The Utah Transit Authority has also noticed the increase in bike riders. Apart from ridership increasing 38.6 percent on TRAX trains alone in the month of May, more people are riding their bikes to the bus stops.

"We have added two bike racks to some buses to accommodate people," UTA spokesman Justin Jones said.

The UTA express buses running from Payson to Salt Lake City and Ogden to Salt Lake City are operating at a 122 percent seating capacity. This is because people are willing to stand to be on the buses.

Usually the gas prices go up, people get used to it and ridership again tapers off but not this year, Jones said.

He sees a great health benefit when people leave their cars at home and get on their bikes to go to the bus stop. Once people get to their stop, they can ride their bike to work.

"Rather than driving, they are riding," Saenz said. "The gas influences have gotten a lot of people off the bench."

---

E-mail: blee@desnews.com