Proposal to give free bus rides on bad air days ruled out

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah Transit Authority says commuters won't be getting free bus rides on red-condition air days.

The proposal had been tossed around as a way to cut pollution. But spokesman Mick Crandall says it would cost the authority about $6 million annually that it can't spare.

Crandall says buses are already packed during rush hour anyway, and it would be tough to coordinate the effort when air quality warnings come only one day in advance.

Utah Division of Air Quality Director Cheryl Heying says the move would have been helpful in reducing air problems. She says the state experiences about 50 red-condition days a year.

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Information from: Standard-Examiner