From Deseret News archives:
Utah County gets a look at 'light-rail' bus
"Essentially, what this bus is is a California bus," said Reed Snyder, UTA's Utah County transportation manager. "It's a brand-new bus, and they've kindly allowed the bus to stop over here on its way to L.A. to let us have a look at it."
The 60-foot bus will be used in a bus rapid-transit system in California.
This make of bus has been designed to look and feel more like a light-rail car than a bus, according to Snyder.
Although no decision is imminent, the possibility of a bus rapid-transit system in Utah County has been bandied about for several years.
In a bus rapid-transit system, there's a high enough frequency of service a bus coming by every 10 or 15 minutes that people don't need to consult a bus schedule prior to heading to a bus stop.
"A really scaled-down minor version of (bus rapid transit) may just be signal prioritization," said Snyder. "They're looking at some of that in Salt Lake, where the signal lights would sense the bus coming and would hold the green a little longer or turn a red to green a little sooner in order to give a little priority to the bus."
Snyder said the advantages of a bus rapid-transit system over a full-scale light-rail line are that a bus rapid transit would be much less expensive, quicker to put in and provide the flexibility of starting with a scaled-down version and building into it.
How soon any transportation system is up and running "really depends on the type of system that we want to put in," said UTA Utah County regional general manager Hugh Johnson. It would take about two years after the system received funding, he said.
"(Bus rapid transit) is a choice, but it's not the only choice," said Johnson.
One thing that UTA is certain about is that by the end of the year five new commuter buses will join the bus pool and replace obsolete buses.
"The new (commuter) buses will help ease our standing loads going back to forth to Salt Lake," he said.
E-mail: jaskar@desnews.com
Comments
- Semi crash closes I-84 in Weber Co. 3:50 p.m.
- Fire damages Taylorsville home 3:25 p.m.
- Concert to benefit Ugandan children 3:22 p.m.
- Senate committee approves Voros 3:21 p.m.
- Mya tops fellow celebs 3:16 p.m.
- Stocks zigzag after rally 2:53 p.m.
- Placebo power behind cures 2:49 p.m.
- 'Suspect just shopping screenplay' 2:49 p.m.
- '08 loss 'learning experience' for TCU 2:47 p.m.
- AMA: repeal 'don't ask,don't tell' 2:46 p.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Senators want food tax restored
- Utes get extra motivation
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- BYU soccer incident still popular
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman
- Price injured; Miles has cast removed
- House passes health care bill
249 - TCU showdown has big implications
185 - Lobo suspended
184 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
138 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants nationwide will honor...
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
"There is minimal if any difference between 5A and 4A at the top in most...
Does Obama expect us to believe that the Allah of suicide bombers isn't...
This is by far the weakest and most petty argument in favor of capitalism...
Third world sport? It was invented in Europe and Europe still dominates the...
Yes, the refs Do get paid at this level.
The Utes just barely won Wyoming, a team BYU just beat 52-0. TCU deserves...
My question is why do gay people have to conform to your views of morality....
Kurr - honorable mention. Awesome!
Jerry Boy... DWill and Korver were playing golf and dodgeball for charity!...
So, the American Psychological association calls attempts at 'reorientation'...




You can be the first to comment on this story.