Fort Collins Transfort changes arrive as CSU students return for fall semester

Fort Collins’ scheduled Transfort network changes will begin Monday, August 17, one day before Colorado State University residence halls reopen and as new international students arrive for mandatory orientation.

The timing puts most of the revised bus network in place during CSU move-in, Welcome Week activity and the start of fall classes. Students, parents, campus workers, commuters and Old Town businesses should check current routes before traveling because the city says the maps reflect current plans and may receive minor adjustments.

What changes August 17

The city’s current implementation plan includes route realignments affecting Routes 2, 3/32, 8, 14, 16, 18 and 81, along with new service or connections involving Timberline, East Prospect, the CSU campus and East Mulberry.

Routes 10, 11 and 12, which are currently suspended, will be removed from Transfort service. Sunday service will not be provided for fixed routes or Dial-A-Ride under the plan. Bus-stop-to-bus-stop on-demand taxi service also will be removed.

The plan calls for more frequent service on several routes. MAX is scheduled to run every 15 minutes all day. Routes 5, 9 and 14 are scheduled for 30-minute service during peak periods and 60-minute service during off-peak periods. Route 8 is scheduled to operate every 20 minutes.

Not every listed change is expected at the same time. The city says most route-service changes are scheduled for August 17, while routes requiring significant realignment or new bus stops—including changes anticipated for Routes 14 and 18—are expected in 2027. The August network remains a current plan rather than an irreversible final map.

Why the timing matters for CSU

CSU’s residence halls reopen Tuesday, August 18. Eligible students living in on-campus housing may have early check-in options on August 16 and 17; CSU’s international-student guidance says early check-in may cost $90 per day.

That same Tuesday, Colorado State’s International Student and Scholar Services has scheduled mandatory undergraduate and graduate international-student orientation. The university’s arrival guidance directs students traveling from Denver International Airport to the CSU Transit Center, making the Transfort rollout relevant to students arriving immediately before orientation.

The first day of the Fall 2026 semester is Monday, August 24. That week will be the first full test of the revised network during regular class travel, campus commuting and off-campus trips.

A specific MAX trip to Old Town

The University Honors Program has scheduled an “Explore Old Town Fort Collins” event for Thursday, August 20. Participants will meet at Academic Village Honors, walk to a MAX station and ride downtown together.

The outing is a program-specific event, not a university-wide transportation schedule. It is one concrete example of campus-to-Old-Town travel planned during the period when most of the Transfort changes are scheduled to be in effect.

Dial-A-Ride changes

Transfort’s current plan also changes paratransit service. Dial-A-Taxi’s service area will expand, with vouchers valued at $15. Existing Dial-A-Ride clients who fall outside the new service area will retain eligibility for door-to-door service.

Sunday Dial-A-Ride service will not be available after the August 17 implementation. Riders who depend on paratransit should review the updated service-area information and confirm arrangements before the change takes effect.

What riders should do

Check the city’s current Transfort route maps before move-in or orientation travel.
Confirm the route and departure time before leaving, especially if using Routes 2, 3/32, 8, 14, 16, 18 or 81.
Allow extra time during August 16-18 move-in and orientation activity.
Plan ahead for the removal of Routes 10, 11 and 12 and the loss of Sunday fixed-route service.
Monitor Transfort updates because the city says minor map adjustments remain possible.

The central date for most of the network change is Monday, August 17. For CSU riders, that date arrives immediately before residence halls reopen, international orientation begins and the campus returns to a new academic year.

Sources

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