UTA should study no-fare transit system

In the March 27 edition of the Deseret Morning News, Jay Evensen addresses the serious question of whether it is fair to require Salt Lake County taxpayers to pay a fee to use a public transit system when that system is largely funded with their sales tax dollars. As director of an organization that has asked the Utah Transit Authority to postpone all fee increases until an independent study is conducted on the benefits of abolishing fees, I was very interested to read this column. I was pleased to see that, despite some points where we differ, there are key issues where we agree.

Mr. Evensen begins his argument with a quote from Sen. Bob Bennett, stating that public transportation is an important part of the overall public infrastructure. I agree wholeheartedly. Public transportation reduces congestion on the roads and pollution in the air.

However, use of public transportation is not treated in the same way as use of other parts of the infrastructure. Why do we charge fees to get on a bus when we do not charge fees to drive on public roads? Doesn't it distort market outcomes and encourage people to drive rather than use public transit when a fee is charged for use of buses but not roads? This is an important question, considering that in the coming year Utah plans to spend over $800 million on road repair and construction.

At another point in his column Mr. Evensen observes that "no one likes a fare increase, but as long as UTA finds ways to help the very poor, riders will have to live with them." I may be wrong, but it appears to me Mr. Evensen is at least implying that it is important for the poor to have access to public transit to meet their basic life needs. I agree.

Through my job I regularly come into contact with low-income people who need a bus token to get to a job interview or to go to a doctor's appointment. With access to public transit these people are often able to get through an extremely difficult period in their lives.

Mr. Evensen rightly notes that UTA sells discounted bus passes to the handful of nonprofits along the Wasatch Front with the resources to purchase passes to give to the homeless. However, for more than two years UTA has insisted that none of its discount pass programs should be made available to unemployed adults who are receiving food stamp benefits. Why does a person need to become homeless before UTA believes he or she is worthy of help?