Updated on 2/25/26
Potential layoffs are looming as the Regional Transportation District (RTD) tries to close a $250 million shortfall against a $1.5 billion budget.
On Feb. 3, RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson announced the launch of efforts to develop an Agency Optimization and Sustainability Plan, a component of the agency’s plans to address the budget deficit.
Employees were notified of the plan in a memo issued on Feb. 9.
“RTD is proactively addressing the reality that, while sales and use tax revenue continues to grow modestly, operating costs are increasing faster than total revenue, and federal relief funds that supported transit agencies in prior years are no longer available,” an RTD spokesperson told CPR News in an email.
As part of operations realignment, certain vacant and filled positions are being eliminated. This includes the Deputy Assistant Chief Operations Officer, General Superintendent, Assistant General Superintendent, Lead Supervisor, and select business roles.
At the same time, RTD will introduce management positions with redefined roles and responsibilities. Positions that were originally posted on Feb. 11 with applications due on Feb. 17 were extended to Feb. 22. Some employees will have to reapply for jobs.
“This realignment is designed to streamline the department’s structure, improve efficiency, strengthen accountability, and optimize service delivery,” the agency said. “It supports RTD’s strategic priorities of customer excellence, employee ownership, and financial success by reducing operating expenses and optimizing resources.”
“The union for years has warned them about getting top-heavy with management,” said Lance Longenbohn, the president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001, the union that represents RTD employees. “We take no pleasure in anyone losing their job, but they just added layer after layer.”
Longenbohn said RTD hasn’t contacted the union about the potential layoff. He said if the agency decides to move forward with layoffs that include any employees represented by the union, it would require bargaining between the two parties.
According to RTD, the effort involves restructuring and eliminating certain positions as part of a strategic assessment to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. The estimated savings associated with the operations realignment are approximately $10.7 million, approximately half of which is in vacant positions.
“The agency’s cost-savings strategy is designed to preserve core transit services and minimize impacts to customers to the extent possible. Similar financial challenges are impacting other transit agencies across the country, so this is not unique to RTD,” the agency said.
As of Dec. 31, 2025, 3,169 employees were accounted for at RTD. The agency’s total salary, wage, and fringe benefit expense for FY 2025 was $431 million.
RTD’s organizational realignment and the Agency Optimization and Sustainability Plan come at a time when the agency has been scrutinized for its slow progress and lack of funding to build FasTracks. At a recent RTD Board retreat, board chair Patrick O’Keefe stated that the project will never be built and other alternatives should be considered.
“I know that management is looking at all of our spending and trying to figure out where we can change that spending trajectory and try to push that problem where our revenues are no longer able to keep up with the expenses even farther out,” O’Keefe said. “So if we can move it from 2030 to 2032, I think that's a success. It gives people two more years to plan for what RTD can be and what people are willing to pay for.”
RTD has also been criticized for being top-heavy in management by lawmakers.
District 28 Rep. Sheila Lieder pointed out Johnson's 18-month contract extension that was approved in 2024 with a $500,000 annual salary. She and Longenbohn also noted last year’s hiring of Deputy CEO Angel Pena, which was a new position.
While Longenbohn believes there won't be any cut coming to represented workers, he thinks a shortage of workers has held the agency back.
“It's concerning for the represented employees just because we are not interested in anything except for the success of RTD as well, because our jobs rely on it,” Logenbohn said. “The public relies on it. You could extrapolate that out to the environment and any number of things, like the economy. But seeing RTD struggle like this, it creates concern even if it's not a direct impact on the represented employees.”
There’s no timetable as to when the layoffs will be determined or take effect.
Editor's Note: This story was updated to correct the contract extension time period from three years to 18 months.
