Smart Card Information

RTD will be switching to a Smart Card system for busses and light rail in January. We expect to have Smart Cards available for faculty and benefitted staff by the beginning of December and for eligible students at the beginning of January. These dates are tentative and based on when the card supplies become available. We will send out an email when passes are available for each group. Rest assured that we will keep you informed about the transition. We are working with RTD to ensure that there is no gap in access to RTD services for eligible students, staff and faculty.

Smart Card FAQs 

What is the benefit of switching to Smart Cards? You will no longer need to come in to an office to get new stickers. The cards will automatically activate and deactivate. For example, if you go to school full time in the fall, winter, and spring, but do not take classes in the summer, your ID will be active for the academic year, deactivate during the summer, and reactivate for the next academic year.

Will Smart Cards be separate from our IDs? Yes, the two cards do not currently use the same technology.

Where will I go to pick up my card? Most of you will go to the same place that you’ve gone to pick up your stickers -- The Transportation Center. Faculty/staff who did not pick up a 2012 sticker and students who did not pick up a Fall 2012 sticker will need to go to the ID Card Office to pick up your Smart Card, because it will not be preprinted.

How will the cards work?

For the Bus:

1. Board the bus.
2. Tap your card on the card reader.
3. Wait for the tone and light. (Yellow—show pass to driver, Red—card is invalid, use another form of payment)

For the Light Rail:

1. Select your trip (Local, Express, or Regional).
2. Tap your card on the card reader.
3. Wait for the tone and light. (Yellow—show pass to fare inspector and board, Red—card is invalid, use another form of payment)