In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Transit Administration(FTA) sent 40,000 masks to Utah Transit Authority to be distributed throughout our service area. UTA immediately began working to distribute the masks in creative and equitable ways to ensure that all riders had the ability to procure a mask on a bus or train.
In the summer and fall of 2020, UTA also began to distribute masks through community partnerships and on-system events. Eight rounds of these events were held at a varietyof locations within the UTA system. As a result, 9,200 masks were distributed.
After the mask distribution events, it was determined that the most effective way to distribute masks to communities in need was through the UTA Human Services Pilot partnering organizations. These organizations work directly with communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic and would be better equipped to deliver masks to those in greatest need.
In 2020 and early 2021, UTA worked to distribute these masks, and with the help of our partnering organizations, were were able to distribute 21,000 additional masks.
In total, UTA has distributed 30,200 masks to our riders and community partners throughout the state.
UTA/UCAIR Sponsored Low-Income Pass
UTA and UCAIR are partnering together to provide free Human Service transit passes to qualifying agencies. Our partnering organizations in the mask-distribution efforts are part of this initiative. If you or your organization is interested in applying to be a part of this effort, you can learn more here.
Partnering Organizations
Through our work with community organizations, we were able to distribute masks to five counties and 12 service types throughout the state. We worked with the following organizations in each service type:
Distributing 30,200 masks to riders and organizations who serve various low-income communities who ride transit will help slow the spread of coronavirus. We hope that the most vulnerable populations in our state will have protection from the pandemic and resulting illnesses because of this mask distribution. These masks are machine-washable and reusable! This means a lasting safety option.
