How to Run a $1.3B Transit System: Denver RTD’s COO Breaks It Down

How to Run a $1.3B Transit System: Denver RTD’s COO Breaks It Down

From Transit Unplugged by Paul Comfort, SVP Modaxo

April 8, 2026 · 27 min · Season 8 · Episode 75

About this episode

Paul Comfort interviews Patrick Preusser about managing Denver's complex transit system and its future developments.

Paul Comfort talks with Patrick Preusser, Chief Operating Officer of Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD), to unpack the reality of delivering transit service across one of the largest and most complex systems in the U.S. Serving over 3 million people across 2,000+ square miles, RTD operates a multimodal network of bus, light rail, commuter rail, paratransit, and emerging microtransit services—all coordinated under a $1.3 billion operation. As part of our “The Doers” series, this conversation focuses on the leaders responsible for turning strategy into service—and Patrick offers a rare, inside look at what that really means. In this episode, you’ll learn: What a Chief Operating Officer actually does in a major transit agency How RTD manages daily service for 135,000+ riders The key KPIs driving performance—from on-time service to cost efficiency Why Denver embraced frequent regional rail before it became industry standard How transit agencies are adapting to new ridership patterns post-pandemic The role of technology, safety, and data dashboards in modern operations What’s ahead for Denver, including BRT expansion, rail reconstruction, and major development projects A…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Comfort

Guest: Patrick Preusser

Topics covered

  • transit management
  • public transportation
  • operational efficiency
  • technology in transit
  • post-pandemic ridership
  • regional development

Keywords

  • transit system
  • Denver RTD
  • Chief Operating Officer
  • ridership patterns
  • BRT expansion
  • rail reconstruction
  • technology
  • performance metrics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Denver Regional Transportation District

Places: Denver, Denver International Airport, East Colfax

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