Due to hard times and a financial panic, Winfield Scott Stratton purchased Colorado Springs Rapid Transit on January 1, 1901. He formed the Colorado Springs and Suburban Railway to operate the company and then in 1902, he set up the Colorado Springs & Interurban Railway Company. Stratton then began to rebuild the system into a first-class street railway.

By 1914 costs were rising faster than income. In 1925 the railway stopped generating its own power. This was the first year the Colorado Springs Transit Co. started to purchase power from the City's Department of Public Utilities. An offer to sell the operation to the City was made in 1926 but was not taken seriously. By 1931, Stratton was weary of operating such a troubled system and became committed to finding a new responsible operator. Shortly after, Wallace England purchased the operation from Stratton who applied to City Council for a citywide bus permit. City Council awarded the operating permit to Wallace on February 12, 1932. Wallace and his associates formed the Colorado Springs Bus Company. The permit from the City not only specified routes and fares but also the initial fleet of buses.

The Colorado Springs Bus Company instituted a zone fare to Manitou and Broadmoor, since trolleys on those lines had always operated at a loss for 10 out of every 12 months. The basic fare was 10 cents per zone with 15 tokens available for $1.00, and the cash fare was to remain unchanged for almost 20 years.
 

During World War II, Camp Carson was established by the army on 60,000 acres a few miles from the city. Colorado Springs Bus Company purchased 20 new buses to serve the camp and in 1944 acquired 2 tractor trailer units for service within the camp.

During 1945, sometime following the death of Wallace England, ownership of the Bus Company passed to Maurice Goodman and his associates. The company's name was changed from Colorado Springs Bus Co. to Colorado Springs Transit Co. During Goodman's ownership, he was faced with rising costs, falling ridership, higher depreciation expense for the fleet in operation and a wage increase that took effect in June of 1951. In February of 1952, Colorado Springs Transit Co. applied for an increase in the cash fare from 10 cents to 15 cents. There was also another fare increase in 1956. Also in 1958, the U.S. Airforce Academy opened 10 miles north of Colorado Springs. At this time the Colorado Springs Transit Co. applied for rights to provide transportation service to and through the grounds to improve ridership and revenue. Colorado Springs Transit Co. never did obtain the rights into the Air Force Academy grounds. In 1959, additional revenue was generated by the formation of Colorado Bench Advertising Co. which placed bus benches with advertising on them at various local bus stops.

Faced with financial difficulties, Colorado Springs Transit Co. asked the City for assistance on February 14, 1961. The company offered to sell out to the City or to enter into a lease arrangement. Under a lease agreement, the City could defer the payment of some taxes. A local resident by the name of K.B. Charlesworth announced that he would be willing to provide the bus service. He said that the City's authority over the Transit Company would be merely as an advisory component. The mayor set up a transportation committee to look into the matter but made it clear that the City was not about to go into the bus business.

In September of 1961 the Transit Company suffered heavy financial problems and was forced to reduce its level of service. Colorado Springs Transit Co. had a fleet of 51 buses, and after the 1961 service reductions 29 were needed for the morning peak, 17 in the mid day, 30 in the afternoon, and 4 at night. Colorado Springs Transit, it was said, actually operated more buses over more miles than any other city system of comparable size. The City did agree to waive franchise tax payments for the years of 1957 through 1959.

On January of 1968, fares were increased by 5 cents and again in March of 1970. Again, the Colorado Springs Transit Co. asked the City to buy the company or enter into a lease agreement. When the City rejected this offer, the Transit Company notified City Officials that service would discontinue service no later than April 30, 1971. Finally the City agreed to commission a study, and the company agreed to continue service until the study was completed. The City Council decided to seek federal assistance for the acquisition Colorado Springs Transit and to sign a contract with a management company for eventual operation. A 5-year contract with National City Management Co. (NCM) was signed on August 8, 1972, and Colorado Springs Transit Co. went out of business when the last buses pulled in on September 15, 1972.

In January 1974 the City leased a vacant lot at 9 N. Nevada Street for use as a downtown bus terminal. Figures for the first full year of public ownership of transit in Colorado Springs were not promising. In April of 1974, Urban Mass Transit Association (UMTA) approved a $1.4 million grant; 14 new buses were ordered and plans were laid for a new garage. An ambitious expansion program, to include new buses, a downtown parking garage incorporating a bus terminal, bus stop shelters, two-way radios and other items was approved by UMTA at the beginning of 1975.

Ground was broken for the new garage along Hancock Avenue in the southwestern part of town early in 1975. On July 8th the City awarded a construction contract for a parking garage at Kiowa and Nevada, in which half of the street level would be given over to use as a bus terminal. Other achievements of that period included a multi-color system map, first produced in the fall of 1974, and expansion of an existing "Park and Shop" program to include "Ride and Shop" return-fare privileges. A special Senior Citizens Shopper route was started in the Fall of 1975.

In 1975, the transportation system started to really thrive. Ridership of the transit system jumped from about 940,000 in 1974 to 1,170,000 in 1975. On Saturday April 10th service was finally started to the Air Force Academy at RT 17 - - some 18 years after Colorado Springs Transit Co. first sought to run such a route. The new garage was opened in that same month with the completion of the 4-story parking garage at the Kiowa & Nevada. The terminal consisted of an information booth, and enclosed waiting room, and four bus lanes. Since this time, there was little change until September 1, 1978.

In 1978 ridership on the Colorado Springs Transit Service was 1,530,000, up 11% over 1977. It was decided to purchase another group of 14 buses for continued expansion. In 1979, "Springs Transit" had established a bus stop within 2 ½ blocks of 75% of the City's residents. The active fleet stood at 46 buses, more than twice the number active during the final days of private ownership. During 1980 ten more bus stop shelters were purchased and installed and four new buses were purchased. Fares were changed to 50 cents for adults, 40 cents for school children, and 25 cents for senior citizens / handicapped. Then again fares went up on February 1, 1982 to 60 cents. Just over 2,600,000 passengers were recorded in 1983. Again, 4 more buses were purchased as replacements. In 1991 Colorado Springs Transit became the 1st test site for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Dual-Fuel buses. Two buses had retro-fitted engines and started with Deisel fuel then after a pre-determined RPM would transfer over to CNG. It was the 1st try with alternative fuel and the project was considered very successful, even though the engine (dual-fuel) did not succeed. From this point on the transportation system underwent very little change.

In 1993 McDonald Transit took over the management contract of the transit operations. During there contract period 125 new shelters were installed for more comfort and protection from the weather while waiting.
 

The downtown terminal was cleaned up with fresh paint, new/more benches, more murals added and the City added two more floors to the upper parking garage.

In January of 1998 things began to change for Transit, a new firm by the name of Laidlaw Transit Services assumed the responsibilities of managing Springs Transit and a redesign of Springs Transit's color scheme and logo.

The Peak Mobility Task Force, formed in 1997, was established by the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners and the Colorado Springs City Council to assess: (1) transit needs within the region, (2) current system assets, (3) appropriate transit service levels and boundaries, (4) the most effective institutional arrangements to provide transit service, (5) and the most appropriate and effective means to finance transit service. Through extensive marketing efforts and partnerships, the Peak Mobility group proposed the addition of service hours from the current 140,000 hours of service to 240,000 hours of service. To obtain this type of service expansion, it was left to the citizens of the community to vote for a Rural Transportation Authority (RTA). The RTA would form a new transportation district for the sole purpose of providing public transportation for the region. The authority would also allow for many different communities to join, such as Monument and Woodland Park. The vote of approval would provide a sales tax revenue which would allow a level of service appropriate for a population of 500,000. The issue went to the voters on November 2, 1999. This ballot issue did not pass, however, the group continues efforts to establish adequate funding for service expansion.

In August of 1999 Springs Transit received 21 new Gillig buses, making this the largest purchase of buses in it's history. These were for the replacement of our old fleet. Also, more remodeling took place at the downtown terminal. The waiting area was carpeted and new seating installed the information booth took on an exterior change. More benches were installed with canaopies to allow for better comfort while waiting.
 

Springs Transit also received 2 Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Grants, these grants were received at no cost to the City of Colorado Springs. The 20% needed to match the requirement were obtained from businesses along the Garden of the Gods Corridor. The City of Colorado Springs also received federal assistance through a grant for the construction of a new Transit Maintenance Facility. Ground breaking commenced in late Spring of 2000 and the new facility is to be completed by May of 2001.

On September 5, 2000 our Night service, which was established in 1992, was revamped to better serve the community of Colorado Springs. We expanded 8 of our existing day service into the night hours, thus giving more opportunity to the public to get from one part of town to another. Also, in 2000 three (3) more grants were received again at no cost to the City for service to Pikes Peak Community College North Campus, A compressed natural gas bus for Express service to Monument and a circulator service in Manitou. The 20% matching funds requirement was supplied by Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colo. Springs Utilities and Manitou Springs. Today Springs Transit relies on a combination of general fund subsidy, advertising revenue, fare collection and other area government contributions to provide community wide service. Current service levels remain at the same level, other than grant supplied service, as they were in 1979.

Springs Transit currently has 85 drivers and 53 buses and more than ever strives to the best of its ability to provide customer friendly service, modern buses, reasonable fares while pushing to expand and provide service to outlying areas with transportation needs. It is a transit system for which W.S. Stratton could be proud.