Reader comments
Few problems noted over new UTA bus routes

I applaud the dedicated efforts of Nikki Christensen, Bill Tibbetts of Crossroads Urban Center and his colleagues, Barbara Toomer and the DRAC, the Commuter Services Office at the University of Utah, various community councils, and City Councilwoman Nancy Saxton for challenging the original bus redesign plan and then working hard as concerned citizens and public officials to bring UTA to the table. The final plan is much improved from the first proposal, but there is still much work to do to keep improving the system.

After the UTA Board gave its stamp of approval to the design, UTA staff worked hard to get the word out and minimize confusion for the public. Hopefully this will prevent any substantial drop in ridership. Given my experience yesterday evening on the old #8/new #220 between the U and downtown on 200 S (a route that would have been eliminated if not for public outcry), not only are the local urban routes popular, they are vital to our city. The bus was nearly standing room only, as was the outbound one that passed me across the street. This is the route that one of the UTA planners called "redundant" because of the proximity of the University TRAX line. I hope that ridership data will convince UTA that these dense, local lines are what make the core of Salt Lake City so livable and make it possible to live car-free.

That said, Utah really needs to make substantial capital investments in buses and bus rapid transit, not just TRAX, to meet our region's mobility needs and air quality targets. With large income surpluses from sales tax and other revenues, UTA should rapidly develop "bus improvements phase II', and the Legislature should match this with public investments in cleaner fleets and more buses.

From my experience outside the core ridership is down on several lines especially on ones that used to go downtown and longer do.

Bus Rapid Transit is worthless. The time saved by the huge investment rarely pays off. Most of the Metro Rapid Ridership in LA has come from local bus lines so almost no increase in total ridership.

If UTA invest money in buses it should be to do what Portland, Oregon did and thats make the important lines faster by guaranteeing low floor buses, traffic light pre-emption, redoing curbs to come up to the bus level, and eliminate bus stops that are less than a block apart.

What are the odds that this UTA press release was written last week? No matter how the changes went this what UTA would say.

After being told that although many routes would be eliminated, there would be some that would be increased in frequency. Before moving to the south end of the valley 2 1/2 years ago, I checked and made sure that there would be adequate bus service coverage for me, however since moving here 1 route was discontinued, another was drastically cut (eliminating weekends altogether), and the Redwood Rd bus (which I had been told by UTA would be bumped up from every 20 mins to every 15 minutes has been droped to every 30 minutes in frequency.
It's no wonder ridership is down. It's hard to plan for anything when you can't tell what UTA will do next.
They seem to be pandering to those who simply choose to ride mass transit and leave their vehicles behind, but what about those who have no choice and must depend on mass tranist for their commuter needs?

These comments are intended for the bus service in SL County and SLC not those that come from Provo or Ogden)

It is now my 7th day to ride the new routes. They are not more convenient, not more oftenm nor are they faster. To get almost anywhere I have to take at least two buses sometimes three which increaes travel time greatly as the connections are rarely good. I used to travel to downtown in about 30 minutes, now it is at least a good hour. Tell me what is good about that?

Also UTA keeps changing stops because someone didn't like the noise or something like that. Last week I could catch the 220 bus less than a block from home, now I have to walk 5 blocks just to get the same bus. Forget the riders and let's satisfy everyone else.

Since I don't have a car, the bus at this point is a necessary evil. It used to be more convenient, and faster. Not always as often as I would have liked, but doable. Most of the routes which are available for me (none of them really convenient, faster or more often) are a joke.

Kudos to UTA for making riding UTA such a challenge.
Especially for those who may not be able to walk 4 or 5 blocks just to catch the bus when before it was just a block or two.