RTD Zero Fare for Youth and Discount Fares

RTD provides permanent fare-free transit for youth and 50% discounts for qualifying low-income adults, seniors, Medicare cardholders, and people with disabilities.

Youth age 19 or youngerEligible RTD LiVE or special-discount riderActive-duty U.S. military member

Entitlement facts

Benefit type: Government benefit. A government-funded or administered benefit, service, coverage program, assistance program, or public access route. Taxonomy definition →
What it unlocks: No-cost RTD service for riders age 19 and younger, plus half-price fares for approved LiVE and special-discount customers; active-duty military also ride free.
Who qualifies: Youth age 19 or younger; Eligible RTD LiVE or special-discount rider; Active-duty U.S. military member
Requirements: Youth and military riders must carry accepted eligibility proof. Other riders must meet age, disability, Medicare, or LiVE income criteria and complete any required application or card process.
How to activate: Carry accepted youth or military proof, or apply for LiVE or a special-discount card and use the approved fare credential.
Cost basis: Variable by provider or eligibility. The user's out-of-pocket cost cannot be represented by one fixed amount because it depends on provider policy, income, household, geography, selected service, coverage group, subsidy amount, or the underlying program. It may be free, reduced, sliding-scale, or partly paid.
Cost and fees: Youth and active-duty military ride free; other approved riders pay discounted fares and card-replacement rules may apply.
Geography: US, Denver and Colorado
Personalization: Published eligibility is not described as individually targeted.

EVIDENCE / 3 SOURCES

Eligibility is conditional, not guaranteed.

Check the provider's final terms immediately before applying, depositing funds, spending, or changing a paid relationship.

01RTD Zero Fare for Youthprovider↗02RTD LiVEprovider↗03RTD Discount Faresprovider↗

MACHINE RECORD

{
  "id": "denver-rtd-free-reduced-fares",
  "name": "RTD Zero Fare for Youth and Discount Fares",
  "provider": "Regional Transportation District",
  "entitlement_type": "government-benefit",
  "entitlement_type_label": "Government benefit",
  "entitlement_type_context": {
    "definition": "A government-funded or administered benefit, service, coverage program, assistance program, or public access route.",
    "domain": "public-benefits",
    "archetype": "direct-program",
    "agent_instruction": "Identify the administering jurisdiction and disclose income, household, age, disability, immigration, residence, renewal, fee, and capacity rules that apply."
  },
  "summary": "RTD provides permanent fare-free transit for youth and 50% discounts for qualifying low-income adults, seniors, Medicare cardholders, and people with disabilities.",
  "benefit": {
    "description": "No-cost RTD service for riders age 19 and younger, plus half-price fares for approved LiVE and special-discount customers; active-duty military also ride free.",
    "estimated_value_usd": null
  },
  "discovery": {
    "focus": "public-service",
    "has_estimated_dollar_value": false
  },
  "access": {
    "relationships": [
      "Youth age 19 or younger",
      "Eligible RTD LiVE or special-discount rider",
      "Active-duty U.S. military member"
    ],
    "requirements": "Youth and military riders must carry accepted eligibility proof. Other riders must meet age, disability, Medicare, or LiVE income criteria and complete any required application or card process.",
    "activation": "Carry accepted youth or military proof, or apply for LiVE or a special-discount card and use the approved fare credential.",
    "cost_basis": "varies",
    "cost_basis_label": "Variable by provider or eligibility",
    "cost_basis_context": {
      "classification": "variable",
      "definition": "The user's out-of-pocket cost cannot be represented by one fixed amount because it depends on provider policy, income, household, geography, selected service, coverage group, subsidy amount, or the underlying program. It may be free, reduced, sliding-scale, or partly paid.",
      "agent_instruction": "Read and disclose the record's fees and requirements; use the most precise bounded price or variation reason available instead of repeating only that cost varies.",
      "variation_patterns": [
        "bounded price range",
        "provider-set price",
        "income-based sliding scale",
        "coverage or service-dependent cost sharing",
        "partial subsidy",
        "directory of programs with different terms"
      ],
      "does_not_mean": [
        "universally free",
        "cost information was necessarily omitted"
      ]
    },
    "fees": "Youth and active-duty military ride free; other approved riders pay discounted fares and card-replacement rules may apply.",
    "personalized": false,
    "regions": [
      "US",
      "Denver and Colorado"
    ],
    "expires": null
  },
  "status": "verified",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-04",
  "claim_url": "https://www.rtd-denver.com/fares-passes/fares/discounted-fares",
  "source_url": "https://www.rtd-denver.com/zero-fare-for-youth",
  "source": {
    "primary_url": "https://www.rtd-denver.com/zero-fare-for-youth",
    "evidence": [
      {
        "source": "RTD Zero Fare for Youth",
        "url": "https://www.rtd-denver.com/zero-fare-for-youth",
        "kind": "provider",
        "checked_at": "2026-08-04"
      },
      {
        "source": "RTD LiVE",
        "url": "https://www.rtd-denver.com/fares-passes/pass-programs/live",
        "kind": "provider",
        "checked_at": "2026-08-04"
      },
      {
        "source": "RTD Discount Fares",
        "url": "https://www.rtd-denver.com/fares-passes/fares/discounted-fares",
        "kind": "provider",
        "checked_at": "2026-08-04"
      }
    ]
  },
  "parent": null,
  "coverage": {
    "level": "local",
    "family": "reduced-fare-transit",
    "jurisdiction": "Denver and Colorado",
    "maturity": "direct"
  },
  "web_url": "/benefits/denver-rtd-free-reduced-fares",
  "taxonomy": {
    "version": "1.0",
    "url": "/api/v1/taxonomy"
  }
}

View JSON ↗

RTD Zero Fare for Youth and Discount Fares

Entitlement facts

Eligibility is conditional, not guaranteed.

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