EcoPass

EcoPass is an annual transit pass purchased by a company and its employees or a collection of residences. The pass provides unlimited usage of RTD services. Companies purchase the EcoPass for all full-time employees, with an option to include part-time employees. EcoPass is also tax deductible to employers and tax free to employees (up to $255/mo or $3,060 annually).

Communitywide EcoPass Feasibility Study

In summer of 2013 the city and county, working closely with RTD, embarked on a Communitywide EcoPass Feasibility Study to evaluate the costs and benefits of large-scale expansion of EcoPass programs. Six implementation scenarios were developed covering various geographic groups. For each scenario, the study estimated:

• Increased transit ridership
• Total program costs
• Community benefits
• Potential funding sources
• Implementation challenges

One of the most interesting findings is that a majority of the money needed to fund a communitywide EcoPass is already being paid to RTD in the form of farebox revenue. The study suggests that existing payments make up between 85 and 94 percent of the total costs of the program. Boulder County will continue to explore the viability of a community-wide EcoPass program.

Read the full study.

Business Contract Minimums

If the per person rate for your Service Level Area (SLA) multiplied by your headcount is less than the contract minimum, the contract minimum rate will apply.

A contract minimum applies to each new or existing contract. For example:

• If you company is Zone A and has 20 employees, the total amount would be:If your company in Zone A and has 250 employees, the total amount would be:
  • 20 employees x $98 = $1,960. Since this number is below the $2,299 contract minimum, the contract amount would be $2,299
• If your company in zone A has 250 employees, the total amount would be:
  • 250 employees x $72 = $18,750. Since this amount is above the contract minimum of $3,448, you would pay $18,750

In both cases, you would be eligible for a 60% discount through Boulder County, making the contract equal:

• 20 employees = $919.60
• 250 employees = $7,500

Neighborhood EcoPass (NECO Pass)

The Neighborhood EcoPass program works on a per household basis. There is no minimum or maximum number of households required to start the program. A household can include any type of residence such as a single-family home, apartment, condo, etc.

Neighborhood Pricing

Pricing for the NECO Pass program is determined by a direct mail RTD survey that looks at your neighborhood’s current RTD ridership. Based upon survey results, a per household rate is determined ranging from $100-$250 per household. The rate is then multiplied by the total number of households in your neighborhood to determine a final contract price. Smaller neighborhoods are subject to a contract minimum of $8,494.

The RTD contract price is based upon the total number of households within the geographic boundaries of your neighborhood, whether the household will use the pass or not.

The per household pricing, as determined by the RTD survey, will determine how many households can be included before reaching the contract minimum amount.

Examples

1. Your per household price per the RTD survey is $100
   1. $8,494 contract minimum/$100 = 85 households
2. Your per household price per the RTD survey is $150
   1. $8,494 contract minimum/$150 = 56 households

In these scenarios, you could either have 85 or 56 households in your neighborhood before the contract prices increases above the contract minimum of $7,497.

We recommend starting with 30 to 70 households in your first year of the program, and expanding over subsequent years.

Remember that all new NECO Pass contracts in their first year are eligible for a 60% subsidy from Boulder County and a 30% subsidy in the second year of the program.