NCRTD News:The North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) has announced that it will resume service on its pilot RTD (“Blue Bus”) Mountain Trail route Friday, July 1 and run through Aug. 31.
The Mountain Trail route provides service from South Capitol Rail Runner Station to stops through Downtown, Fort Marcy Park and then up Hyde Park Road to recreational areas and businesses along N.M. 475 concluding at Ski Santa Fe. Free park and ride options for local residents are available at South Capitol station and on the north side of Fort Marcy Park in the parking lot north of the bus stop lMurales Rd. between Old Taos Highway and Bishop’s Lodge Road.
The service will provide two roundtrips Monday through Friday and three on the weekends. There will be no service Monday, July 4.
Passengers utilizing the service will have access to hiking, biking, picnicking and camping along the route — or they can simply enjoy a ride along the 16-mile nationally designated Santa Fe National Forest Scenic Byway. Along the route, stops are provided at Dale Ball Trails, Ten Thousand Waves, Chamisa Trailhead, Little Tesuque Picnic Area, Black Canyon Campground, Hyde State Park, Aspen Vista and Ski Santa Fe. The bus will be equipped to accommodate six bikes per trip on a first come, first served basis.
During the non-winter RTD Mountain Trail route service, the cost to ride is $5.00 eastbound (uphill) and fare-free westbound (or downhill). Passengers disembarking at Ten Thousand Waves will be provided with a discount token that when presented at the spa resort will provide a $5.00 discount on hot tubs, spa services, or food and beverage.
A collaboration of public and private supporters came together to help fund the pilot phase. The sponsors include: the City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, Ski Santa Fe, Rio Metro RTD and the North Central Regional Transit District.
Riders of the route are encouraged to be aware of the fact that vast sections of the mountain remain sacred to Pueblo tribes and Native Americans. The NCRTD acknowledges that concern and has been working with its Pueblo members to provide materials to inform riders to be respectful and to be stewards of the mountain.
Riders are also encouraged to remain respectful of the trails within our state and national forests and always remember that they share the trails, often with hikers, bikers, pets, horses and wild animals.
The North Central Regional Transit District provides fare-free and premium fare bus service Monday through Friday to a service area that encompasses over 10,000 square miles of north central New Mexico including the counties of Taos, Los Alamos, Rio Arriba and Santa Fe; the Cities of Santa Fe and Española and the Towns of Taos and Edgewood; as well as the Pueblos of Pojoaque, Ohkay Owingeh, Nambé, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara and Tesuque. The agency’s signature “RTD Blue Buses” provide additional transit connections to New Mexico Rail Runner, Santa Fe Trails, New Mexico Park and Ride, Los Alamos Atomic City Transit, Taos RTD Chile Line and Red River Miner’s Transit.
