The agency said the single-day ridership on FrontRunner commuter trains was up by 66% for a total of 30,016 boardings, while ridership on the TRAX light rail was up by 32%, for a total of 79,825 boardings.
he agency estimated the free rides day translated into an extra 22,829 riders, helped remove 17,560 cars from the road, and prevented three tons of pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gases that day.
UTA
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he agency estimated the free rides day translated into an extra 22,829 riders, helped remove 17,560 cars from the road, and prevented three tons of pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gases that day.
UTA
SALT LAKE CITY — A free ride promotion by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) on the Friday before Christmas generated an estimated 23,000 extra passengers on the agency’s rail system, with bus ridership staying flat, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
The agency said the single-day ridership on FrontRunner commuter trains was up by 66% for a total of 30,016 boardings, while ridership on the TRAX light rail was up by 32%, for a total of 79,825 boardings.
Overall on all trains, buses and streetcars, UTA figures ridership increased by 31,732 boardings — up 23% compared with the average of the five preceding weekdays. The agency estimated the free rides day translated into an extra 22,829 riders, helped remove 17,560 cars from the road, and prevented three tons of pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gases that day. For the full story, click here.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.