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News Specialist Jed Boal reporting
The cost for monthly passes to ride public transit in the Salt Lake Valley will go up at the first of the year.
The increases are part of a UTA rate hike phased in over three years.
For the most part, the cash fares remain the same, but the monthly pass is going up.
And whichever way you pay, make sure you do. TRAX is cracking down on freeloaders.
Jordan Hamilton and 20 other UTA officers patrol TRAX trains every day. They check 50,000 passengers a month.
Hamilton says nearly all people pay and have their ticket or pass, but a small percentage want a free ride.
"If they are trying to cheat the system, or honestly forgot, we have some questions we ask them to determine that," Hamilton says.
If you are caught without a ticket, you could pay a hefty price. You might be thrown off the train, and the citation is $90.
"They're pretty surprised. They don't realize the severity of it," Hamilton says.
All monthly bus and light rail pass fares rise January 1. The adult pass will cost $45 a month, up from $40.
"I think the $5 hike is necessary to keep the system going. People that moan and groan about the $5 rate, (need to) think about the big picture," says Amil Helel, a TRAX rider.
UTA says it tried to adopt a fare structure that is fair to both the transit rider and the taxpayer.
TRAX receives 20 percent of its operating budget from the fare boxes.
TRAX still considers it a great deal compared to other metro areas. The daily fare remains the same through 2004.
"Frequent riders know that's the way to go. That's the way to get the discount. Also there are federal programs that give you tax credits if you contribute to a monthly pass," says Kris McBride with UTA.
"You get where you need to go and it's really quick. I think the $45 is worth it," says Lorraine Martinez, a UTA rider.
The fare for the paratransit buses is now $2, up from $1.25.
Also on News Year's Eve, the last trains run at 2:00 a.m.
