Transfort Optimization Plan

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Project Overview

The City of Fort Collins launched the Transfort Optimization Plan to work with the community. The goal is to find the most effective way to provide transit service within Transfort’s budget.

Background

Providing the same level of transit service as in 2019 would cost an additional $3 million each year. This increase is due to higher staffing, fuel and maintenance costs.

Fully completing the Transit Master Plan by 2040 would require another $15 million annually. Even with the new ¼-cent sales tax, which generates about $5 million each year, Transfort still faces a $13 million annual funding gap to reach full service and complete the plan.

Purpose and Goals

Purpose: Create a short-term transit plan that fits within the budget, reflects what the community wants and helps more people choose to ride the bus.

Goals:

  • Keep public transit free so it is fair for everyone and encourages more people to use it
  • Ensure people from different backgrounds can help set priorities
  • Use strategies that are already proven to increase ridership
  • Adjust service to reflect how people travel today
  • Design the system so it is simple, clear and easy to use
  • Plan carefully to keep costs within the budget

How we developed the recommended transit scenario

  • Reviewed feedback from the public through surveys, outreach events, focus groups and presentations
  • Used data to compare and evaluate the three options listed below
  • Reviewed best practices from the transit industry
  • Tested how well different routes would perform
  • Used all of this information to create a recommended transit system

What We Heard From The Community

The community said the top priority is more frequent bus service, even if that means serving fewer areas. People want service that focuses on riders who depend on transit. They also want simple, direct routes along major roads that are easy to understand and use.

People also said that improving safety, reliability, on-time performance and the overall rider experience is important. There were concerns about routes that are too long, buses that do not run often enough and gaps in service in areas like Timberline and Trilby.

Some people expressed interest in microtransit. However, many were concerned about the cost and did not like the idea of transferring between microtransit and regular bus service. People also supported building stronger partnerships to help expand service.

Finally, many people asked for better access. This includes more evening and weekend service, as well as service that connects to schools, CSU, Front Range Community College and parks and recreation areas.

Design Priorities

This process helped shape our design principles. Over several months, Transfort tested the recommended network to make sure it is efficient, realistic and achievable with available resources. The result is a scenario based on data, industry best practices and community feedback.

Next Steps

Transfort presented the completed Optimization Study and Plan to City Council at the March 24 Work Session.

Updated route maps are provided in the April 2026 project update.

Most route service changes are scheduled for implementation in August 2026 while some routes which require significant realignment or new bus stops which are anticipated to change in 2027.

Stay Informed

Subscribe to project updates on this webpage by clicking or tapping the Subscribe button near the top of the page.

Ask a question about this project by clicking or tapping the Ask us a question button.

Submit a comment about this project by clicking or tapping the Submit a comment button.


Project Overview

The City of Fort Collins launched the Transfort Optimization Plan to work with the community. The goal is to find the most effective way to provide transit service within Transfort’s budget.

Background

Providing the same level of transit service as in 2019 would cost an additional $3 million each year. This increase is due to higher staffing, fuel and maintenance costs.

Fully completing the Transit Master Plan by 2040 would require another $15 million annually. Even with the new ¼-cent sales tax, which generates about $5 million each year, Transfort still faces a $13 million annual funding gap to reach full service and complete the plan.

Purpose and Goals

Purpose: Create a short-term transit plan that fits within the budget, reflects what the community wants and helps more people choose to ride the bus.

Goals:

  • Keep public transit free so it is fair for everyone and encourages more people to use it
  • Ensure people from different backgrounds can help set priorities
  • Use strategies that are already proven to increase ridership
  • Adjust service to reflect how people travel today
  • Design the system so it is simple, clear and easy to use
  • Plan carefully to keep costs within the budget

How we developed the recommended transit scenario

  • Reviewed feedback from the public through surveys, outreach events, focus groups and presentations
  • Used data to compare and evaluate the three options listed below
  • Reviewed best practices from the transit industry
  • Tested how well different routes would perform
  • Used all of this information to create a recommended transit system

What We Heard From The Community

The community said the top priority is more frequent bus service, even if that means serving fewer areas. People want service that focuses on riders who depend on transit. They also want simple, direct routes along major roads that are easy to understand and use.

People also said that improving safety, reliability, on-time performance and the overall rider experience is important. There were concerns about routes that are too long, buses that do not run often enough and gaps in service in areas like Timberline and Trilby.

Some people expressed interest in microtransit. However, many were concerned about the cost and did not like the idea of transferring between microtransit and regular bus service. People also supported building stronger partnerships to help expand service.

Finally, many people asked for better access. This includes more evening and weekend service, as well as service that connects to schools, CSU, Front Range Community College and parks and recreation areas.

Design Priorities

This process helped shape our design principles. Over several months, Transfort tested the recommended network to make sure it is efficient, realistic and achievable with available resources. The result is a scenario based on data, industry best practices and community feedback.

Next Steps

Transfort presented the completed Optimization Study and Plan to City Council at the March 24 Work Session.

Updated route maps are provided in the April 2026 project update.

Most route service changes are scheduled for implementation in August 2026 while some routes which require significant realignment or new bus stops which are anticipated to change in 2027.

Stay Informed

Subscribe to project updates on this webpage by clicking or tapping the Subscribe button near the top of the page.

Ask a question about this project by clicking or tapping the Ask us a question button.

Submit a comment about this project by clicking or tapping the Submit a comment button.


Submit a comment

Have a comment about this project? Submit your comment here. Comments will be posted to the webpage unless the comment is off topic, contains obscene language, promotes discrimination, or incites violence.

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I can appreciate some of the goals of this project. But it seems like there are way fewer ways for students to get to CSU, which affects not just our family, but I'm guessing many other people around town. Perhaps I'm reading the map wrong, but this feels completely disappointing and like a major oversight, since CSU is such a major part of our community, in terms of both citizens and community engagement.

Sarah 3 months ago

Glad to see the #5 is proposed to be on a 30 minute schedule rather than an hour schedule. That's the only bus near me, and the hour schedule is a bit of a deterrent. Wish there was a connection from Horsetooth to the Max going North, but keeping the people on the #6 route in service in more important.

ktk 3 months ago

Would love to see one of the w Elizabeth buses extended to make a connection to the max easy, this is a big gap in the system currently and seems like an easy fix.

Lennon 3 months ago

If there was anyway the #2 route could swing south on Taft Hill from Prospect to Drake and then head back to Overland and continue existing route, it sure would help those of us SW of Prospect and Taft Hill. Thanks.

Barb MB 3 months ago

Please extend 18N south to trilby

Mbr33 3 months ago

I live on the west side of town by Overland Trail and one of the main reasons I don't take the bus despite decent service is that all the routes near me terminate at CSU instead of old town and it's just too much of a hassle to transfer just to go a few more blocks. Instead I usually choose to bike or drive if the weather is bad cause it's so much quicker.

Avery Follett 3 months ago

Hello! I feel the best scenario for CSU students living to the south and west of campus is #3. The only issue I see though, is the timing. Once per hour is OK, but not ideal. However, if they run on the HALF HOUR, that would work best for the majority of classes, since they start ON the hour. Currently. my daughter had to stop taking the bus on route 7 when it was reduced to once per hour, on the hour. She would either be very early to class or late. Same thing for going home, waiting an hour for the bus had a negative impact on her schedule. This would make sense for most working shifts as well, since I would imagine the majority of jobs begin On the hour. Thank you!

mschiff 3 months ago

Please do not take away Route 6. While living down Drake past Taft, I used the 6 as my only option while going to school, and now work. Having the 6 also gives me access to get groceries before walking home with the Drake and Taft bus stops.

Lo 3 months ago

I'm a resident that relies on Rt 6 to get to work. If your current as of 2026 bus route is implemented, it would negatively impact my ability to make a living.

EF 3 months ago

I am disappointed that Route 6 has been discontinued. This will mean that my new residence near Taft Hill and Drake will be nearly a mile from any bus stop. Will there be any other public transportation options for me?

jgatesfoco 3 months ago

Please dont take bus six a way this bus is my lifeline getting to work

Angelique 3 months ago

Hello. I am writing to Transfort today to voice my concerns regarding the Route 6. I understand that in the new “optimization plan”, it is going to be discontinued. I really hope that does not happen! My family and I use the beloved 6 to get to work, CSU and downtown. Please, reconsider this terrible idea. It will leave many people stranded and cold.. thank you.

S Grace 3 months ago

I strongly oppose this change. I ride route 6 every single day either to class or to work. There is no other route northwest of Mulberry and this plan would force hundreds of people to pay out of pocket for parking. This area is already limited in transportation options, and is far away enough from campus to prevent bike usage in cases of extreme weather. I am of the closest people that rely on route 6, I cannot imagine how many people further away are absolutely dismayed at the idea of paying for parking every day, or biking nearly 2 miles in extreme conditions. Please reconsider the decision to remove route 6. You are forcing people to pay out of pocket in a town that prides itself on free public transport.

Dylan T 3 months ago

I need Route 6 to stay cause i take that route from home to work and i take the bus from work to home

Dani 3 months ago

To Fort Collins City Leadership and Transfort Decision Makers,

I am writing to express strong opposition to the proposed elimination of Transfort Route 6 as outlined in scenario 2 and 3. This is not a minor adjustment or a “service optimization.” Cutting Route 6 would be a direct and harmful blow to the residents who rely on public transportation to live, work, attend school, and access essential services.

Route 6 is not optional for many people — it is a lifeline. Eliminating it would disproportionately impact working-class residents, students, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. It would make Fort Collins less accessible, less equitable, and less livable. For a city that regularly promotes sustainability and community wellbeing, this proposal is deeply inconsistent with the values Fort Collins claims to represent.

If Route 6 is cut, many residents will lose reliable access to jobs, grocery stores, medical appointments, and education. Not everyone has the privilege of owning a car or affording rising fuel, insurance, and maintenance costs. For those residents, removing a bus route is not an inconvenience — it is a real barrier that can cost someone their job, their health, or their stability.

It is also frustrating that this proposal is being discussed at a time when Fort Collins continues to grow. A growing city needs better transit, not less. Cutting a route because ridership may not meet a target ignores a basic reality: ridership is directly tied to frequency, reliability, and whether routes are preserved long enough for people to depend on them. Transit cannot be treated like a business that must “turn a profit” to justify existing. It is public infrastructure — just like roads, sidewalks, and snow removal — and it should be funded and protected accordingly.

If the city is facing a budget issue, then leadership should be transparent and honest about it. Do not solve financial challenges by cutting services that primarily affect residents with the least power and the fewest options. Fort Collins should be investing in transit, improving route efficiency, and strengthening connectivity — not removing a key route and expecting people to “figure it out.”

I urge you to reject any proposal to eliminate Route 6. At minimum, if changes must occur, there must be a clear replacement plan that provides equal or better access, with similar frequency, similar coverage, and minimal disruption to the people who rely on it most.

This decision will send a message about what kind of city Fort Collins intends to be. If Route 6 is cut, the message will be clear: the city is willing to abandon the residents who need public transit the most.

I strongly urge you to keep Route 6 in service by implementing scenario 1 outlined in your plan.

Steven K. Strother 3 months ago

Please, please, please don’t take away our Route 9! Though ridership may be less than on other routes, the value and need of this route is great! Have you considered running a smaller bus, maybe 3 times a day - morning, noon, and late afternoon? That alone would side-step abandoning the needs of our neighborhoods. We ALL matter.

Diane 3 months ago

I frequently use Route 32, both to access CSU and downtown. I object to any change to 32 route. I purchased a home in this West Prospect area with consideration of that bus route. Also 32 is Transforts’ most successful route, well used by many people to access CSU, grocery stores, and other locations. It makes no logical sense to change it.

What is needed is a bus that runs a circle route out of the CSU Transit station to downtown and back to the CSU, so that students and residents of the area served by route 32 can access those businesses.

The entire plan would benefit by being less dependent on the Max. It was probably a good idea in the early development of the system, but is not as useful now. A savings to the system would be to reduce the frequency of the Max route and to increase security on the Max.

Frequent Rider 3 months ago

This is going from bad to worse. No buses along Taft Hill so cutting off access to the business at drake and Taft!! I am partially blind and depend on the 6 to travel to locations along that route that i regularly attend. This new recommendation is not optimal. If you need to generate revenue then you will have to start charging again. RTD does and the buses are very busy

Steve48 4 months ago

I’m writing to ask whether there is any possibility that Route 6 might continue to operate as part of the optimization plan.

During the day and into the early evening, I regularly observe strong ridership at stops along this route, particularly during business hours and when CSU is in session. While ridership does taper off after business hours, Route 6 appears to serve a significant number of passengers during much of the day. I’m concerned about the impact on those riders if service is discontinued.

In the interest of full disclosure, I live along this route and occasionally use the service myself, as does my wife for her commute from work. That said, my concern extends beyond personal use to the many passengers who rely on this route for daily transportation.

Thank you for considering this question, and I appreciate any insight you can share.

Bill Bethurum 4 months ago

Please do not leave the Northwest corner of Fort Collins without service. You have many apartments and a high school that would be left without basic transportation creating a void for this area of town. Cutting the #6 & #9 completely leaves those of us without cars, stranded. City Park would no longer have service and there would be no way to connect to the Max. You have several low-income apartments in the area and those are the people who rely on public transit the most.

yaztazma 4 months ago
Page last updated: 27 Apr 2026, 01:32 PM