Reader comments
Revenue drop could cut northbound UTA service

A tax increase is a tax increase regardless of any other tax changes. Trust UTA with their twisted logic to come up with such a redicoulous statement. If I had a choice we would shut down UTA and TRAX, neither provides a service for any city except SLC downtown area. The UTA and TRAX service is very biased in their service and distribution of services. These so called public transportation systems serve only the needs and demands of Salt Lake City, after all SLC owns the system, taxes collected, and distribution of those taxes. If it is getting too expensive to operate these systems then they need to look at cutting overhead, such as overpaid CEO's and management positions. UTA and TRAX are like hogs at the trough and think the tax payers are their benefactors with unlimited funding for services that are barely noticable. The excuse of the number of vehicles taken off the roads every day is less than accurate. Afterall, all the riders have to drive, at risk to personal property losses, to locations to get their services.

UTA claims to be facing a budget deficit but sales tax revenue is way above projections this year. Much of that increase is due to population growth so it is not likely to change. Even if it does, you make cuts when you have a real deficit-- not a hypothetical one someday. Davis and Weber Counties should insist on an audit to make sure this "deficit" is real before they give more money to an agency with a rapidly growing, overpaid, bureaucracy.

I reject UTA's strong arming of Davis and Weber Counties. I was a frequent rider of the bus from Bountiful to the Airport until the UTA's realignment in August. After the realignment disaster, I have gone back to driving my car. I believe UTA needs to look within to find the needed money. There is room for cut backs up North for example, at peak hours you have the #70 from Ogden running every 15 min. This is way too frequent, sometimes I see 2 #70's following each other and usually both will be empty. The same goes for the 55/71, both of which go to the University of Utah research park. They could really do a better job in the scheduling of these routes. Also, I now have to walk at least two blocks to catch the Airport #60; whereas, before the August alignment it was nearly a seamless connection to the Airport.

Thanks UTA...but NO THANKS!

Here is another idea: Cut John Inglish's yearly Salery from $300,00 a year to $45,000 a year, and reduce the saleries of the members of the board of Trustees; than maybe UTA would have enough funds available to provide Bus Service to Davis and Weber Counties. Here is another idea: Weber and Davis Counties should opt out of the UTA system, and provide their own Bus Transportation. I am sure that if every Utah City was to opt out of UTA System, and provide their own Public Transportation System, than UTA might be forced out of business.

It's amazing to me that the counties of Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele, and Box Elder all knew about the wording in the sales tax legislation and made the adjustment. Are Davis and Weber counties not paying attention to what goes on during the legislative sessions?

I think that the County Commissioners should be a little more on the ball regarding these issues. But, after seeing how Davis County handles property tax assessments, I guess we shouldn't be surprised that this wasn't handled well either.

Go Douglas! Let's create a WTA (Weber Transit Authority) and a DTA (Davis Transit Authority). Then I can ride a WTA bus and pay a fare from Ogden to the Davis County line, transfer to DTA bus (and pay another fare) and travel to the Salt Lake County line where I transfer to the Salt Lake Urban Transit (you figure out the acronym) and pay another fare to get to my work in Salt Lake City. Three agencies, three beauracracies, less ridership. Maybe the commuter rail trains can be run by each county too!

These continued rants against the management of UTA become tiresome. Without the vision of the UTA leadership and the elected leaders in the valley, we wouldn't have the TRAX and the upcoming Frontrunner.

These systems aren't just for today, they will serve our children well. How will our kids be able to travel around the valley with over a million more people living here in the next 30 years? I'm excited for the plans for expansion of the train system.

There is no doubt that the bus routes could be improved - my travel after the recent route changes became more difficult too. But when is the last time that you actually attended a public meeting and gave UTA your comments? Or spoke with your representative on the UTA Board? If you don't give it an honest effort to raise your issues and concerns, how can you expect UTA to understand your needs.

Jennifer, UTA's management does not listen to anyone who disagrees with them. With the ill will they are generating we will be lucky if we have any public transportation in five years.

If the route redesign only had a modest impact on you then you must live in one of two or three neighborhoods in Salt Lake City. Everyone else is paying more and getting less. Douglass is probably right. UTA has grown too big to be responsive and needs to be split up. Maybe the rail projects could all be put under UDOT.

UTA is giving sloppy bus service to the low income areas where there is Transit Dependent. Better service for Choice Riders. Just Google Transit Follies 5 you will find out, also UTA Transit and UTA Routes Changes. I have done alot of
research. All UTA care about is light rail and commuter rail.

UTA is heavily subsidised in order to provide affordable, reliable service to those who cannot, or choose not, to use private transportation. For me, this last route change was the last straw. How many people lost their jobs, dropped out of school, moved, or were forced to buy a car as a direct result of these changes?

If Mr. Inglish wants to pretend to run the UTA as a profitable business and drop service to those who most need it then I say, DROP THE SUBSIDY!