COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — On September 16th, 1972 the City of Colorado Springs would begin operating the Springs Transit system throughout the city.
Public transportation is nothing new for the city of Colorado Springs as it has been a part of the city's framework for 135 years. The public option ran by the city however was the first non-private option in the city since the first private companies began service in the area in 1887.
The first transportation company operating in the city was The Colorado Springs & Manitou Springs Street Railway Co.Operating with two horse-drawn streetcars running along Tejon Street to the Colorado College. Two years later a competitor would emerge, the El Paso Rapid Transit Company building lines along Platte and Weber.
Entrepreneur Winfield Stratton came along in 1902 and saw the competition between the two companies leading to a loss of profits and knew of the importance of transportation in the city. Stratton in 1902 bought the two companies creating the Colorado Springs Rapid Transit. The company would be run years after Stratton's death the following year eventually replacing street cars with several bus lines in 1926.
In 1932 the Colorado Springs Rapid Transit company would be sold and become the Colorado Springs Bus Company and with the onset of the great depression and World War 2 street cars would be phased completely out of use due to the cost and effectiveness of buses.
The city decided it needed its own transportation system after the previous provider Colorado Springs Coach Company said it would discontinue many of its services in 1971. The closure prompted the city to secure federal funding for Springs Transit to subsidize the costs.
During that time, Springs Transit began with eighteen buses and eight routes serving the city. It was not until 2005 that the name would change to Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT).
Times have changed and so has more than just the name. Since its inception 50 years ago, MMT has now expanded to over 70 fixed route buses that service more than 30 routes across the city.
ADA complementary paratransit services, vanpools, and more services are continuing to be added as MMT seeks to improve its service and usage in Colorado Springs. Battery electric buses, a free shuttle serving downtown, and a new mobile ticketing app are just a few things new to MMT in 2022.
"Mountain Metropolitan Transit plays an integral role in our community, and we are especially proud of helping people get where they need to go for 50 years,” said Lan Rao, acting Transit Services Manager. “To our dedicated transit staff and all of our riders, thank you for your ongoing support and contributions to creating a better transit system and a better city.”
For more on the history of Transit in Colorado Spring, go to MMTransit.com
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