From Deseret News archives:
Sketch aims to encourage UTA probe
Utah Jobs With Justice and their committee, the Salt Lake Transit Rider Union, presented a dramatic sketch with two characters. One was a reporter and the other, a person in a monkey mask and business suit, who was identified as Shurtleff.
The drama was used to present the group's list of grievances against UTA which include claims that the agency lied to the Federal Transit Administration, overstated ridership figures to garner public support and has unfairly raised fares and eliminated bus routes. Much of the information cited by the group is drawn from a January 2008 audit of UTA conducted by the Utah Legislative Auditor General.
Linda Parsons, director of Utah Jobs with Justice, said changes in UTA service, some of which were based on inaccurate rider information, have unfairly targeted working-class citizens.
"TRAX and commuter rail doesn't serve the main portion of the public," Parsons said. "We're talking about some choice riders ... it's built basically for people to drive their SUV's to the TRAX station, hop on the TRAX to do what they do, then go home."
UTA spokeswoman Carrie Bohnsack-Ware responded in an e-mail that the group's allegations are without merit.
"UTA believes this group's claims are grossly inaccurate and unfounded," Bohnsack-Ware wrote. "Ridership figures reported to the FTA and to other organizations were obtained from a common, accepted transit ridership counting methodology, which was the industry standard for many years, and as soon as more accurate technology was available for obtaining ridership counts, UTA began to employ it."
Tammi Diaz, director of the Salt Lake Transit Riders Union, said she is particularly concerned about a reduction in bus routes.
"I would like to see a thorough investigation into why they've cut so many routes to people who absolutely need transportation," Diaz said. "There are people practically homebound due to route cuts."
Bohnsack-Ware's e-mail stated that bus service had been "increased in the last year through the Salt Lake Bus Route Redesign, which involved a rearrangement of service to provide additional resources into areas with high ridership."
Shurtleff spokesman Scott Troxel said the attorney general's office was aware of the matter, had reviewed the audit and found no basis for a criminal investigation.
E-mail: araymond@desnews.com
Recent comments
Does John Inglish ride the bus four hours a day? If not, he should...
Anonymous | March 26, 2008 at 2:23 p.m.
So that's all you have to do to get in the paper is to dress up as a...
Who Knew? | March 25, 2008 at 3:18 p.m.
Please Tammy explain what bus cuts can be attributed to TRAX. There...
jmdspk | March 25, 2008 at 1:13 p.m.
- Board reverses on uranium storage 10:06 p.m.
- Elder Huntsman speaks at BYU 10:05 p.m.
- Utah gas up an average of 2 cents 10:05 p.m.
- UCAT post stands despite questions 10:04 p.m.
- Is skiing's downhill run over? 10:03 p.m.
- Small business improved in October 9:59 p.m.
- Virginia executes D.C. sniper 9:58 p.m.
- NBA's worry is Donaghy 9:57 p.m.
- Mega wind project goes online 9:57 p.m.
- Women see more business options 9:56 p.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Utes get extra motivation
- Senators want food tax restored
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- BYU soccer incident still popular
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman
- U. hopes to keep clicking
- House passes health care bill
261 - TCU showdown has big implications
188 - Lobo suspended
185 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
147 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
105 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants nationwide will honor...
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
Little bro. will have to beat up, again, BYU's bully, TCU. Utah has done it...
The Old Testament advocates stoning sinners, but we still accept it as a holy...
Couldn't agree more with KW's philosophy. The more talent from a Texas a team...
So in Texas you get away with murder when you do it on a military base!!! ...
"Backtracking like this is disappointing. As Latter-day Saints we need to...
Las Vegas already conserves. You have to pay an arm and leg if you have a...
Congratulations to Mayor Becker for his work... truly breath taking after a...
Please lose this game to enable the automatic BCS bids for the next two...
I personally don't understand why those who choose to live a gay lifestyle...
Am I correct in that this ordinance excludes churches, allowing them to...



