UTA wants your feedback on the 2017 Tentative Budget. You can leave feedback online until Nov. 30 or share your thoughts in person at a public open house and hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 at UTA Headquarters, 669 West 200 South.
The 2017 Tentative Budget is designed to reflect UTA’s “true norths” or organizational values of service, people, environment, community and stewardship. Funding will be used to increase service, improve environmental sustainability and community outreach, maintain the system and more.
“The true norths describe the direction our organization will be headed in year after year, come rain or shine,” UTA President/CEO Jerry Benson said in a recent budget presentation to the UTA Board of Trustees.
Service
The budget includes adding new bus routes, increasing bus service and building new rider amenities throughout Weber and Davis counties using Prop 1 funds, as well as adding a new ski service route in Weber County.
“Because we’re a service industry, everything comes down to the service that we’re delivering,” Benson said. “We know that outside of their homes, we are sometimes the first person that people encounter. We want to start their day off right.”
Environment
UTA also plans to replace 59 older buses and add new electric buses as part of an ongoing effort to maintain an environmentally friendly fleet and improve air quality along the Wasatch Front.
Community
Community outreach efforts included in the Tentative Budget include the construction of TIGER grant projects and Provo-Orem TRIP. UTA and other transportation partners are contributing funding to supplement a $20 million federal TIGER grant. Funds will be used to build bike trails, bridges and other structures that improve access to public transportation. UTA has also budgeted funds to continue work on Provo-Orem TRIP, a bus rapid transit (BRT) and road improvement project designed to improve transportation in Utah County.
The Tentative Budget also includes an extension of the FAREPAY discount. Riders who use an electronic FAREPAY card to pay when riding UTA receive a discount of up to 20 percent off rail fare and 40 percent off bus fare.
Stewardship
The Tentative Budget includes funds to implement live-streaming of UTA Board of Trustees meetings, meaning that the public will be able to watch proceedings in real time from an Internet-connected device. Other initiatives include rail crossing maintenance and the implementation of a rail safety system known as positive train control.
People
UTA employees will be able to receive more training to help better serve riders. The budget also includes a continuation of employment benefits that helps attract and retain high-achieving, skilled employees.
The Tentative Budget and other supporting documents are available here. See the public hearing notice for more information about how to submit comments by phone, letter or email. Follow us on our blog, Facebook and Twitter throughout November as we take an in-depth look at improvements included in the 2017 Tentative Budget. After the comment period closes Nov. 30, a final budget will be adopted by the board in December.