Board Information

The Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board was established in 1965 to inspect and register ski lift devices. The Board was originally composed of six members who were defined by the statute. In 2001, the structure of the Board underwent some minor changes. The Board composition was redefined to include a representative from the U.S. Forest Service, two members representing the industry, two members representing the public at large, one member who is a licensed professional engineer not employed by a ski area or related industry, and one member familiar with or experienced in the tramway industry who may represent the passenger tramway manufacturing or design industry.

Colorado conducts three different types of inspections a year. Licensure inspections are performed in the fall for winter operations and in the spring for summer operations; the annual unannounced inspections are conducted in the early winter; and, unannounced inspections for areas operating lifts for foot passengers are performed in the summer. Inspection of lifts are made by professional engineers working on a contract basis with the state of Colorado. One engineer conducted all inspections and clerical duties from 1965 to 1969. Currently, we have eight contract inspectors.

Since 1967, the Tramway Board has been required by statute to adopt lift design and safety standards as formulated by the American National Safety Standards Institute (ANSI) Safety Requirements for Aerial Tramways and Lifts, Surface Lifts, Tows, and Conveyors. Board revisions and additional rules not covered by ANSI are published in the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board Rules and Regulations annually.

Detailed CPTSB History

In response to ski industry interest, the CPTSB was created by HB-1262, in July of 1965.

The original board was comprised of five members, including one member from the United States Forest Service.

1. Registration of all passenger tramways was established with the following registration fees:
   • T-bar or Platter $25
   • Chairlift $50
   • 2-Car Aerial Tram $100
2. Powers and duties of the Board were set forth and inspection costs were established.
3. An emergency shut down procedure was established.
4. Authority to suspend a registration certificate was established.
5. Disciplinary proceedings for failure to register a passenger tramway were established with a maximum fine of not more than $50 per day and not less than 10 days in the county jail.
6. It was determined that a passenger tramway would be construed as a common carrier.

In July of 1967, HB-1118 was adopted with the following addition:

1. In adopting rules, the Board would use as a guideline the American Standard Safety Code for Aerial Passenger Tramways (later ANSI).
2. The previous statute indicated that rules and regulations would be no less stringent than The American Standard Safety Code for Aerial Passenger Tramways.

In 1974, the Colorado Division of Labor attempted to transfer the authority of the CPTSB to the Department of Labor and make the Board advisory in power only. However, the bill did not muster any sponsors and was not even presented to committee for consideration.

In July of 1976, HB-1122 was enacted with the following amendments:

1. Authority to register design and construction engineers was established with a fee of $30.
2. The terms qualified design and qualified construction engineer were defined.
3. An administrator was added to the definitions which designated the Executive Director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies and the administrator of the CPTSB.
4. Powers and duties of the administrator were set forth stating the administrator had authority to act on behalf of the board, with the board's approval and advise the Board on matters relating to orders and holding of hearings.
5. The term Skimobile was changed to funicular.
6. The composition of the board was changed to include a member to represent the tramway manufacturing or design industry.
7. The Board was given the authority to employ a supervisory tramway engineer and full-time secretary.
8. A requirement was included that required all new passenger tramways to be certified by a qualified design and/or construction engineer before a registration certificate would be issued.
9. It was then required that all design or construction engineers desiring to render services in the State be registered with the CPTSB prior to rendering such service.

July 1977, HB-413 was enacted with the following amendments:

1. The CPTSB passed Sunset, to be reviewed again in 1983.
2. The section dealing with two annual inspections was amended to say "AS A MINIMUM, two annual inspections."
3. The Board was increased to six members, plus one member from the Forest Service. The composition was changed to: Two members representing the ski industry, two public at large, two familiar with or experienced in the tramway industry.
4. Terms of Board members were reestablished with no Board member serving more than two consecutive four year terms.
5. Tramway design and construction engineers were first to be registered with the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors before consideration as a design or construction engineer by the CPTSB.
6. A requirement that notice of new construction or modification of existing lifts be filed with the CPTSB prior to starting construction.
7. The Board was given authority to establish temporary technical and safety committees to serve at the pleasure of the Board.
8. The Board was given the authority to inspect the design consideration of new construction and employ personnel to make such inspections. This was the change which authorized the utilization of the Supervisory Tramway Engineer in the inspection program.
9. The Supervisory Tramway Engineer was included in the authoritative personnel to issue orders.
10. Civil penalties were established for violators of Board orders.
11. Authority was given to the Board to charge an operator with a misdemeanor and fine $50/day for refusing to honor an order suspending his registration certificate.

In 1983 and again in 1987, legislation providing for the Tramway Board once again survived Sunset. In the process:

1. The make-up of the Board basically remained unchanged.
2. The penalty for refusing to honor an order suspending a registration certificate rose to $5,000/day.

On June 6, 1993, Governor Roy Romer signed Senate Bill 93-19 reestablishing the Board until July 2001. The current enabling statute, 25-5-part 7, is printed in the Colorado rule book. New this time around is:

1. Fixed grip and detachable lifts are now defined.
2. A portable aerial tramway device is defined and jurisdiction by the Board is limited for these.
3. A private residence tramway is defined as a device installed at a private residence in such a manner that it is not accessible by the general public. These devices no longer require registration by the Board.
4. Reports of investigation conducted by an area operator and filed with the Board shall be presumed privileged information, exempt from public information.

On March 23, 2001, Governor Bill Owens signed Senate Bill 01-201 reestablishing the Board until July 2008. The current enabling statute, 25-5-part 7, is printed in the Colorado rule book. New this time is:

1. Change of the composition of the Board by having one of the industry related members required to be licensed as a professional engineer not employed by a ski area or related industry.
2. Conveyors are now defined.
3. A private residence tramway is no longer under the Board's jurisdiction.
4. A portable tramway is no longer under the Board's jurisdiction when such tramway device is not used, or intended to be used, by the general public.
5. Supplemental applications are not longer required.
6. The title of the national standard is updated to reflect ropeways, aerial lifts, tows and conveyors.

On April 10, 2008, Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. signed House Bill 08-1244 reestablishing the Board until July 2019. New this time is:

1. The Board member position that is familiar with or experienced in the tramway industry who may represent the tramway manufacturing or design industry was further defined in the bill to read, “…and one member familiar with or experienced in the tramway industry who may represent the passenger tramway manufacturing or design industry OR AN AREA OPERATOR. No person shall be so appointed or designated except those who, by reason of knowledge or experience, shall be deemed to be qualified. Such knowledge or experience shall be either from active AND RELEVANT involvement in the design, manufacture, or operation of passenger tramways or as a result of extensive AND RELEVANT involvement in related activities.”
2. The Board considered the Sunset report administrative recommendation and started the process to eliminate the requirement of area operators having to submit a notarized statement that deficiencies identified during an inspection have been remedied.
3. The Board considered the Sunset report administrative recommendation and started the process to permit area operators to submit completed deficiency statements electronically.