Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The 45-mile extension of FrontRunner doubles the length of the line when combined with FrontRunner North, which began operating between Ogden and Salt Lake City in 2008.

A state representative asked the state’s Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Committee for $9 million for an experiment testing how free fares would increase ridership, helping clean air pollution during two of the most challenging months for air quality.

In addition to hiring a full-time social media specialist, the agency has been able to respond to many individual customers using social media and found it can discover problems in real time from their customers.

Plans include changing all of its bus routes in Utah County — and many in Salt Lake City — to allow better connections with the new FrontRunner commuter rail section between Salt Lake City and Provo that is scheduled to open in December.

The agency is considering eliminating all discounted and free passes in its plan to switch from flat fees to distance-based fares. One-third of University of Utah students and staff use free transit passes.

UTA officials said the move is intended to improve safety and operations, as incidents of criminal behavior were related to people using the system.

The joint venture between the Utah Transit Authority, Summit County and Park City only averaged only about 38% ridership. It needed to hit 90% to break even. However, officials are committed to the route for at least one more year.

The Sugar House Streetcar will provide residents of South Salt Lake City with a direct connection to the Utah Transit Authority’s North-South TRAX line, allowing them access to 130 miles of passenger rail. The streetcar is expected to open in late 2013.

Officials say that it appears, anecdotally, to have “changed the way people behave.” The agency has also replaced sound walls that blocked pedestrian views of trains and added pedestrian swing gates and extra signs to improve safety at rail crossings.

Under the proposed ordinance, a person caught talking or texting on a cellphone, listening to a portable music device, reading and even attending to personal hygiene or grooming, could be fined by UTA police.