DENVER — The free shuttle that has bused countless Denverites along 16th Street will resume full service later this fall following a more than three-year hiatus, Regional Transportation District officials said Thursday.
The no-cost shuttle, formerly known as the free MallRide, stopped running at the start of the coronavirus pandemic more than five years ago but resumed partial service when the city’s multi-year reconstruction of the pedestrian mall began in 2022.
Rebranded along with the name of the mall, the FreeRide is expected to resume full service between Civic Center Station and Denver Union Station on Sunday, Oct. 5.
“Constructed more than 40 years ago, the 16th Street pedestrian and transit mall is a major link through downtown Denver,” an RTD spokesperson said in a news release. “RTD’s bus shuttles, which run approximately every five minutes, are one of the most visible parts of the corridor, attracting thousands of boardings every day.”
RTD officials said the shuttle had approximately 1.5 million boardings in 2024, with overall ridership increasing over the past year. That number is expected to increase in 2025.
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“July 2025 saw more than 200,000 boardings alone, which was the highest number of monthly boardings since 2022,” the RTD spokesperson said. “The shuttle has averaged more than 170,000 monthly boardings in 2025, as compared to 125,000 monthly boardings in 2024.”
Those visiting the reconstructed mall will find a reconfigured layout with wider sidewalks, mature trees, new amenities and transit running through the center of each block, officials said, with the granite paver system having improved surface friction to sustain the FreeRide’s shuttle service.
“The newly renovated 16th Street brings opportunities to make connections across downtown and nearby neighborhoods even stronger, creating a more accessible, inclusive center city,” said Kourtny Garrett, President and CEO, Downtown Denver Partnership. “The 16th Street FreeRide is a vital link to those opportunities, connecting people across downtown and moving the city forward.”
The FreeRide is available seven days a week and shuttles run every traffic light cycle during peak periods.
The popular shuttle service stops at every intersection along the 1.25-mile-long transitway between Denver Union Station to Civic Center Station, with a total end-to-end travel time of approximately 15 minutes.
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