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Ed Yeates ReportingNot enough trains to meet the demand, that's the frustration for TRAX as ridership keeps pushing resources beyond their limits. The mass transit system is in a critical window right now, trying to keep everything up and running.
People just keep stepping on board TRAX trains. Even many of those who thought they would just try it during the gas crisis have apparently decided to stay.
Justin Jones, Spokesman, Utah Transit Authority: "Ridership is up 45-percent over what it was last year. We're carrying 57-thousand passengers per day. Last year, we carried about 36-thousand passengers per day."
When a car hit and derailed a train last week, the word from UTA was, 'how soon can you get it back on the track and running again?' That's how badly it was needed. Technical engineers maintaining original trains that hit the rails six years ago can't pull them out of service long enough for overhauls.
Paul O'Brien, General Manager, UTA Rail Services: "We have literally run the wheels off our initial cars, and we need to replace those wheels."
TRAX crews are trying to squeeze the last bit of service out of each train before pulling it in.
Pual O'Brien: "There's a lot of pressure and we have limited resources."
Older trains purchased from San Jose are saving UTA lots of money and were designed as a buffer, but each car has to be stripped and refurbished, and they've got some bugs here San Jose never had to deal with.
Paul O'Brien: "These cars have never been through a winter like we have here, and they've never been loaded to the extent that people are riding them here."
Ridership beyond expectations has TRAX in a critical window, for now. O'Brien says if crews can get through it, there should be renewed money within the next two to three years to bring enough refurbished and new trains online to meet demands.
