DENVER — Among Colorado’s cities, Denver has led in population growth for the past seven years, and with that growth has come increasing traffic and longer commutes.

With the rising population in mind, Denver Public Schools (DPS) has developed innovative transportation systems to accommodate more students and more schools.

In 2011, DPS implemented the “Success Express Shuttle” to the northeast region of Denver. The model was one of the first to offer a circulation of school buses that rotate between schools, giving students the opportunity to catch a bus to school up to three times.

This school year, the DPS transportation department has again made changes to traditional yellow bus service.

The district implemented enrollment zones in two regions of Denver, enabling students that reside in a specific region to pick one of several schools in that area. With this new enrollment model, middle school students who live in southwest Denver, and elementary students who live in the southeast, now have access to transportation to any school in their zone. Instead of providing service to just one school, each bus transports students attending multiple schools in what DPS calls a “cluster busing” system.

“As the demand for transportation services continues to evolve, we are equally excited to receive the opportunity to create service models that provide equitable access to high-quality schools,” said Nicole Portee, executive director of DPS transportation services.