June 29, 2008

A new bus route in Colorado gives dogs and their owners a free ride to a local hiking hot spot. (Pet Pulse Photo)

BOULDER, Colo. – Just a stone’s throw from downtown Boulder, the Colorado Chautauqua is a popular destination for stretching the legs -- all four of them, a trip recently made more accessible for dog owners and their pets thanks to a new pilot program.

The initiative offers residents, tourists and canines a free ride from downtown to the park, which was designated a historic landmark in 2006.

“A lot of people wanted to come to the park and take their dogs to open space, and they were forced to put the dogs in the car because they weren’t allowed on transit throughout the city,” said Boulder transportation planner Chris Jones.

Thus came the only free bus trip in town, attracting Liz Fliegelman and her Golden Labrador, “Tali,” who experienced her first bus ride.

“I thought it was wonderful,” Fliegelman said. “I was hoping there wouldn’t be a lot of other dogs on the bus. There wasn’t and it was really nice. It wasn’t too crowded so I didn’t have to worry about her getting under people’s feet.”

After first seeming unsure if she was allowed on the bus, Tali settled in like she belonged.

“It’s really nice to be able to take her here and not have to get in my car and drive, and deal with the parking here, which isn’t very easy,” Fliegelman said.

Fliegelman and Tali usually hike in Chautauqua a few times each week, and the bus service will enable them to do so even more often, she says.

“She loves it here, so it will be fun to just hop right on and we’ll use it a lot,” Fliegelman said.

The bus has been a big hit, Jones says.

“We’re averaging over 200 riders per day, so we’re beating the former route,” Jones said. “Our goal is 500 riders a day.”

The bus service benefits not only dog owners and their pets but also the neighborhood and environment, by reducing traffic and parking congestion. The dog-friendly trip operates from Noon to 10 p.m. daily, with pick-ups every 15 minutes throughout the route.

Already the program’s success is outweighing some initial rider concerns, Jones says.

“The negative feedback has been a kennel on wheels where there’s worries of dogs barking and leaving messages and fighting,” he said. “And in actuality, we have a few dogs a day and we haven’t had any problems.

“The drivers love it, the dogs love it and the guardians love it as well.”

The free bus program was modeled after long-running free rides offered in major cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Tacoma and even Paris, Jones says.

“I think it’s a nice option,” Fliegelman said. “Boulder is a very dog friendly city, so it fits in with the culture of boulder.”

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