Phil Munsterman, candidate for RTD Board of Directors District L

City: Arvada

Profession: Teacher

Campaign Website: www.philmunsterman.com

What makes you the best choice for this office?

I think I will bring a unique perspective to the board.  As a teacher at a Title 1 school, I have seen firsthand how decreased routes and high fares have hurt my students and their families.  Having grown up in Arvada, I have also seen how the northwest suburbs seem to be a last priority for the RTD board. It is time to bring in new ideas and perspectives to improve our public transportation system.

Had you been in office, what would you have changed about G Line's testing delays?

First and foremost, I think it is important especially with the pending lawsuit to understand if there were strict guidelines that needed to be met to be approved by both the FRA and PUC. As a board member, I would have made certain that these criteria were clear from the onset. If they were clear as RTD has stated, then the board should have had accountability measures in place to avoid a two year delay.

What challenges/opportunities are there for RTD to serving District L?

The RTD Board took a step-in right direction in passing some of the Pass Program Working Group’s recommendations. Now, the exciting work begins to implement these policies.  We have an unique opportunity to increase access and ridership in the Northwest suburbs. We also should be intentional about working with local governments and developers to ensure access to public transpiration for all new developments.

G Line and north rail delays have hurt local perception of RTD. How would you try to improve its image?

This is more than just a perception issue. In the Northwest suburbs we need more access to affordable and reliable transportation. As riders, we need to know that if a route, like the airport route, is shut down that there are reliable and accessible options to replace those routes. Secondly, specifically for the North Rail, a real timetable needs to be set on its completion.  We cannot ask voters to continue to wait indefinitely.

What else should voters know about you?

I believe that RTD and public transportation should be a public service for our region.  Access to an equitable and reliable transportation is essential for our economy and for our schools.  As a parent and as a teacher, the issue of access to affordable transportation is truly personal. I believe that with the right support, we can help transform RTD into a national model for excellence in public transportation.