Language additions to website, Next Ride app provide inclusivity to RTD customers

In November 2023, RTD launched a fully redesigned website to make it more user-friendly for customers with enhanced online accessibility and improved navigation. The agency continues to evolve its website and Next Ride app by adding language translations to improve accessibility for limited English-speaking individuals.

In May, RTD will provide Russian translation for all website content – already available in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese. RTD’s Next Ride application provides translated content, trip planning tools and Service Alerts in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese. Vietnamese arrives on Next Ride in early April.

Customers can easily select languages other than English on the website by choosing the “translate page” menu link on both desktop and mobile devices.

RTD’s Language Access Program promotes equity and inclusion by removing language barriers that would prevent limited-English speaking populations from accessing information to use RTD services.

To determine which languages to add to its website and applications, RTD conducted an analysis of limited English proficient (LEP) individuals throughout the service area. Sixty-eight percent of the LEP population in the eight-county area are Spanish speakers, followed by Vietnamese (4.4%) and Chinese (4.2%). A full analysis is published in RTD’s 2022-2025 Language Access Plan.

The program’s goal “is to make sure that everyone can use our services and programs regardless of their spoken language,” said Transit Equity Specialist Dani McLean.