The Regional Transportation District will begin a series of public meetings in advance of the changes to bus, light rail and special services that will take place in May.

Most of the alterations stem from the agency’s shortage of light rail and bus operators, which has resulted in the sudden cancellation of trips, known as dropped runs. RTD has been mandating overtime for existing employees to cover shifts, which in turn took a toll on the workforce.

Over the next month, there will be a total of 18 meetings. The first will occur on Feb. 19 in Englewood and Boulder, both at 6 p.m. The final meeting will be on March 5 in Parker, also at 6. A complete list is available on RTD’s website.

For those who cannot attend in person, RTD is accepting comments through service.changes@rtd-denver.com or by fax at 303-299-2227. On Wednesday and Thursday, RTD staff were present at light rail stations in Littleton and Denver to talk with riders, and will be present at 12 additional stations in February. Their next appearance will be on Friday at the Federal Center from 4-6 p.m.

The new schedules take effect on May 17 and include changes to four light rail lines, four special service routes, Access-a-Ride, the 16th Street Mall Shuttle and over two dozen local and limited bus routes.