DENVER — Light rail and bus fares across the Regional Transportation District network will be free of charge Tuesday in honor of Transit Equity Day.
Transit Equity Day observes the contributions of Civil Rights leader Rosa Parks, who on Dec. 1, 1955, refused to give up her seat and move to the back of a segregated bus in Montgomery, Ala. Her refusal to give her seat and move to the back of the bus helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement and launch transit equity across the country.
Her actions also spurred the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a peaceful protest that challenged racial segregation for Black Americans in public spaces, including on transit.
“Equitable access to public transportation is a civil right afforded to all,” said General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “RTD’s services are more than a means to connect customers to work, school, healthcare and social destinations – they are the great societal equalizer, providing individuals with access to opportunities for their betterment of their lives. The agency exists to serve others, and the introduction of Zero Fare for Transit Equity Day reinforces its commitment to advance equity in every aspect of its work.”
Transit Equity Day is observed on Parks’ birthday, Feb. 4, and was first celebrated nationally by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2021. The day recognizes that equal access to public transportation is a civil right and a means for individuals to connect to employment, educational, healthcare and social opportunities. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation on buses was unconstitutional on Nov. 13, 1956, which ended the Montgomery Bus Boycott on Dec. 20, 1956.
RTD officials encourage people in the Denver metro to ride bus and rail services at no cost this Transit Equity Day in recognition of the progress made in transit equity, the Civil Rights Movement and as part of its mission to make lives better through connections.
Transit Equity Day was authorized by the RTD Board of Directors at its Dec. 3, 2025, meeting.
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