Transit Related Article

Big changes coming for bus system

UTA plans route redesign for 'better service'

Changes to bus system

Well, we knew the this was coming and here it is. The grand plan to reorganize UTA bus service and my fears have been realized, major cuts in bus service and once again the west and south sides of the valley take the brunt of the cuts.

Across the nation for the last 30 years whenever a bus system has been reorganized, some areas get better service but a majority of the riders get the shaft and UTA's plan is no different. While some areas will get better service, mainly from downtown south to 4500 South, the rest of the county gets little. While some cuts make sense such as the 7 and 11 along 1300 East due to idiot scheduling on the part of UTA, instead of improving service they are leaving the 11 but it will only operate to the U of U and not all the way to downtown. It will be extended to Midvale TRAX replacing the section of the 27.

What is interesting about the way bus systems are being reorganized is that it flies in the face of the anti-transit advocates try to push. Highway advocates say that rail systems such as TRAX and Frontrunner are inflexible and do not allow changes in routes, however the UTA proposal does the same thing. Instead of routes being flexible, such as my proposals where routes would have branches to different important destinations, the UTA proposal creates a system that is less flexible and less customer friendly. You have to travel the corridor and transfer to get your destination, if your destination is even still served by a bus.

Another part of the plan is to introduce more "fast buses" some of which will replace regular lines such as the 32. This another case of wasting capital dollars much like the ski bus service. Buses make a run in the morning then they sit all day then make another run in the evening. So in other words, a $325,000 piece of equipment may get used less than 4 hours a day and that includes dead head time. Once again this shows the difference between a business mindset and a government organizational mindset.

I encourage everyone to make there voices heard and attend the public hearings.