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SALT LAKE CITY — Expect the cost of using mass transit in Utah to remain steady next year.
The Utah Transit Authority announced Wednesday that while the agency will continue to examine a distance-based fare structure, UTA will maintain its current fare structure and will not increase fares in 2015.
UTA is in the process of finalizing its 2015 budget. In addition to holding fares level, other items under review in the proposed budget include expanding holiday service, improving Wi-Fi on FrontRunner, reviewing distance-based fares and streamlining administrative costs to put more money into operations.
The current budget proposal includes plans to restore holiday service to pre-recession levels, explained UTA spokesman Remi Barron.
“This means UTA will offer Saturday service on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day,” he said. “Additionally, UTA will not make service cuts in 2015.”
Additional holiday service — along with several other new routes established in late 2014 — will lead to significant hikes in total service hours provided and miles traveled, Barron said.
One transit advocate group praised UTA’s efforts to provide more service on holidays, but noted that even more service needs to be added to make the area’s mass transit system more effective and user-friendly.
We believe that (riders) should be no more than a mile from a bus stop (they) could use everywhere in the valley.
–Chris Stout, president and co-founder of the Utah Transit Riders Union
Chris Stout, president and co-founder of the Utah Transit Riders Union, said one of his organization’s goals next year is to help UTA develop a plan to provide “a minimum standard of service” for transit users across the Wasatch Front.
“We believe that (riders) should be no more than a mile from a bus stop (they) could use everywhere in the valley,” he said, adding that there are currently too many potential users left underserved because there is not enough late night bus or train service.
While he said UTA has done well to develop more transit around the valley, there are still many issues with the system's overall functionality.
“It’s almost as if we have built this massive, great freeway that has no on- and off-ramps,” Stout said. “You have this great thing that gets people from one place to another, but doesn’t really meet the transportation needs. It’s an ineffective system.”
He said his organization plans to spend much of next year working with UTA to improve the system in ways that benefit more riders who rely on transit as their main source of transportation.
Meanwhile, UTA will also delve into adding more first-mile last-mile solutions, including bike sharing, car sharing as well as bicycle and pedestrian improvements to help people get to and from transit more effectively, Barron noted.
It's almost as if we have built this massive, great freeway that has no on- and off-ramps. You have this great thing that gets people from one place to another, but doesn't really meet the transportation needs. It's an ineffective system.
–Chris Stout
Among the other initiatives on the UTA agenda for next year will be to work at making the Wasatch Front transit system more technology-friendly. The 2015 proposed budget includes the aforementioned plans to upgrade FrontRunner Wi-Fi capabilities, along with developing an improved mobile version of the UTA website and studying methods to implement a mobile ticketing system. The agency will also look at ways to expand its customer base and the long-term feasibility of a distance-based fare system.
Beginning next year, UTA will streamline administrative services to allow the agency to increase its operations budget, Barron said. “Money previously spent on management and oversight of large capital projects, like rail lines, will now be used to focus on operations,” he said.
The UTA board of trustees will meet on Oct. 22 to further review and discuss the proposed budget. The public will also be given an opportunity to review the draft budget and offer comments.
The 2015 draft budget document will be available for public review and comment from Nov. 1 through Nov. 28, with a public hearing scheduled during the Nov. 19 board meeting.
Stout said that his organization will review the UTA budget proposal and attend the upcoming board meeting. However, he said, he isn't optimistic about how the agency may respond.
"It’s been our experience that UTA rarely acts upon riders' comments concerning the budget," Stout said. "We will stress that more money needs to be allocated for late night, weekend and holiday service. Increasing service will increase ridership, which will increase revenue."
