Frex to end Feb. 12

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - The Front Range Express commuter bus service between Colorado Springs and Denver will stop running after Feb. 12 because of funding problems.

Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority reduced funding for the service amid budget problems. Officials hoped to sell nine buses and use the money to keep operating, but they did not receive any bids.

The service, known as FREX, had about 600 riders a day last year. Ridership peaked at about 900 a day in 2008 amid high gas prices.

FREX is operated by contractor Veolia (vee-OH’-lee-uh) Transportation. Spokeswoman Valerie Michaels says some employees will get jobs with Veolia’s Colorado Springs paratransit service.

She couldn’t say how many employees worked on FREX or how many would be laid off.

One Response to “Frex to end Feb. 12”

1. Karon Cowan Says:
   January 18th, 2010 at 12:46 pm

   It appears there are conflicting reports regarding the sale of the 9 buses. Originally, all media reported 9 buses were to be sold and those proceeds would provide operating funds for 2010. Now, KRDO is reporting the buses sold but the funding has vanished and you are reporting that they didn’t sell. I’m not sure which side of the story is true but, having lived in the overcrowded metropolis of southern California with limited efficient means of public transportation, I feel it is criminal to do away with FREX, especially if the buses were sold as indicated elsewhere. Perhaps looking at the pricing structure might has resolved some problems?