Homeschool benefits: Denver metro RTD

RTD LiVE cuts Regional Transportation District (RTD) fares by 50% for riders 20 and older whose household income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level: a Day Pass costs $2.70 instead of $5.50, and a Monthly Pass $27 instead of $88. Apply through Colorado PEAK; households on Medicaid, SNAP, or Colorado Works skip the income paperwork.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Is 20 or older

   LiVE is for adults. Riders 19 and under already ride free on all RTD services through Zero Fare for Youth.

2. Meets the income limit

   Gross household income must be at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, for example $6,875 a month for a household of four, as of April 1, 2026.

3. Shows income or benefits

   Households on Medicaid, SNAP, or Colorado Works do not upload income proof. Others send pay stubs, an employer letter, or benefit award letters for each adult.

4. Sends a recent photo

   Upload a clear, full-color, shoulders-up photo on a light background for each applicant. A driver's license or existing ID card is not accepted.

What the fare saves

RTD's fares page lists standard fares next to the discount fares that LiVE riders pay.

3-Hour Pass (full fare $2.75)

$1.35

Day Pass (full fare $5.50)

$2.70

Monthly Pass (full fare $88)

$27

10-Ride Ticket Book

$13.50

Trips to the Airport Fare Zone

No extra charge

Access-a-Ride one-way trip

$2.25

Access-a-Ride needs its own application, and the LiVE fare applies only after your LiVE approval is added to your Access-a-Ride profile.

How to get LiVE fares

1. Before you apply

   Check your household

   Your household is everyone on the same tax return. If you do not file, it is you, your spouse, and the children who live with you.

2. When you apply

   Apply on PEAK or by phone

   Apply at colorado.gov/PEAK for yourself and other household members, or call Denver Human Services for help with the application, photos, and documents.

3. After approval

   Get your card by mail

   RTD mails a LiVE eligibility card to the address you give, which can be a service agency's address.

4. Each ride

   Pay the LiVE fare

   Use your eligibility card with a LiVE MyRide card or a mobile ticket in the RTD MyRide app, or pay with cash or tickets.

What it includes

Included

• Bus and rail fares across the RTD service area
• Trips to and from the Airport Fare Zone
• Access-a-Ride and Access-on-Demand LiVE fares

Not included

• Riders 19 and under, who ride free instead
• Access-a-Ride without its separate application

Who to contact about LiVE

Denver Human Services takes LiVE applications by phone and answers eligibility questions; RTD handles lost or replacement LiVE cards at 303-299-2382.

720-944-4346 RTD LiVE

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Colorado

Give written notice to a Colorado school district 14 days before starting and each year the program continues. Notice is not required before age 6; instruction need not begin until age 7 or continue after age 16.

Colorado sets these rules:

• Subjects: Provide at least 172 days of instruction averaging four instructional contact hours daily, covering reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and regular instruction in the U.S. Constitution.
• Testing: Academic evaluation in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11: standardized test or evaluation by a qualified person.
• Records: Permanently keep attendance, test or evaluation results, and required immunization records; produce them on 14 days’ written notice when the superintendent has probable cause to believe the program is noncompliant.
• Teachers: Instruction is provided by a parent or legal guardian, or an adult relative designated by the parent; no teaching license is required.

Read the Colorado homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Colorado

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