ߣÏÈÉú

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the name of carpooling app TreadShare. 

State transit officials and sustainable travel advocates have a long way to go in their efforts to quell ski traffic congestion on Interstate 70. But an uptick in carpooling and bus ridership is giving them reason to believe they can reach that goal. 

A recent report from the I-70 coalition, which represents mountain towns and counties along the interstate, to and from ski areas based on resort data. 

---

---

At Arapahoe Basin ߣÏÈÉú Area, for example, between 65% and 75% of vehicles in the Early Riser Parking Lot carpooled over the past two seasons. At neighboring Keystone Resort, carpooling rose by 30% last season after the resort designated 600 parking spaces in its River Run lot for carpoolers. 

ߣÏÈÉú areas’ continued push for carpooling infrastructure and incentives — like free or reduced parking for vehicles with multiple riders — have helped make it a popular option for mountain travellers, said I-70 Coalition Executive Director Margaret Bowes. 

---

---

“I-70 traffic congestion just continues to climb year over year, so for accessing enjoyable mountain experiences for our visitors, it’s really becoming essential to reduce congestion,” Bowes said. “It’s going to take a lot of different efforts, a lot of different strategies to really move the needle.”

Resorts this season will offer many of the same carpooling incentives, including discounted parking rates and prize giveaways — like a free season pass. ߣÏÈÉú areas also continue to mull paid parking systems to help manage increasingly limited space. 

Copper Mountain Resort has suggested it — which is currently free — after locals officials at the site. 

A-Basin this season in all its lots on weekends and holidays before 1 p.m. Cars with four or more passengers, however, will be able to make a reservation for free. 

“No one likes paid parking, but it does incentivize behavior change,” Bowes said. 

With resorts pushing to reduce single-occupancy car trips, Bowes said carpooling “doesn’t just decrease the number of vehicles travelling on I70, but it also reduces the number of cars travelling on our local roads.”

“When ski area parking lots spill, sometimes they spill over onto local roads and state highways, and then it becomes a burden on our local law enforcement,” Bowes said. 

Colorado-based carpooling app seeks to save riders money, make connections 

A Colorado-based app now in its fourth year is helping to make carpooling easier and more accessible. 

, TreadShare connects travelers who are heading in the same direction, allowing them to coordinate upcoming trips and plan carpooling opportunities.

Germain, who moved from France to Colorado in 2015, said in his home country he was used to having carpooling as an option. But in America, he found it to be far less popular. 

Sitting alone in I-70 ski traffic on his drives to the High Country, Germain “felt like a prisoner in my own car, and I didn’t like that.” 

It’s why he created TreadShare, which initially before . is promoted by the I-70 Coalition and various ski resorts. 

Over the past three ski seasons, Germain said the app has supported around 600 carpool rides. For those who don’t own a car or are unable or unwilling to drive, carpooling provides them with another option for getting to car-dependent recreation areas. 

Drivers can charge a fee for passengers who carpool based on a recommended price range provided through TreadShare. The fee is meant to cover gas money, with Germain adding the app is not intended to be for-profit. 

Along with helping take cars off the road, Germain said carpooling has cost and environmental benefits for Coloradans. 

“It’s about saving money, meeting your neighbors and people who have the same passion as you and are doing their part to reduce traffic and carbon emissions,” Germain said. 

As he seeks to bring more users to his platform, Germain is also working on a car-sharing option specifically for mountain-area employers. Designed to live within the main TreadShare App, Germain said the new feature connects local workers who often compete for parking. 

A-Basin recently became the first employer to sign onto the new feature, providing carpooling access through TreadShare to its roughly 400 employees, Germain said. 

CDOT’s Bustang enters fifth ski season with eyes on expanded service 

Earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Transportation kicked off the fifth season of its Bustang program. 

A 51-passenger coach bus — equipped with WiFi and restrooms — provides round-trip service to A-Basin, Copper, Breckenridge ߣÏÈÉú Resort and Loveland ߣÏÈÉú Area from Denver’s Union Station on weekends and holidays throughout the ski season. 

Last year, , with 7,983 passengers compared to 4,194 the previous season.

With growing popularity, the transportation department plans to pilot increased services for its Copper line by adding an additional bus for two separate days in January. 

“The success of Snowstang … is predicated on the user experience, and I think it’s probably fair to say that the user experience of driving alone is not that great,” said CDOT’s Division of Transit and Rail Director Paul DesRocher. “It’s really that experience that we’re selling, and I think that’s why we’re seeing that increase in ridership.”

The program is a partnership with ski areas, which pay a portion of Snowstang’s operating costs. 

A costs $25 for an adult, $18.75 for seniors over 65 and $12.50 for children aged 2-11. By comparison, a drive from Denver to Silverthorne and back can cost as much as $75 in gas, according to the I-70 Coalition. 

Similar to carpooling, riding the bus can save travelers money and reduces stress by leaving the driving to someone else, DesRocher said.

Along with Snowstang, CDOT runs the Bustang and Pegasus services, which can also provide access to mountain resort hubs beyond the ones directly serviced by Snowstang. 

Bustang, CDOT’s other coach, that carries riders from Denver as far as Grand Junction, with stops in Vail, Avon, Eagle and beyond. , a sprinter van, has the added benefit of travelling in I-70’s express lane due to its smaller size, providing riders with an expedited trip. Outside of Denver, Pegasus makes stops in Idaho Springs, Frisco, Vail and Avon. 

While Snowstang is specifically designed for ski mountain access, dropping riders off within walking distance to a lift, both Bustang and Pegasus provide routes that are connected by local public transit that can take riders the rest of the way. Unlike Snowstang, Bustang and Pegasus also operate on non-holiday weekdays.  

“From CDOT’s perspective, what we’re attempting to do not just on I-70 but throughout the state is provide alternatives for getting to where you need to go,” DesRocher said. 

Giving alternate modes of travel a chance 

For some travelers, jumping in a car for a solo drive can feel like second nature. But transit officials and advocates say trying other options, from carpooling to public transportation, can help break some of those ingrained habits. 

“If you give (public) transit a chance, I think that your experience will tell you that it’s a lot different than what you thought it would be, and it might be a better experience than you’d thought,” DesRocher said.

Germain, the TreadShare founder, said he hopes more Coloradans will embrace ways to get cars off the road, reduce their carbon footprint and turn what could otherwise be a mind-numbing trip into an enjoyable social activity. 

“It’s good to have diverse options for both Coloradans and tourists from out of state,” Germain said. “We need it. We have more and more people living in the state … so more and more people agree we need to do something.”

Information on TreadShare and ski resorts’ carpooling incentives can be found at . Information on CDOT’s Snowstang, Bustang and Pegasus services, including ticket prices and routes, can be found at .