Nearly three months after announcing a new service line, the Bustang Outrider — serving passengers traveling between Craig and Denver — is up and running under the guidance of the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The route, connecting Craig and Denver through U.S. Highway 40 and Interstate 70, began service on Jan. 1, 2021 using older Greyhound buses.

Now, the service line has the new Outrider coaches ready for service.

“We wanted to get this line up and running through northwestern Colorado as soon as possible so we decided it was best to partner with Greyhound and have them use their buses on an interim basis while we focused on getting our new Outrider coaches ready for service,” said Mike Timlin, interim director of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Division of Transit and Rail. “Passengers are now boarding our black and teal buses.”

The new Outrider coaches are equipped with a restroom, bike racks, free WiFi (where available), power outlets and USB ports, according to CDOT.

Each Outrider coach seats 38 and is handicap accessible. During COVID restrictions, each bus is limited to 19 passengers.

Other precautions on the Outrider line include: daily enhanced cleaning and sanitizing on all buses, required face masks for drivers and passengers, supplied face masks (for personal use), latex gloves and personal hand sanitizers on all buses, and blocked seats onboard to ensure proper social distancing.

In addition to Craig, regularly scheduled stops include Hayden, Steamboat Springs, Kremmling, Hot Sulphur Springs, Granby, Tabernash, Fraser, Winter Park, Idaho Springs, the Denver Federal Center and Union Station, according to CDOT.

Along with scheduled stops along U.S. Highway 40 and I-70, the Bustang route includes a number of flag stops, which are places where the bus stops only when a passenger is waiting for, or requests to be dropped off at, a designated location.

Currently, flag stops are located in Milner, at the CO 14 junction (Muddy Pass), Parshall, and Empire. Future stops will be added if the ridership potential is deemed viable, CDOT said.

The route operates seven days a week, including holidays. Fares are priced at 17 cents per mile:

-Craig-Hayden ($3)

-Craig-Union Station ($34)

-Steamboat Springs-Union Station ($27)

-Granby-Union Station ($13)

Tickets are half price for those 65 years and older, 11 years and younger or for the disabled. Additional information on purchasing tickets for all stops is available at: http://www.ridebustang.com.

jcarney@craigdailypress.com