ayele, Thomas Federico Jr., Theara Im and Nahom Woldeyes.

RTD-PD sergeant receives employee well wishes

After experiencing a medical episode April 16, Transit Police Sgt. Stephen Johnson is recovering at Craig Hospital, where he is receiving rehabilitation. Cmdr. John Grygorcewicz notes that Johnson is improving every day and will soon be moved to a long-term rehabilitation hospital in Iowa for additional care. On Friday, RTD Electronic Technician Charles Eberling and his son, Damon, presented Johnson with a plaque Eberling made that employees had signed. “Visiting with Stephen was great,” Eberling said. “He was in a positive mindset and his family was there supporting his recovery, which was awesome to see.” Johnson welcomes visitors between 7-10 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends. Contact Transit Police Cmdr. Jon Holloway , at jonathan.holloway@rtd-denver.com, for details.

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.

Bus Ops assists in creating Free MetroRide materials

When the team within Communications and Engagement recognized the need to provide a video tutorial and other helpful visual tips for our customers about the Free MetroRide this summer, Bus Operations answered the call! Corey Inman, Assistant Manager of Bus Operator Training, quickly coordinated with Communications to help us capture video and photos of the Free MetroRide bus, starting at Gate 13 within Denver Union Station’s Bus Concourse on May 22.

> Read more <

Impact Team’s quick response saves customer

On Wednesday, June 5, four RTD employees were in the right place at the right time. Emily Valdez, Betsy Hinojosa, Dave Sokol and Camila Lacerda, all members of RTD’s Impact Team, were volunteering their time to assist customers at Denver Union Station. Shortly before 4 p.m., a gentleman in an electronic mobility device experienced a medical emergency near track seven of the commuter rail platform. For reasons unknown, the individual in the mobility device drove off the platform, falling to the track bed below.

> Read more <

5 years

Jarred Wolter

Senior Virtualization Engineer

Mike Tyrrell-Ead

System Administrator

Clara Bechtel

Service Planner/Scheduler II

Steven Brier

Senior Manager, Marketing

Steve Gonzales

Bus Operator

Zach Spiers

Bus Operator

Mark Heater

General Repair Mechanic, Platte

Dylan Huyser

Signal/Traction Power Maintainer

Jerred Reed

Supervisor, Incident Support Desk

Marta Sipeki

Senior Manager, Public Relations and Communications

Sabah Arkawazy

Bus Operator

Joe Conwell

General Repair Mechanic Helper

Aaron Patrick

Bus Operator

Yowhans Girmay

Bus Operator

Nathaniel Palmer

Electronic Technician, Revenue Systems

Lance Feno

Signal/Traction Power Maintainer

10 years

Gene Barnett

Bus Operator

Richard Dankwa

Bus Operator

Joshua Simmons

Bus Operator

Dana Sanchez

Custodian/Public Facilities Maintenance

Moumita Das

Service Desk Analyst

LeAnn French

Division Supervisor

Tiffany Greene

LRT Controller

Craig Henry

Assistant Manager, Maintenance Operating Division

Sy Le

Rail Laborer

Li-Wei Tung

Transportation Planner III

Brandon Breckenridge

Equipment Maintenance Supervisor

Joycina Huff

Storeroom Supervisor

Muluneh Tizazu

Bus Operator

Charles Eberling

Electronic Technician

15 Years

David McHargue

Light Rail Storeroom Supervisor

Mike Vaughan

Technical Training Instructor/Supervisor

20 years

Gregory Solano

Street Supervisor

25 years

Christopher Quinn

Project Manager II, Planning

Dawn Platt

Dispatcher

Matt Richey

Purchasing Agent

30 years

Angelo Domingo

Bus Operator

Retirement plan advisor will be at Elati, East Metro tomorrow

Interested in learning about retirement? The more you know about your financial picture and retirement benefit, the more you can get out of it. An Empower retirement plan advisor will be in break rooms Thursday at the following divisions:

Elati, 9 a.m.-noon
East Metro, 1-4 p.m.

If this date and these times don’t work, click here to schedule a consultation.

Community Engagement hosts transit-themed bike ride

On June 5, RTD’s Community Engagement Team, in collaboration with Colorado History Rides, hosted a transit-themed bike ride in downtown Denver. The six-mile route stopped at six locations in to showcase historical buildings related to Denver’s transit history. The bike ride coincided with the 74th anniversary of the final streetcar run in Denver. Nearly 30 cyclists attended!

Stops included Bannock Street, once home to Denver Horse Railroad Company; Hotel Teatro, an old coal powerhouse; REI, once the Denver Tramway Company powerhouse; and the Denver City Cable Railway building. Other stops included RTD headquarters, where history about the agency’s founding was shared, as well as the Colorado capitol, where the latest legislative bills related to transit were celebrated.

Celebrate Bike to Work Day 6-9:30 a.m. June 26 with Community Engagement, as employees hand out coffee, breakfast snacks and custom T-shirts (while supplies last) at Civic Center Park. Other community partners will set up breakfast stations at various locations across the metro area, which can be found here.

From Wellness: RTD partners with Sleep Wise to offer sleep support

It’s no secret that adults struggle with sleep. Whether it’s work stress, a crying child or a brain that just won’t shut off, attaining sleep can be hard. Poor sleep is linked to myriad health problems, including weakened immunity, mood changes, high blood pressure, weight gain, and focus and memory problems. Our bodies and minds need 8 to 9 hours of shuteye per night.

From Safety: Employees must follow guidelines on RTD construction sites

Such guidelines include wearing proper PPE, understanding whom to check in with and how to conduct oneself. A form must be completed before visiting the site that signals acknowledgment of rules and regulations. This item will be made available on the Hub later this week for ease of use and tracking. Please contact the Safety team, at safety@rtd-denver.com, with any questions.

Reminder: Civil Rights hosting open houses this month

The Civil Rights Division’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) office is hosting open house events through July 11 with Bus Operations, N Line Commuter Rail Operations, Light Rail Operations, Customer Care and Contracted Services to answer operators’ questions, address their concerns and identify ADA-related issues that operators are experiencing.

Air monitoring follow-up at Blake begins tomorrow

RTD’s Safety and Environmental Department will place an air monitoring device on the third floor of the agency’s Blake Street building Thursday to test indoor air quality.