UTA chief proposes series of rate hikes

The most you would pay to ride from Pleasant View to Salt Lake City on the new FrontRunner commuter rail line is $5.50, according to a proposal from the Utah Transit Authority's general manager.

John Inglish said the base fare is $2.50 with 50 cents added for each additional station stop.

That fare is part of a proposed fare structure for UTA, which the transit authority's board of trustees is expected to finalize in coming months.

But not without seven public hearings.

Though the schedule of public hearings hasn't been established yet, meetings are planned for Box Elder, Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Tooele counties, said UTA spokeswoman Andrea Packer.

The fare structure Inglish proposed includes rate increases for UTA buses and TRAX in July and January 2008.

Rates for buses, TRAX and FrontRunner are expected to increase in January 2009, as well, if approved by the board.

Currently, rates for buses and TRAX are $1.50 for adults. That will go up to $1.60 in July and $1.75 in January. The fare is expected to be $2 in January 2009.

The FrontRunner base fare will be $3 in January 2009.

Packer said the rate increase in July was planned for in the current budget, but the board may approve the increases to keep pace with operations costs.

Inglish said he thinks the rate increases are within acceptable ranges for patrons.

"It's timely now to begin to set regular fare increases over time," he said.

Ridership estimates show that 5,830 people are expected to ride FrontRunner each day, but if it shows the same pattern as TRAX, that number will more than double, Packer said.

TRAX transports 50,000 to 55,000 people every day, far surpassing ridership estimates before the light rail line opened, she said.

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E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com