UTAH, Aug. 5, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Transit Authority announced on Thursday that starting Sunday, its on-demand service will become permanent in south Salt Lake County.
“UTA is excited to announce the microtransit service pilot program in southern Salt Lake County, launched in October 2019, will become permanent,” a UTA statement says.
“UTA On Demand will continue to serve the communities of Bluffdale, Draper, Herriman, Riverton, Sandy and South Jordan, providing improved coverage and flexibility in that part of the county while connecting with seven TRAX and FrontRunner stations.”
“The on demand service is an innovative form of transportation that connects riders with other transit services as well as to other local destinations in the community,” according to the UTA website. “This technology matches multiple riders headed in a similar direction into a single vehicle, with routing that allows for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours or relying on fixed route schedules.”
The service hours for UTA On Demand will be expanded, operating from 4 a.m to 12:15 a.m. weekdays and now offering Saturday service from 6 a.m. to 1:15 a.m., the statement says.
Current and new riders can now download the new “UTA On Demand” app (available in the App Store or on Google Play) to book their trips. More information about this innovative service is available at rideuta.com/ondemand.
FrontRunner and TRAX service will also be increased starting Sunday, the statement says. FrontRunner service in the evening will be extended by one hour on weekdays and two hours on Saturday. TRAX is restoring 15-minute frequency all day on weekends.
Several bus routes will also see service adjustments and increases. The Utah Valley Express (UVX) in Utah County will increase service to align with FrontRunner trips, and UTA is creating four new Flex Routes: the F11, F202, F232 and F525. Flex routes provide the consistency of a regular fixed route with the ability to call ahead and schedule the bus to deviate up to ¾-mile.
For more information about all service changes taking place visit rideuta.com/august.
UTA reminds riders that masks are still required on transit vehicles and platforms, in compliance with the federal CDC order requiring masks on public transit. Children under 2 years of age as well those who have a medical condition preventing them from being able to wear a mask are exempt.
