Colorado State University, Front Range Community College Raising Concerns About Transit Changes
Colorado State University's Alternative Transportation Fee Board and Front Range Community College have submitted letters objecting to proposed Transfort service changes that would reduce frequency and modify routes serving both campuses, setting up negotiations as Fort Collins prepares to implement its transit optimization plan.
The concerns emerged during Fort Collins City Council's October 28 work session, where transit officials presented recommendations to restructure the bus system within tight budget constraints. CSU's student fee board raised questions about engagement in the planning process, while Front Range Community College expressed concerns about Route 19 frequency reductions that could affect access to their Larimer campus.
Kaylee Zeisel, Transfort director, told council the city plans extensive stakeholder discussions before the system changes take effect in 2027.
"We greatly value the partnership that we have with CSU and we do plan to engage further with CSU ATFAB and ASCSU to discuss the proposed system as well as their concerns and questions," Zeisel said during the work session.
The timing is significant because Fort Collins and CSU must renegotiate their intergovernmental agreement in 2026, as the current five-year contract expires. That agreement governs how CSU's student-funded Alternative Transportation Fee supports Transfort operations.
Route Changes Affecting Campus Access
The optimization plan modifies several routes heavily used by students and college employees. Route 7, which currently connects directly to CSU's transit center, would instead terminate at Drake Avenue to connect with the MAX Bus Rapid Transit line rather than continuing to campus.
Route 2 would similarly end its direct connection to CSU's transit center, extending east of College Avenue to create an east-west corridor connection. Route 19, which serves Front Range Community College and connects to CSU, would maintain 30-minute frequency during peak hours—an improvement from the temporary 60-minute frequency implemented in September due to operator shortages, but not the 15-minute service Front Range Community College requested.
Steven Zaparo, Transfort senior operations manager, explained that Route 19 currently ranks near the bottom of the system for productivity despite serving the college corridor.
"Route 19, which currently serves that corridor, is one step above Route 6 when it comes to current ridership for 2025 and passengers per hour," Zaparo said. "So it's still on the lower half of our current network."
CSU-affiliated riders represent a significant share of Transfort's total ridership. According to data presented to council, CSU students, faculty and staff account for more than 60 percent of annual boardings systemwide, with the highest concentrations on routes connecting campus to off-campus housing areas.
The optimization plan actually increases service hours on routes heavily used by CSU riders compared to the current system, according to city data. However, the geographic changes—particularly eliminating direct connections to CSU's transit center—prompted concerns from the university community.
Engagement Process Under Scrutiny
CSU's Alternative Transportation Fee Board, which administers student fees that support transit partnerships, raised questions about the depth of engagement with the university community during the planning process.
Zeisel outlined the outreach efforts conducted, including a CSU-specific survey published in The Source campus newspaper and distributed through university newsletters. Staff attended Earth Day on campus to gather feedback and included CSU representation on the community advisory committee that helped shape the recommendations.
"While we're here tonight seeking feedback on the principles from council to make sure that we're on the right track, there is flexibility for us to continue evaluating the service that CSU receives," Zeisel said.
The renegotiation of the CSU intergovernmental agreement scheduled for next year provides a formal structure for addressing service concerns. According to city records, the current agreement specifies minimum service levels and funding arrangements based on ridership data and operational costs, with annual adjustments for route modifications and allocation of Alternative Transportation Fee funds.
CSU contributed $193,000 through the Alternative Transportation Fee Board in fiscal year 2025 as local match for bus system improvements, complementing federal grants, according to city budget documents.
Financial Pressures Drive Optimization
Fort Collins faces significant transit funding challenges that necessitated the service restructuring. Loveland's withdrawal from the regional Flex partnership eliminated approximately $750,000 in annual revenue, while reduced FASTER state funding cut another $200,000—nearly $1 million in combined losses.
The city expects to receive $2 million to $3 million annually starting in 2026 from Senate Bill 24-230, which establishes funding from oil and gas production fees to support public transit statewide. That revenue is already incorporated into financial projections for the optimization plan.
Transit operating costs have increased 50 percent between 2019 and 2026, consistent with national trends driven by personnel expenses, vehicle maintenance, and contracted services, according to city financial documents. Revenue growth has not kept pace with rising costs.
The optimization plan aims to focus resources on the highest-performing routes while maintaining service to transit-dependent populations. Council members heard extensive data showing that frequency matters more to riders than geographic coverage, with community surveys strongly favoring buses that come more often even if that means fewer routes.
Regional Context and College Access
About 23 percent of CSU's approximately 28,500 students live on campus, with the remainder concentrated in neighborhoods along key transit corridors, according to regional transportation planning documents. Front Range Community College serves approximately 7,800 students total, with roughly 4,500 at the Larimer campus.
Car ownership rates are notably low among college students—only 38 percent of CSU undergraduates own or regularly drive vehicles, with even lower rates among international students and lower-income students. Nearly 30 percent of CSU undergraduates are Pell Grant recipients or come from households earning less than $50,000 annually, according to Colorado Department of Higher Education data.
Front Range Community College students have similarly low car ownership, estimated at 25 percent in campus surveys, making transit access particularly important for this population.
Boulder and Denver have implemented similar transit optimization efforts in recent years, prioritizing frequency on core corridors while reducing service on low-ridership routes. Those systems maintained strong university partnerships through early negotiations and explicit protections for campus access.
Next Steps and Implementation Timeline
The optimization plan is not expected to take effect until 2027, providing time for continued stakeholder engagement and the CSU agreement renegotiation. City staff indicated they will respond in writing to both CSU and Front Range Community College addressing specific concerns about the proposed changes.
Council members expressed general support for the optimization principles—frequency, productivity, equity, simplicity and efficiency—while acknowledging concerns about specific route impacts.
Council Member Julie Pignataro asked staff to ensure ongoing dialogue with institutional partners. "I think it would be helpful for them to know" how service levels are being maintained despite route modifications, she said.
For questions about Transfort service planning and the CSU partnership, contact Fort Collins Transit Services at 970-221-6620.