Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question? Take a look below to find the answer. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, fill out our contact form and we’ll get in touch!
Have a question? Take a look below to find the answer. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, fill out our contact form and we’ll get in touch!
The Colorado Department of Transportation operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability. Anyone who believes they have been excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under any CDOT program or activity because of their race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability may file a discrimination complaint with CDOT or the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). For more information on how to file a discrimination complaint with the CDOT Civil Rights and Business Center, please click here or call (303) 757-9234. For more information on how to file a complaint with the FTA, please visit here or call (888) 446-4511.
El Procedimiento y el Formulario de Queja y Discriminación están disponibles en español en el siguiente enlace https://www.codot.gov/business/civilrights/complaints o llamando (303) 757-9234.
Bustang is accessible to persons with disabilities. Buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps that enable persons in wheelchairs or persons who cannot navigate steps to ride the bus.
Buses have priority seating for seniors and persons with disabilities and designated wheelchair locations.
Operators are trained to assist riders, use lifts and ramps, secure wheelchairs, provide information on destinations served, and announce stops, including any stop you request.
You may travel with your respirator, concentrator, and portable oxygen. Public information is available in alternative accessible formats upon request. To request information in an alternative format, please call us at 800-900-3011 or click here to use our website “contact us” form.
Service animals are welcome on our buses and in our facilities. Please let the driver know you have a service animal and, if asked, what function the service animal is trained to provide you. The rules of behavior that apply to you also apply to your service animal, including suspension of service for violating the rules. Therefore, please keep your service animal under your control. Service animals are not allowed to occupy a seat or block the aisle.
Comfort animals that are mammals may accompany you if they are in a pet carrier for the entire duration of the trip. The animal may not be removed from the carrier while it is on the bus. The carrier must fit under the seat in front of the passenger, or on the passenger’s lap. The carrier may not be placed on an adjacent seat, nor can it impede the space of an adjacent seat, or the aisle. In order for a carrier to fit underneath the seat, it must not exceed the following dimensions: 16”x14”x10”.
Animals will not be stowed underneath the bus under any circumstances.
Per part 37.167 (h) of the us code title 49, respirators or portable oxygen equipment is permitted:(h) the entity shall not prohibit an individual with a disability from traveling with a respirator or portable oxygen supply, consistent with applicable department of transportation rules on the transportation of hazardous materials (49 cfr subtitle b, chapter 1, subchapter c).
Fare guidance for companions and personal care attendants is under the us code title 49 subpart f paratransit section, part 37.129, even though bustang is not a paratransit service. Companions are charged the same fare as the passenger with a disability they are accompanying. Personal care attendants ride free. Please contact us regarding providing us with personal care attendant qualifying information.
As per part 37.123 of the us code title 49, to prevent potential abuse, the rule provides that a companion (e.g., friend or family member) does not count as a personal care attendant unless the eligible individual regularly makes use of a personal care attendant and the companion is actually acting in that capacity. As noted under §37.125,a provider may require that, as part of the initial eligibility certifi cation process, an individual indicate whether he or she travels with a personal care attendant. If someone does not indicate the use of an attendant, then any individual accompanying him or her would be regarded simply as a companion.
Yes! Passengers with disabilities may request modifications to current service procedures to access the service. To make a request, please call us at 1-800-900-3011, option 4, or email us at bustangdispatch@aceexpresscoaches.com. Please submit requests at least one day before the trip.
The request must identify the modification needed to use the service. Whenever feasible, please make the request in advance, before the modification is needed to access the service.
Within the scope of the ADA, and reasonable modification, if Ace Express Coaches or other Bustang family service provider denies a request it will make every effort, to the maximum extent feasible, to ensure that a person with a disability has access to, and benefits from, its services. To request reasonable modification based on a disability, please use the Reasonable Modification form or contact Ace Express Coaches for assistance.
For more information, click here.
Drivers reserve the right to detour in order to go to an emergency or law enforcement facility when conditions warrant. Drivers may also detour due to road conditions.
Each bus will eventually have automated stop notifications, which will include both audio announcements and an led screen displaying the name of the next stop/station. Until that feature becomes available the driver will announce all stops.
As per part 37.167(d) of the US Title Code 49 subsection g, service animals are allowed onboard Bustang coaches, with the understanding that passengers must always disclose the presence of a service animal to the operator, prior to boarding the bus. Failure to disclose this information may be grounds for removal from the coach. Pets are not permitted on any Bustang coach.
Emotional support animals and emotional therapy dogs will only be allowed on Bustang coaches if they are contained within a pet carrier for the entire duration of the trip. The animal may not be removed from the carrier while it is on the coach. The carrier must fit under the seat in front of the passenger, or must fit in the passenger’s lap. The carrier may not be placed on the adjacent seat or be placed in a way that might block the aisle of the coach.
If an emotional support animal is not contained within a carrier, as described, it will not be allowed on the bus. Animals will not be stowed underneath the bus under any circumstances.
An operator will be given the ability to remove or exclude the boarding of an animal if it is a direct threat to the health or safety of others, if it is not housebroken, or if it is not controllable by the handler. Any animals classified as reptiles, rodents, or arachnids, are expressly prohibited from boarding Bustang coaches under any and all circumstances.
CDOT is working with the Denver Regional Mobility and Access council (DRMAC) for guidance and assistance to enable passengers to get to their destination.
CDOT/Bustang does not provide a guaranteed ride home. There are local transit partners who provide a guaranteed ride home (may be a cost associated) in northern Colorado and in the Denver metro area. Currently there is not a guaranteed ride home in the Pikes Peak region.
Purchase of a ticket for RamsRoute, Bustang to Broncos, Bustang to Estes, Snowstang or Pegasus guarantees travel on that trip, but does not reserve a specific seat on the vehicle. Seating locations may not be saved and items must be stored in luggage compartments during the event or between services. Access to items stored in luggage compartments during the event or between services is not guaranteed. ACE Express Coaches or Colorado Department of Transportation are not responsible for any lost, damaged or stolen items.
Any children under the age of 16 will not be allowed to travel alone. All children 15 years and under must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. This is for the safety of your child.
The Sterling–Denver Outrider route has a new stop at DIA! For our other Denver routes that do not provide DIA service, passengers can connect to RTD’s A-line train at Denver Union Station.
Passengers who are traveling within the Denver metro area, Colorado Springs metro area, or the Fort Collins metro area will not be accepted. Bustang service is intended for intercity travel between major regional centers. Please utilize your local transit provider for travel within your metro area.
Policies available to view on fares & tickets page.
Cancellations for refund will not be accepted for Bustang service. Bustang’s “justride bustang” mobile app tickets will be valid for up to 6 months from purchase date and can be used on any Bustang trip of the same cost within that 6-month period. Once a ticket has been used the designated number of times (whether 1, 10, 20 or 40) the ticket is no longer valid, regardless of the expiration date. Ticket reservations for Bustang’s special services (RamsRoute, Estes Park, Bustang to Broncos, Snowstang) are available on those individual service pages. Those tickets are only valid on the reserved service date and cannot be cancelled. Reserved tickets can be changed to a new date by calling or emailing customer service prior to your trip date.
While food and beverages are allowed onboard Bustang coaches, no alcohol or any food or beverage containing drugs (i.e. ‘spiked’ beverages, edible THC products, etc.) are allowed onboard and may not be consumed on Bustang coaches.
Smoking and vaping of any kind are not allowed on Bustang, and any passengers caught tampering with devices or smoking in the restroom onboard will be reported to the Colorado State Patrol. Any passengers openly carrying any drug paraphernalia will not be permitted to board or will be asked to exit the coach.
With the exception of on-duty law enforcement officers, weapons are not allowed on Bustang vehicles.
The Bustang service has 80 vehicles (buses/coaches and shuttle vans) in the fleet. The number of vehicles in operation daily varies by the day and route. Each coach has a 51-passenger capacity, and comes equipped with a restroom, bike rack, free WiFi, 110v outlets, USB ports, and wheelchair lifts. Each van comes equipped with free WiFi, 110v outlets, USB ports, seasonal ski/snowboard racks, and a wheelchair lift.
For all lost item inquiries, please contact our customer service team at 1.800.900.3011. Please provide as much detail as possible so we may identify and return your item. Lost items are kept for up to 30 days. We do not send items out with our operators to return, so all items must be claimed at our base in Golden, Colorado. A valid photo-ID will be required for all item pick up. If you are unable to come to our Golden office, you may send us a self-addressed and postage paid package and we will send the item back to you.
Every seat on our Bustang coaches have seatbelts that can be used to secure a car seat. Each coach is also equipped with luggage bays to store strollers, luggage, and other necessary equipment. Children under the age of 16 will not be permitted to travel on Bustang alone. All children ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
Bustang is accessible to persons with disabilities. Buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps that enable persons in wheelchairs or persons who cannot navigate steps to ride the bus.
Buses have priority seating for seniors and persons with disabilities and designated wheelchair locations. Operators are trained to assist riders, use lifts and ramps, secure wheelchairs, provide information on destinations served, and announce stops, including any stop you request.
You may travel with your respirator, concentrator, and portable oxygen.
Public information is available in alternative accessible formats upon request. To request information in an alternative format, please call us at 800-900-3011 or use our website “contact us” form.
Bustang takes pride in partnering with local agencies across the state, and we have easy connections with many local agencies, including the Roaring Fork Transit Authority (RFTA), Vail Transportation, Summit Stage Transportation, Mountain Metro Transportation, TransFort, and Denver RTD. Bustang also connects with Amtrak and Greyhound stations. The appropriate fares will be required for all non-Bustang services.
The Bustang mobile ticketing app is available for download through the Apple App Store and the Google Play store. This app is the easiest way to purchase your ticket, and provides information on Bustang schedule and fares. Simply select your starting and ending location, purchase your ticket, and activate it to show the driver as you board.
Tickets are valid for up to 6 months, so you can always purchase ahead – and we have bulk discounts available on ticket packs as well!
Ticket reservations for all Bustang Seasonal Services and Snowstang Service are to be purchased separately and can be done so on the individual service page. If you have any questions or are having difficulty using the app, please contact us.
Single trip tickets can be purchased onboard all of our coaches – please remember to bring exact change, as drivers do not carry cash and no change will be given onboard. Mobile tickets can be purchased via the Bustang Mobile ticketing app for travel along the North, South, West, and DTC line.
Ticket reservations for all Bustang Seasonal Services and Snowstang Service are to be purchased separately and can be done so on the individual service page.
Up to two small, personal items may be brought on the bus and stored in overhead bins, or underneath the seat in front of you. Personal items may not occupy the seat next to you. Larger pieces of luggage may be stored in the stowage compartments under the bus. You may bring up to 3 pieces of luggage to stow underneath the bus. Bicycles, skis, or snowboards each count as one piece of luggage. Weapons not are not allowed on the bus. The driver will open the compartments for you, but it is your responsibility to load and unload all of your luggage. Please keep in mind that we cannot transport bags/boxes without passengers present because we are not a freight, delivery, or courier service. State laws prohibit this type of transport without proper licensing. Kindly refer to the appropriate agencies if you need this type of service.
*Bustang/Ace Express Coaches/CDOT will not be liable for any lost luggage items. You are responsible for your own luggage.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be eaten onboard Bustang. We do ask that you avoid eating soups or other items with sauces that may spill on the seats. Please be sure to throw away your garbage when exiting the coach.
Bustang drivers are hired by individual operating companies for each route. Please visit our Careers page.
Each Bustang coach is equipped with a restroom, bike racks, Wi-Fi, power outlets, and USB ports. Each vehicle is entirely ADA accessible and has two standard securement areas with a center-loading wheelchair lift.
Bustang is managed by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), an agency of the State of Colorado. CDOT has contracted with Ace Express Coaches to run Bustang’s North, South, and West Line service. Bustang Outrider is separately operated through contracts with Ace Express Coaches, Alpine Express, the Northeast Colorado Association of Local Governments (NECALG), Pueblo SRDA, the South Central Council of Governments (SCCOG), and the Southern Colorado Community Action Agency (SoCoCAA). Please contact the Outrider operators directly with questions about their operating policies.
Customers may transport non-motorized and motorized bicycles, e-bikes and stand-up scooters on Bustang vehicles operated by ACE Express Coaches at any time without a permit subject to the following requirements:
Bicycles are not permitted inside the Bustang bus at anytime. Bicycle racks are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can accommodate up to 2 bikes. Bicycle racks can accommodate both adult and child bikes with a 55-pound per bicycle weight limit. Bicycles which do not fit on the designated bike rack will be placed in luggage storage, if available. Customers with disabilities who use a stand-up scooter as a mobility device that would not otherwise be permitted under this policy may request a reasonable modification from the requirements of this policy pursuant to the ACE Express Coaches Reasonable Modification Policy and Reasonable Modification Procedure.
ACE Express Coaches and Bustang services are not responsible for lost or stolen bicycles and scooters or for damage to bicycles or scooters.
Bustang and Outrider take pride in partnering with local agencies across the state, and we have easy connections with many local agencies across the state. Outrider also connects with Amtrak and Greyhound stations. The appropriate fares will be required for all non-Bustang or non-Outrider services.
The Outrider mobile ticketing app is available for download through the Apple App Store and the Google Play store. This app is the easiest way to purchase your ticket, and provides information on Outrider schedule and fares. Simply select your starting and ending location, purchase your ticket, and activate it to show the driver as you board.
Tickets are valid for up to 6 months, so you can always purchase ahead – and we have bulk discounts available on ticket packs as well!
Single trip tickets can be purchased onboard all of our coaches – please remember to bring exact change, as drivers do not carry cash and no change will be given onboard. Mobile tickets can be purchased via the Outrider Mobile ticketing app as well.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be eaten onboard Outrider. We do ask that you avoid eating soups or other items with sauces that may spill on the seats. Please be sure to throw away your garbage when exiting the coach.
For all lost item inquiries, please contact our customer service team at 1.800.900.3011. Please provide as much detail as possible so we may identify and return your item and see how we can get it back to you.
Every seat on our Outrider coaches have seatbelts that can be used to secure a car seat. Many of the coaches on our longer routes are also equipped with luggage bays to store strollers, luggage, and other necessary equipment. Children under the age of 16 will not be permitted to travel on Outrider alone. All children ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
Each vehicle is entirely ADA accessible and has two standard securement areas with a wheelchair lift. Operators will announce each stop for all passengers. Service animals are welcome onboard Outrider coaches.
Each Outrider coach is equipped with bike racks, Wi-Fi, power outlets, and USB ports. Many of the coaches on our longer routes are also equipped with restrooms. Each vehicle is entirely ADA accessible.
Please note that luggage space onboard Pegasus vans are limited. You will be permitted only one “carry-on” size luggage (16″x16″x12″) and up to one set of skis or a snowboard per passenger. If you are traveling with bulky items, large luggage, or any other item that cannot be comfortably brought on your lap, we strongly suggest using the Bustang West Line to better fit your needs.
Pegasus passengers board at street level to the rear of the Union Station Train Hall. The stop is on Wewatta Street, just west of 17th St.
While food and beverages are allowed onboard Pegasus vans, no alcohol or any food or beverage containing drugs (i.e. ‘spiked’ beverages, edible THC products, etc.) are allowed onboard and may not be consumed while riding Pegasus.
Smoking and vaping of any kind are not allowed on Pegasus. Any passengers openly carrying any drug paraphernalia will not be permitted to board or will be asked to exit the van.
With the exception of on-duty law enforcement officers, weapons are not allowed on Pegasus vehicles.
As per part 37.167(d) of the US Title Code 49 subsection g, service animals are allowed onboard Pegasus vans, with the understanding that passengers must always disclose the presence of a service animal to the operator, prior to boarding the bus. Failure to disclose this information may be grounds for removal from the coach. Pets are not permitted on any Pegasus van.
Emotional support animals and emotional therapy dogs will only be allowed on Pegasus vans if they are contained within a pet carrier for the entire duration of the trip. The animal may not be removed from the carrier while it is on the coach. The carrier must fit under the seat in front of the passenger, or must fit in the passenger’s lap. The carrier may not be placed on the adjacent seat or be placed in a way that might block the aisle of the coach.
If an emotional support animal is not contained within a carrier, as described, it will not be allowed on the bus. Animals will not be stowed in luggage areas under any circumstances.
An operator will be given the ability to remove or exclude the boarding of an animal if it is a direct threat to the health or safety of others, if it is not housebroken, or if it is not controllable by the handler. Any animals classified as reptiles, rodents, or arachnids, are expressly prohibited from boarding Pegasus vans under any and all circumstances.
Bustang and Pegasus take pride in partnering with local agencies across the state, and we have easy connections with many local agencies, including Eagle County Transit (ECO Transit), Vail Transportation, and Denver RTD. Bustang and Pegasus also connect with Amtrak and Greyhound stations. The appropriate fares will be required for all non-Bustang and non-Pegasus services.
Reservations can be made in advance online and are tied to the day and time of travel. Reservations can be made up to 20 minutes before the trip departure time. All reservations are made online and can be purchased here.
Please note that tickets purchased in the Bustang mobile ticketing app does not transfer to Pegasus trips.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be eaten onboard Pegasus. We do ask that you avoid eating soups or other items with sauces that may spill on the seats. Please be sure to throw away your garbage when exiting the coach, and be mindful that you will be sharing a smaller space than a typical coach with passengers.
For all lost item inquiries, please contact our customer service team at 1.800.900.3011. Please provide as much detail as possible so we may identify and return your item. Lost items are kept for up to 30 days. We do not send items out with our operators to return, so all items must be claimed at our base in Golden, Colorado. A valid photo-ID will be required for all item pick up. If you are unable to come to our Golden office, you may send us a self-addressed and postage paid package and we will send the item back to you.
Every seat on our Pegasus vans have seatbelts that can be used to secure a car seat.
Please note that luggage space onboard Pegasus is limited – if you have bulky items or luggage, using the Bustang West Line service will be a better fit for your needs.
Children under the age of 16 will not be permitted to travel on Pegasus alone. All children ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
Each van is entirely ADA accessible and has a standard securement area with a rear-loading wheelchair lift. Each van will be equipped with automatic stop announcements as well as visual stop notifications for all passengers – until that time, all stops will be announced by the operator. Service animals are welcome onboard Pegasus vans.
Each Pegasus van is equipped with Wi-Fi, power outlets, and USB ports. Each vehicle is entirely ADA accessible and has one standard securement area with a rear-loading wheelchair lift. Ski and snowboard racks are available during the winter season.
Snowstang tickets for each route are available for purchase online and can be made in advance. Tickets can be purchased on each Snowstang page.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages may be eaten onboard Snowstang. We do ask that you avoid eating soups or other items with sauces that may spill on the seats. Please be sure to throw away your garbage when exiting the coach.
For all lost item inquiries, please contact our customer service team at 1.800.900.3011. Please provide as much detail as possible so we may identify and return your item. Lost items are kept for up to 30 days. We do not send items out with our operators to return, so all items must be claimed at our base in Golden, Colorado. A valid photo-ID will be required for all item pick up. If you are unable to come to our Golden office, you may send us a self-addressed and postage paid package and we will send the item back to you.
Every seat on our Snowstang coaches have seatbelts that can be used to secure a car seat. Each coach is also equipped with luggage bays to store strollers, luggage, and other necessary equipment. Children under the age of 16 will not be permitted to travel on Snowstang alone. All children ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
Each vehicle is entirely ADA accessible and has two standard securement areas with a center-loading wheelchair lift. Each coach comes equipped with automatic stop announcements as well as visual stop notifications for all passengers. Service animals are welcome onboard Snowstang coaches.
Each Snowstang coach is equipped with a restroom, bike racks, Wi-Fi, power outlets, and USB ports. Each vehicle is entirely ADA accessible and has two standard securement areas with a center-loading wheelchair lift.