The EcoPass is an annual RTD (Regional Transportation District) transit pass for unlimited regional, express, local bus and light rail service throughout the Denver and Boulder regions.
The Business EcoPass is an employer-purchased annual transit pass that provides employees with unlimited rides on RTD (Regional Transportation District) buses and trains.
The Neighborhood EcoPass (NECO Pass) is an unlimited ride annual RTD transit pass that can be purchased in bulk by neighborhoods, apartment buildings or HOAs.
The City of Boulder provides a range of financial incentives to support EcoPass programs locally.
Your pass gives you access to all standard RTD services (excluding special services like the Broncos Ride and Rockies Ride) seven days a week for as long as you are an eligible employee or part of the NECO Pass program. You can ride:
The Neighborhood EcoPass Program (NECO Pass) increases access to transit, lowers single occupant vehicle use, saves money and enhances community relations. It is an annual transit pass purchased by residents or a neighborhood organization for all members of participating households.
This smart card pass provides each participant with one year of unlimited travel on all RTD local, regional, airport bus and light/commuter rail routes, except for special services including Access-a-Ride.
Over 50 neighborhoods in the City of Boulder participate in the NECO Pass Program, accounting for over 7,000 households in 2019. Neighborhoods that participate have reported a dramatic increase in public transit use, which results in less congestion and pollution in our community.
Benefits include:
The City of Boulder provide a 50% subsidy for first time participating neighborhoods and an ongoing 33%-39% subsidy for renewing neighborhoods based on the affordable housing amount. In comparison, the 2022 cost for a year’s worth of individual RTD monthly passes is $1,368 for local trips and $2,400 for regional trips.
CU Boulder policy lets current CU students waive their Student Bus and Bike Programs Fee if they have a valid NECO pass. Download the fee waiver or read policy details online. Questions can be emailed to buspass@colorado.edu.
Downtown and University Hill businesses receive free EcoPasses for their employees. Outside of these commercial districts, the price of a business' employee EcoPass program is based on the following criteria:
To help estimate the cost of EcoPasses for your company (outside of the above commercial districts), visit the Boulder Transportation Connections website or contact a Transportation Planner at the Boulder Chamber.
Businesses within the Central Area General Improvement District (CAGID) and/or the Downtown Boulder Business Improvement District (BID) Area tax district or the University Hill General Improvement District (UHGID) , with at least a 6 month commercial lease, are included in the City of Boulder Community Vitality Commercial District Sponsored Employee EcoPass Program.
For more information, contact Lane Landrith at landrithl@bouldercolorado.gov or 303-413-7316.
City of Boulder will offer a reimbursement for any EcoPass contract to employers who have an employee that chooses to participate in Boulder's Employee Transportation Coordinator network. Discounts are based on your business' RTD contract. In addition, your company may be required to distribute a before-and-after transportation survey to employees, including some type of EcoPass promotion. Please visit www.boulderecopass.com or contact a Transportation Planner at the Boulder Chamber.
Companies with 11 employees or more
City of Boulder will rebate 50 percent of a company's first year contract and 25 percent of the second year contract for companies with 11 or more employees. The subsidies are given from January through March of each year.
Companies with 1-10 employees
City of Boulder will reimburse $60 per employee for a company of 1-10 employees for their first year contract and $30 per employee for their second year contract (not to exceed 50 percent of the first year contract cost or 25 percent of the second year contract cost). These reimbursements are given from January through March of each year.
RTD has begun the transition from EcoPass cards to digital passes in the MyRide mobile app. For current and future EcoPass benefits we need an email for each person requesting a pass, and they need to set-up a MyRide account in the app with the same email address. Authorized signers for each business will please send an email message to DowntownEcoPass@bouldercolorado.gov to include the email address(es) for any current or new employees wishing to receive their free transit benefit.
Your enrollment will be verified by the city for eligibility requirements before activation.
Download the PDF information flyer to assist with the RTD MyRide digital app.
Once you've followed the instructions to have your EcoPass on the MyRide app account and you do not have a smartphone, you may then request an EcoPass Authorization Form by submitting an email to downtownecopass@bouldercolorado.gov including the full legal name of the employee along with their email address. This form will be exchanged at any RTD Sales Outlet location for a physical MyRide EcoPass card.
Allison Moore-Farrell, NECO Pass Program Coordinator, 720-564-2368 or moorefarrella@bouldercolorado.gov
Use your EcoPass and College Pass to save with discounts at restaurants, stores and more! More information is also available to Boulder merchants interested in offering a discount to EcoPass and College Pass members.
