UTA may consider free fares on bad-air days

The Utah Transit Authority may reconsider an idea it rejected a few years ago: offering free rides on high-pollution days.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering new air-pollution standards that would put new pressure on the Wasatch Front to find more and better ways to cut pollution.

Both UTA and air-quality officials say they are open to again exploring the bad-air-free-fare idea.

"We'd like to see something like that move forward," said Cheryl Heying of the state Division of Air Quality.

Back when it was first suggested, neither the UTA nor the state Division of Air Quality took the idea of free fares on bad air days very far. There was never a formal proposal. Neither did an in-depth review of how many new riders might be expected or how much free-fare days might cost in dollars or reduced air pollution.

Most years, Utah has about 30 days, in summer and winter combined, when pollution levels approach the current federal limits or exceed them. That means UTA would stand to lose about $6 million in fares a year with a free-fare policy.