Fort Collins Reduces Transfort Bus Service Due to Budget Constraints
Fort Collins announced significant cuts to Transfort bus service beginning October 13, as the city continues navigating financial challenges that have limited its ability to maintain previous transit service levels.
The reductions affect some of the city's most-used routes, including the MAX Bus Rapid Transit line, which will operate every 10 minutes from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and every 20 minutes during all other service hours. Route 81 will operate every 60 minutes, reduced from 30-minute frequency, while Route 10 will be suspended entirely and Saturday service on Route 9 will end.
"These changes are necessary to align transit service with available resources," said Transfort Director Kaley Zeisel. "We know these decisions have real impacts on people's daily lives, and we remain committed to prioritizing service where it makes the most difference for the community."
The service cuts result from ongoing budget constraints and staffing limitations caused by the city's hiring freeze and overall fiscal outlook, according to city officials. Fort Collins allocated $26.8 million from its General Fund for transportation and mobility services in 2025, including Transfort operations, according to city budget documents.
Major Routes Face Significant Changes
The MAX line historically accounts for more than 40% of total Transfort fixed-route ridership, making the frequency reductions particularly impactful for riders. The Bus Rapid Transit system typically handled 8,000 to 10,000 average weekday boardings systemwide before the cuts.
Route 81, the Poudre Express connecting Fort Collins to Greeley and Loveland, represents one of the higher-cost services with estimated operating costs of $15 to $30 per trip due to its regional nature and lower ridership levels. The frequency reduction from 30 to 60 minutes will continue, with Route 8 maintaining its opposite-direction loop every 30 minutes.
The complete suspension of Route 10 and elimination of Saturday service on Route 9 affects local corridors serving south-central and west Fort Collins respectively. Combined, the service changes impact more than 50% of Transfort's total ridership, as MAX and connecting local routes constitute the majority of system use.
Long-term Planning Underway
Rather than simply restoring previous service levels when funding improves, Transfort is developing an Optimized Service Plan to guide future transit delivery. The comprehensive plan will re-examine how transit operates within current financial realities and future opportunities, with completion expected in late 2025 or early 2026 and implementation beginning in 2027.
"We want to be honest with our riders: the system will look different moving forward," Zeisel said. "Our goal is to build a transit network that is financially sustainable, dependable and focused on meeting the community's most critical needs."
The planning process will incorporate public input, industry best practices, and evaluation of the current system to shape Fort Collins' transit future. City officials emphasized the need for financial sustainability while maintaining service to meet critical community transportation needs.
Regional Context and Funding Challenges
The Fort Collins cuts reflect broader transit funding challenges facing Colorado communities. The city's General Fund transportation allocation of approximately $158 per capita for all transportation programs falls between Boulder's higher investment of more than $200 per resident and smaller systems like Greeley-Evans Transit at $45 to $65 per capita.
Fort Collins City Council meeting records from April 2025 show the city's continued reliance on supplemental grants and fund transfers to maintain existing transit service levels, including $300,000 in CDOT FASTER grants for regional routes and $538,447 in Carbon Reduction Program grants for bus stop accessibility improvements.
Transfort encourages riders to stay informed about service changes and future planning efforts by visiting ridetransfort.com or calling 970-221-6620.
Contact Kaley Zeisel, Transit Director, at [email protected] for more information about the service changes and planning process.