Free Rideshare Is Officially Coming to Castle Rock
It's a done deal. Castle Rock Town Council approved the intergovernmental agreement on April 21, 2026, bringing Link On Demand — Douglas County's free, on-demand rideshare service — to Castle Rock starting in the third quarter of 2026.
We'll join Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, and Parker in the Link network. Castle Pines was offered the same deal and passed.
Current Link On Demand service area as of April 8, 2026. Castle Rock will be added in Q3 2026. Map courtesy of Douglas County.
How It Works
It's basically a free Uber. You book through a mobile app, wait 10–25 minutes, and ride for free. Vehicles are minivans and SUVs, and you'll likely share with other passengers. Trips have to start and end inside the Castle Rock service area.
- Who can use it: Anyone 13 and older
- Cost: Free
- App: Same Link On Demand app already in use across Douglas County
- Operator: Via — same company running the existing service in Lone Tree and Highlands Ranch
Hours
- Monday–Thursday: 7am–7pm
- Friday: 7am–10pm
- Saturday: 10am–10pm
- Sunday: Closed
When It Launches
Service starts in Q3 2026 and runs as a one-year pilot through Q3 2027. The County and Town will evaluate ridership at the end of the pilot and decide whether to keep it going.
What It Costs the Town
Total estimated annual cost is $2 million. Castle Rock's share is $400,000/year, paid out of the Town's Transportation Fund.
The County projects 50,000–60,000 rides in year one. That works out to $33–$40 per ride at full cost, with the Town covering roughly $6.70–$8.00 per ride.
Future federal transit funding may help offset cost in later years, but a local match (~35%) would still apply.
What It Replaces
The Town's existing Taxi Voucher Program — which has subsidized about 1,500 trips per year since 2011 — gets phased out as Link rolls out. There'll be some overlap so existing riders don't get stranded.
The Castle Rock Senior Center transportation service is not affected. It keeps running as-is, including door-to-door pickup, which Link won't offer (Link is shared, so you may need to walk to a centralized pickup point).
Why It Matters
For households with one car, teens who can't drive yet, seniors who don't want to, and anyone trying to get downtown without parking — this is a real option. Free, app-based, and covering most of town for 14+ hours a day.
It also dovetails with what's been happening downtown. Council also reviewed the 2026 Downtown Parking Study at the same April 21 meeting — and approved final design for the Industrial Tributary Trail connecting downtown to PSM Park. Three different ways to get around without a car, all moving at once.
Where You Can Go With It
A free ride opens up the Castle Rock directory without thinking about parking. A few favorites already in the service area:
- Dinner and live music at the best bars and nightlife in Castle Rock
- Saturday morning at the best coffee shops
- A night out at the best restaurants in Castle Rock
- Whatever's on the Castle Rock events calendar this week
New to town? The Castle Rock moving guide covers neighborhoods, schools, and what's where.
Track Record
Lone Tree has been running Link since 2014. Highlands Ranch joined later. Together they completed about 72,000 trips last year with a 4.9-star average rating. Parker joined in April 2026.
Castle Rock is next.
More info: douglasco.gov/community-services/link-on-demand
Sources: Castle Rock Town Council 4/21/26 — RES 2026-050; Town Manager memo (David L. Corliss); Douglas County Link On Demand