Changes became effective Jan. 1 on about 80 Regional Transportation District bus and light rail routes.

The district makes adjustments to bus and light rail service three times a year to meet changes ridership or bus travel times. On Jan. 1, the majority of impacted routes will see schedule changes including a few area routes. Only one route, the YL route serving Lyons and Longmont, was eliminated.

Most Jan. 1 route changes involve scheduling. On some routes, the frequency of service is changed, often to accommodate higher ridership during rush hours. On other routes, some scheduled trips on a route that have at low ridership are being discontinued.

For information about schedule changes, go to the website at www.rtd-denver.com and click on the tab marked schedule changes.

“Our service development group tracks schedules and ridership,” said Scott Reed, RTD public affairs officer. “Generally, changes come three times a year. For example, we adjust schedules when students return to school in August. We also may make schedule changes at the request of a community to meet increased ridership demands because of new businesses or facilities.”

He also said that the times on scheduled sometimes need to be adjusted because of impacts to bus travel time such as road construction or increased traffic volume.

Even as new service changes begin, RTD is working on the changes scheduled for May 11.

Two of the major RTD changes in May involve the opening of Union Station as a transportation hub plus the scheduled opening of the new Free MetroRide, a shuttle bus from Union Station to the Denver Civic Center. Two meetings are scheduled for Jan. 29 to discuss these and other proposed service changes. Both meetings will be held at the RTD Administrative Building at 1600 Blake St. in Denver. One meeting is at noon and there will be a second meeting covering the same material at 6 p.m.