UTA Changes Service Proposal In Response to Rider and Public Comment
UTA listens to riders; the agency will continue running key express bus trips from Weber and Davis counties

Today the Utah Transit Authority announced that it has revised its proposal for bus and TRAX service changes. In January, UTA announced proposed service reductions in response to significantly lower revenues resulting from the economic downturn.

UTA held a series of public hearings in January and February, proposing a number of service changes including the elimination of three express bus routes in Weber and Davis counties and a reduction in the number of direct Sandy-to-University trips on TRAX. The agency received more than 600 comments regarding the proposals.

"The public comment period was very successful and we received excellent feedback and ideas." UTA General Manager John Inglish said. "Our revised proposal represents a good compromise that balances the need to reduce our operating budget while maintaining as much service as possible."

Express bus routes

Route 472 - Originally proposed to be completely eliminated, UTA will continue some of this service, with seven trips in the morning and seven trips in the afternoon. The route will be modified to serve park-and-ride locations not conveniently located near a FrontRunner station. The stops include the Riverdale park and ride lot, Layton Hills Mall and the Kaysville park and ride lot.

"These fourteen trips on route 472 constitute the bulk of the ridership and will maintain service for the riders in the Kaysville area who were more negatively impacted by the proposed changes than we anticipated," Inglish said.

Route 473 - Ogden to Salt Lake Highway 89 Express, which runs along the east bench of Weber and Davis counties, will continue to provide full service with two added trips.

Express bus routes 474 and 476 will be eliminated as originally proposed.

UTA also encourages express riders to consider transitioning to FrontRunner, which offers a parallel service for many commuters. Over the past several months, UTA has made numerous improvements to the service, including shorter travel times and better transfer connections to locations in downtown Salt Lake City and the University of Utah.

The express bus changes will be effective April 5, 2010.

TRAX

UTA will continue as proposed with the reduction in service to TRAX route 703 - direct Sandy to University trains. However, the TRAX changes will be postponed until May 3, after the current University of Utah semester ends.

The change will reduce the direct service to several trips in each direction during the morning and evening peak travel times. Riders traveling to Sandy or the University of Utah during off-peak hours will still have 15-minute TRAX service with a transfer at Gallivan Station.

"We have worked hard to keep the economy from impacting our riders with the majority of our budget cuts coming from elsewhere in the agency, however, some reductions in service have become necessary,"; Inglish said. "UTA simply hasn't been able to maintain the same level of service with such a significant loss in our revenue base."

Over the past two years, UTA's sales tax revenues have dropped by about $38 million due to the economic recession. As a result, the agency has moved to cut budgets across the organization.

For more information on the revised proposal, click here.

For more information, visit www.rideuta.com.