Douglas County commissioners approved the expansion of the Link On Demand rideshare program to include the town of Castle Rock [1, 2].
This expansion increases mobility for residents by providing a free, app-based transportation alternative in a region where transit options have historically been limited [3, 5].
The program will launch in summer 2026 [4]. It extends the existing service area, which already provides coverage to residents in Lone Tree, Parker, and Highlands Ranch [3].
Funding for the expansion is set at $1.99 million [1]. Other reports have cited the approved amount as approximately $2 million [2].
Link On Demand operates as a free-access service that users manage via a mobile application [3, 4]. The county said the program is intended to improve general mobility across the region by filling gaps in traditional transit [5].
By adding Castle Rock to the network, the county now covers four major residential areas [3]. This growth reflects a broader effort to integrate on-demand technology into public infrastructure to reduce reliance on personal vehicles.
“The Link On Demand app-based, free-access rideshare service is being expanded to include Castle Rock.”
The integration of Castle Rock into the Link On Demand network signals a shift toward micro-transit solutions in Colorado. By utilizing a flexible, app-based model rather than fixed bus routes, Douglas County is attempting to solve the 'last-mile' problem in suburban environments where population density is too low for traditional transit but high enough to justify subsidized ridesharing.
