Are electric scooters the key to getting Denver residents to use public transit? The Regional Transportation District wants to find out.

RTD is funding a two-year pilot program to provide free e-scooter and bike rides to two Denver transit stations beginning in early 2026. The "First Mile Free" program is expected to subsidize around 40,000 trips, paying for the first mile of rides that end at the University of Denver and Decatur-Federal stations.

The idea originated from a school assignment to create a policy to improve Denver's transportation system , says Joel Cox, a University of Denver graduate student studying environmental policy.

"I started by thinking about my own day-to-day experience," Cox says. "I live about a mile from the University of Denver station, and I'd love

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