Utah

Transit

Authority

Year in

Review

2012 Transit Authority Dear UTA Stakeholders, Board of Trustees When the first FrontRunner train pulled into

Gregory H. Hughes, Chair on December 6, 2012, it was Representing the cities within the culmination of a community’s vision and Salt Lake County and the cities partnership. FrontRunner to Utah County of Tooele and Grantsville is a great success, and the strong ridership Gregory H. Hughes Michael A. Allegra H. David Burton, Vice Chair is demonstrating the value of Chair, Board of Trustees General Manager Representing the Governor to residents from Pleasant View to Provo. of the State of Utah FrontRunner is one piece of the FrontLines UTA’s performance includes being reliable Justin Y. Allen Representing the President 2015 story, where “ahead of schedule and under stewards of the funding entrusted to us. The of the Senate budget” is not just a sound bite, but a mani- FrontLines 2015 program will be completed

Keith Bartholomew festation of UTA’s culture and commitment to more than two years ahead of schedule and Representing excellence. FrontRunner to Utah County joins $300 million under budget. UTA’s capital proj- the Mid-Jordan and West Valley TRAX lines, ects have among the lowest overhead costs Christopher R. Bleak Representing the cities within which opened in 2011, and will be joined by the in the county, less than half the national av- Utah County Airport and Draper TRAX lines and the Sugar erage. Two-thirds of UTA’s bonds are AAA rated, and we have saved taxpayers millions Necia Christensen House streetcar in 2013. FrontLines 2015 is Representing the cities within one of the most aggressive rail programs in the by bonding at historically low interest rates. Salt Lake County and the cities country, and when complete, the We continually strive to advance technology initia- of Tooele and Grantsville will have a truly world-class transit system. tives designed to increase efficiency and reliability. Larry A. Ellertson Representing the cities within Ridership is the highest in UTA’s history, with 42.8 From expanding our electronic fare collection Utah County million boardings in 2012. During peak com- technology to implementing real-time informa- mute hours, UTA is carrying the equivalent of tion and delivering that information via mobile Jeff Hawker Representing the cities within 1.5 lanes of traffic on I-15. More than 25 percent devices and applications, we are improving our Salt Lake County and the cities of worker trips to are service quality and the customer experience. of Tooele and Grantsville taken on transit, and 35 percent of students, In 2012, UTA continued its commitment to Charles G. Henderson faculty and staff take transit to the University of safety, initiating a plan to re-engineer and up- Representing unincorporated Utah campus each day. More than 251 million Salt Lake County grade rail crossings and implementing safety passenger miles were reduced on Utah’s roads enhancements for motorists and pedestrians. Meghan Z. Holbrook in 2012 by people who chose to take transit. Representing the Utah We created an award-winning safety aware- Transportation Commission By reducing congestion on our highways and ness campaign, and many UTA employees are pollutants in the air, transit is a part of address- volunteer instructors for Operation Lifesaver, Robert A. Hunter Representing the cities within ing the air quality dilemma along the Wasatch providing safety education to school children Weber County and the cities of Front. We continue to improve public and and other groups along the Wasatch Front. Brigham City, Perry and Willard private partnerships—with companies and Riding FrontRunner to Provo on that cold winter P. Bret Millburn campuses—to advance initiatives that increase morning demonstrated work well done in 2012. Representing the cities ridership and alleviate air quality issues. As within Davis County It also represents our exciting future and what an example, in 2013 UTA will add 24 com- our riders and the community can continue to Michael E. Romero pressed natural gas (CNG) buses to our fleet. Representing the cities within expect from UTA—experience, excellence and Salt Lake County and the cities expertise. We do all of this in our pursuit to of Tooele and Grantsville connect communities and contribute to Utah’s Ben L. Southworth economic vitality, mobility and quality of life. Representing the cities within Salt Lake County and the cities of Tooele and Grantsville

Troy K. Walker Representing the Speaker of the House

Gregory H. Hughes Michael A. Allegra Chair, Board of Trustees General Manager Utah Transit Authority Utah Transit Authority A Culture of Transparency UTA is committed to the taxpayers and the citizens it serves. While trying to meet the transit needs of the community, manage an ambi- tious capital program, and plan for future growth, UTA encourages public participation and feedback. The agency prides itself in going above and beyond the legal requirements regarding public access, particularly for functions such as service planning, fares and project development. In 2012, some of UTA’s transparency efforts included:

• Conducting board committee and full board business in open meetings • Adopting a more stringent ethics policy • Implementing an enhanced public participation process, Accountability using technology and other strategies, to increase access and promote better dialogue and input Governance • Posting documents including studies, employee com- UTA is a government special service district overseen by a pensation and financial reports on utapublicrecords.com board of trustees. Special service districts are usually smaller • Posting information on Utah’s transparency website than a state agency but serve an area larger than traditional city • GRAMA compliance or county borders. UTA serves the residents of Salt Lake, Weber, Davis and Utah counties and select cities within Box Elder and UTA Gets a Closer Look Tooele counties. UTA’s funding comes primarily from the In any given year, UTA undergoes numerous evaluations including municipalities within its service area. an annual salary audit, Homeland Security audits, procure- The UTA Board of Trustees provides broad direction, governs the ment audits, various operational and safety compliance audits, Authority, and sets the policies and goals on issues such as rider- and more. The year 2012 proved to be no exception with the ship, services and financial responsibilities. Members of the board agency receiving a favorable legislative audit report on its operat- are generally appointed by the city and county governments ing practices. UTA also fared well in an audit of its procurement within UTA’s service area that support the agency with a local- procedures and received excellent feedback on a host of smaller option sales tax, with some members appointed by the state: audits conducted by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). As part of its financial oversight program, UTA conducts in- • Salt Lake County and municipalities of Grantsville and ternal financial audits and reports each year. Like most Tooele – 5 seats government agencies, UTA prepares a Comprehensive • Unincorporated Salt Lake County – 1 seat Annual Financial Report. UTA also prepares a monthly fi- • Salt Lake City – 1 seat nancial report that is reviewed by the Board of Trustees. • Utah County – 2 seats Reinventing Public Outreach • Davis County – 1 seat UTA follows rigorous guidelines with its outreach, including public • Weber County and municipalities of Brigham City, hearing policies and procedures with mandatory comment periods. Willard and Perry – 1 seat In 2012, UTA developed and implemented an enhanced public • Utah Transportation Commission – 1 seat involvement program for service changes. The new program is • Governor – 1 seat designed to increase public access and participation and to promote • State House – 1 seat more meaningful dialogue and input. The new program includes an • State Senate – 1 seat initial public scoping-type process to gather the public’s priorities and preferences for the transit system prior to holding the required Board members serve four-year terms with no term limits. The size public open houses to solicit comment on service proposals. In addi- and structure of the board and the procedures for appointing its tion, UTA creatively uses new technologies and tactics—such members are determined by the . as Twitter chats, online comment forms and other social media tools—to share and receive information from the public. A Sustainable Approach Sustainability is more than a concept at UTA; it’s a core value embraced and practiced throughout the organization. UTA plans and manages its growth while preparing for and supporting the needs of the burgeoning Wasatch Front. Further, the agency has maintained ISO 14001 certification for environmental management since 2005. In addition to employing its own sustainability initiatives, UTA is pleased to support the efforts thou- sands undertake every day to live greener and improve air quality. Every full bus saves 28,792 gallons of fuel and 15 tons of pollutants annually. Full, three-car trains save 216,656 gallons of gasoline and 93 tons of pollutants. Commuter rail riders also make a difference, with each full, four- car FrontRunner train saving 954,166 gallons of gasoline and 442 tons of air pollutants each year.

Greening the Fleet Preparing for Growth cycling community are constantly In 2012, UTA ordered 24 com- Regional population forecasts pre- looking for ways to reduce barriers pressed natural gas (CNG) buses. dict an increase of one million resi- to cycling and encourage non- These new additions to the bus fleet dents by 2040, which will increase motorized trips. have lower emissions due to their the need for housing and other use of cleaner burning fuel and are community infrastructure along the The Wave of the Future Sunny Outlook more cost-effective to operate. The Wasatch Front. UTA is preparing UTA is co-developing “WAVE” The new Airport TRAX line won’t first CNG buses are scheduled to for this growth by implementing an technology for electric buses and its be powered by the sun, but the arrive by July 2013. ambitious transit-oriented develop- potential application on fixed-route sun’s energy will be harnessed by ment (TOD) program that merges bus service. The technology, now 288 solar panels installed along UTA has also raised the bar when mobility with complementary being tested at the University of the six-mile project. The panels it comes to reducing pollution lifestyles. TOD encourages people Utah, allows an electrical current generate 67.6 kWh of power, which through replacements of its diesel- to live, work and play in transit- from a supply source in the street will be credited as an offset for the powered bus fleet. By opting for accessible areas, reducing the need to charge batteries without plugs electricity used to operate the line. clean diesel technology when for a personal automobile. In 2012, or wires, enabling zero emission purchasing new buses, UTA has UTA made progress in launching electric buses to periodically charge reduced nitrogen oxide emissions TOD development agreements in along the route. and particulate matter by more than West Jordan, Layton and Clearfield 60 percent. as well as other cities along the Fuel Savings Wasatch Front. Fuel savings from reducing engine Biking idling, tuning engines and new UTA has long recognized bicycling Performance bus replacements is another way and transit make a great team. In UTA saves taxpayer money. In UTA prides itself on its commitment to high standards of manage- 2012, the agency took further steps 2012, UTA improved its miles per ment and operational practices. Recognized throughout the public to successfully blend these comple- gallon performance in its bus fleet, transportation industry for delivering projects ahead of schedule mentary modes of transportation averaging 4.54 mpg over 4.47 mpg and under budget, UTA accomplishes this with an overhead rate of as a way to promote connectiv- in 2011. This increased efficiency approximately half the national average. The agency is often cited ity and increase transit ridership. saved more than 300,000 gallons of From increasing bicycle capacity on among the nation’s best transit authorities. UTA credits its success fuel for the year and resulted in a FrontRunner to working with local to innovative project management and delivery, and to rigorous savings of nearly $1 million. officials to pave bike trails along management and ethical standards that promote agency trans- transit corridors, UTA and the parency, superior performance and wise use of taxpayer money. and service mix. For light rail, UTA A Region Connected by Rail is even stronger, with the second- One of UTA’s most visible ac- lowest operating expense per complishments in 2012 was the boarding compared to the same 10 completion of the FrontRunner transit agencies. South commuter rail project. Now AAA extended from Salt Lake City to Bonding Provo, FrontRunner makes it pos- UTA has deftly man- sible for residents to enjoy rail

OagedND its budget to access along a 90-mile stretch B ensure completion of of the Wasatch Front. Once a AAAthe five rail projects vision for 2030, FrontRunner in the FrontLines South joins the Mid-Jordan and Ridership on the Rise detailed annual budget develop- R G A2015TIN program, despite West Valley TRAX lines, which Although 70 percent of UTA riders ment, and a culture of innovation losing hundreds of millions in pro- opened in August 2011, in being have access to a car, people con- and continuous improvement, UTA jected revenue since 2008 due to built and opened for service far tinue to choose transit as a viable provides strong levels of transit ser- the economic recession. An impor- ahead of the original target dates. transportation option. Ridership vice at a lean and efficient cost. The tant part of UTA’s financial strategy increased by three percent in 2012, Board of Trustees, staff and agency included issuing $180 million in More Connections to Come reaching an all-time high of 42.8 stakeholders all participate in the new bonds in 2012 to complete With each mile of newly laid track million boardings. TRAX ridership budget process, creating an annual the FrontLines 2015 program. The and every bus added into service, increased 14 percent, largely due budget that reflects service levels, bond issuance was accelerated by UTA continues to redefine transit to the first full year of operation anticipated revenues and costs. six months to leverage historically connectivity. In 2013, UTA will for the Mid-Jordan and West Valley Even with an annual budget, UTA low long-term financing rates, re- further improve connectivity when TRAX lines. FrontRunner also saw continues to seek and implement sulting in a savings of $5.3 million. the Airport TRAX and Draper a 109 percent month-over-month ways to reduce costs. In 2012, the TRAX lines are opened, well ahead While the amount of bonding un- increase in December 2012 with agency completed the year three of schedule. Both projects will be dertaken by the Authority is high, the debut of FrontRunner South. percent under budget. In spite of completed under budget, continu- the total ratio of debt payments to Overall, FrontRunner ridership lost revenue due to the economic ing UTA’s record. income is 20 to 30 percent, not un- increased two percent over a recession and continued volatility like a typical household mortgage. 12-month period. in fuel prices, UTA has continued This discipline has helped UTA to keep operational expenses under UTA continues to make a signifi- maintain its AAA and AA+ bond budget. cant impact on Utah’s two largest ratings with bonding agencies. traffic generators—downtown Salt Lake City and the University of Operational Efficiency Utah. In 2012, UTA carried more The most important measurement than 25 percent of worker trips of UTA’s efficiency is the amount into downtown Salt Lake and car- of tax subsidy spent to transport a passenger. Called “Investment Per ried 35 percent of student, faculty Rider” (IPR), this figure is calculat- and staff trips to the University A Culture of Safety ed by taking net operating expense of Utah. Strong ridership in these minus passenger revenue, then Safety is fundamental to UTA’s vision and success, as demonstrat- locations reduces traffic congestion dividing it by ridership. In 2012, ed by the establishment of a comprehensive safety department. In and eases parking demand. UTA’s goal was to achieve an IPR 2012, safety received additional emphasis, which led to numerous Fiscal Management of no more than $3.60 per rider. system improvements and enhancements, coupled with a coordi- UTA has a long history of being The agency met this goal, with an nated effort to expand the reach of UTA’s safety message into the fiscally prudent. Through a com- IPR of $3.44. UTA has successfully community and nationally. bination of long-range forecasting, reduced the IPR for several years, achieving a 9.2 percent reduction Chief Safety Officer systems and infrastructure to since 2009. The role of UTA’s Chief Safety identify innovative new approaches UTA is highly competitive among Officer assumed even greater and techniques to encourage safe its peer transit agencies with importance in 2012. Tasked with behavior around transit. Activities respect to operating expenses. overseeing and promoting a safe include the installation of special On the bus system, UTA has the travel environment for UTA’s pedestrian signals and gates at rail third-lowest operating expense per riders and the public, the Chief crossings, and re-engineering rail boarding when compared to 10 Safety Officer has been conducting crossing arms and other barri- peer transit agencies of similar size full-scale reviews of the agency’s ers to promote motorist safety. Creating Best Practices 160 attendees, included officials FrontRunner South is being built and funded under The effectiveness of UTA’s newly from the FTA, the Federal Rail- UTA doubled the length of its the direction of three partners: designed pedestrian safety treat- road Administration (FRA), the FrontRunner line in 2012 with UTA, Salt Lake City and the City ments at railroad crossings, Utah Department of Transporta- the addition of 45 miles of new of South Salt Lake. such as flashing warning signs, tion (UDOT) and local munici- passenger rail between Provo The Sugar House streetcar line is drawing interest from transit palities. The goal was to establish and Salt Lake City. The line that will improve passenger con- agencies throughout the United coordinated teams to work on serves as the backbone of UTA’s nectivity while encouraging States and Canada. Additionally, rail safety issues on a continual regional transportation system mixed-use development and the FTA considers UTA’s new rail basis. Results include improved now extends almost 90 miles enhancing the character of the activation “hold point” process cooperation with other agencies, from Pleasant View to Provo. surrounding community. The as a best practice example for improved design of pedestrian Passengers can make an end-to- line will feature seven stations testing and bringing rail lines crossings, and several legislative end trip in approximately two and will run from the heart of into service. This process con- initiatives to promote rail safety hours or travel from Provo or the Sugar House neighborhood sists of three distinct hold points. awareness. Ogden to Salt Lake in approxi- to the Central Point Station, During each hold point, time is mately one hour. allocated to review and assess Public Awareness where it will connect with actions of a particular start-up and Education The FrontRunner South line TRAX. The line will open for phase before approval is given Besides crafting an award-winning was built with a focus on safety. service in December 2013. to move into the next phase. safety advertising campaign, All public at-grade crossings The Chief Safety Officer must UTA has been actively sharing its feature active warning devices, Ogden Ski Service approve each hold point before safety message throughout the raised medians and supplemental In 2012, UTA expanded its continuing to the next phase. community with grassroots visits pedestrian treatments. These popular ski service to include This process ensures all certifica- to schools, city councils, com- safety measures allowed local Ogden-area ski resorts Powder tion processes and safety reviews munity events and other gather- municipalities to implement an Mountain and . The are conducted before pre-revenue ings. UTA partners with the FRA quiet zone along the line. expanded ski service was funded testing is allowed to begin. Operation Lifesaver program to Trains no longer have to sound through a partnership with teach rail safety at these events, their horns at crossings along the Ogden City, Weber County, the Safety Symposium with special attention paid to 90-mile stretch between Pleasant Ogden Convention and Visitors In conjunction with the nation- educating and informing cities View and Provo—making it the Bureau, and the participating ski ally recognized Operation and neighborhoods soon to be nation’s longest continuous resorts. Lifesaver rail safety program, in impacted by the opening of new quiet zone. To minimize cost, retired buses 2012 UTA continued the work rail lines. In 2012, UTA was also from the Salt Lake fleet were Sugar House Streetcar that was initiated during its 2011 awarded the Operation Lifesaver used for the service. In its first UTA broke ground on the $55 Safety Symposium. The Sympo- (Utah) Agency Excellence Award year, the new ski service met its million, two-mile Sugar House sium, which attracted more than for its many safety efforts. ridership goals while providing streetcar line in May 2012 in a reliable transportation to ski ceremony that featured United resort employees and patrons. States Department of Transporta- tion Secretary Ray LaHood. The Projects and Services Park City Bus Service first modern streetcar line in the In 2012, bus service between Salt Salt Lake area, the Sugar House Creating More Transit Options – Completing Lake and Park City entered into streetcar has received a great Projects and Adding Services its second year of service. The deal of community support. The service grew in popularity, The year 2012 was busy for UTA, highlighted by the opening line, which has already spurred of the $850 million FrontRunner South commuter rail line. with ridership approximately significant economic redevelop- doubling over 2011. Park City The agency also broke ground on the Sugar House streetcar ment, is designed to transform service was established through a project, started new ski service to Ogden-area resorts, and the area into a model for a liv- unique partnership between moved forward on the Murray-Taylorsville line. able, sustainable community and Park City, Summit near 5300 South and County and UTA. the Intermountain While arrangements Medical Center for transit systems campus. The Locally to operate outside Preferred Alternative of their districts can route—with exclusive bus be problematic due to financial, lane elements—was approved political and legal issues, the by the project partners. Once Park City bus service demon- funding for construction and op- strates that with persistent effort, erations is secured, construction entities can come together to could begin as early as 2015. provide unique transportation options for the greater region. Looking Ahead UTA made significant changes Mobile Payments The year 2013 will be high- to its social media program in UTA made significant headway Murray-Taylorsville lighted by the completion of 2012, providing passengers and in accepting mobile payments, Bus Rapid Transit UTA’s $2.5 billion FrontLines stakeholders with more timely, which is a growing trend in the The City of Taylorsville received 2015 program two years ahead relevant information about the mobile phone and banking in- approximately $4 million from of schedule. With the comple- agency and its services. These dustries. In the fall of 2012, UTA the Utah State Legislature in tion of the Airport and Draper changes include the develop- began accepting payments from 2012 to fund the design and TRAX lines and the Sugar House ment of a service informa- the ISIS mobile payment network engineering of the Murray- streetcar line, UTA’s network of tion tab on Facebook, which and from Google Wallet. ISIS Taylorsville bus rapid transit 140 miles of passenger rail will provides UTA’s fans with the also offered free rides on UTA to project. The project will connect provide Wasatch Front residents ability to see real-time updates its customers for a trial period. Murray’s downtown commer- with more transportation choices during service interruptions. cial district and the Salt Lake and ease of connectivity than The development of the tab was Technology Never Stops Community College Redwood ever before. in direct response to requests In 2013, UTA’s use of technol- campus in Taylorsville with from Facebook fans for UTA ogy will increase as the agency TRAX and FrontRunner stations to provide service updates on ramps up efforts to improve Facebook in addition to Twitter. convenience by providing a reloadable pre-paid fare card. The agency also continued its The pre-paid card will allow pas- practice of answering gen- sengers to load cash value on an Moving Us into the Future – eral questions on Twitter as electronic tap card to use as fare Transit Technology well as providing information payment on UTA’s system. The about significant rail and bus card will be available online, at A wave of new technology is making public transportation delays. UTA also conducted safer and more convenient, and UTA is leading the way. The UTA Customer Service centers several Twitter chats through- and at several local retailers. agency has a strong commitment to exploring new technol- out the year, allowing people to ogies designed to gather, process and disseminate system directly ask questions of UTA The agency is also preparing to information, allowing customers to make better decisions staff and receive answers to launch a new SMS information about how to travel and to improve the customer experience. those questions in real time. texting system that will allow waiting passengers to text UTA Social Media across the country. The agency’s Mobile Applications for information on the next real- In less than two years, UTA’s social media “followers” continue In February 2012, UTA opened time bus or train arrival at their social media investment grew to grow steadily, and UTA contin- its real-time data feed to private location. This technology, along from virtually nothing to an ues its focus on creating high developers to use in creating with a new and improved online award-winning program drawing levels of engagement and dia- mobile applications. During the trip planner at rideuta.com, the attention of its transit peers logue with riders and the public. year, several applications were will debut in the fall of 2013. developed and are in active use by the public. The demand for mobile applications continues to grow as many riders appreci- ate the security that comes with being able to track their train or bus in real time. UTA Facts Service Area Ridership Bus & FrontLines 2015 Project • Serves Box Elder, Weber, • 2012 systemwide ridership: • 105 routes • Mid-Jordan TRAX line (10.6 Davis, Tooele, Salt Lake 42,806,077 trips, a 3.01 percent • 14 Flex bus routes miles) opened August 2011 and Utah counties increase over 2011 • 6,206 active bus stops • West Valley TRAX line (5.1 • Covers 1,600 square miles, • Average weekday ridership total • 412 buses miles) opened August 2011 serving 80 percent of the (December 2012): 152,654 • 117 paratransit vehicles • Provo to Salt Lake FrontRunner state’s population - TRAX: 60,592 • Fleet 100 percent accessible commuter rail line (44 miles) - FrontRunner: 11,937 to riders with disabilities opened December 2012 Operations & Performance - Salt Lake County Bus: 51,078 • Used more than 5.7 million • Airport TRAX line (6 miles) • Established March 3, 1970 - Utah County Bus: 8,720 gallons of diesel fuel in 2012 opens April 2013 • Employs 2,253 - Weber & Davis • Each one-cent increase in cost • Draper TRAX line (3.5 miles) • Three-time recipient of APTA’s County Bus: 12,029 of fuel to UTA = $50,000 opens August 2013 “Outstanding Public Transpor- - Paratransit: 1,579 tation System” award, more - Vanpools: 5,411 Light Rail Future Projects than any other transit agency • 35.3 light rail miles • Sugar House streetcar (2 miles) • Maintains both ISO 9001 certi- Rideshare • 41 stations opens December 2013 fication for quality management • 48 schools with annual • 114 TRAX vehicles • Bus Rapid Transit: and ISO 14001 certification for student transit passes - Provo/Orem (10 miles) environmental management • 119 businesses with annual Commuter Rail - Mountain View Corridor employee transit passes • 89 miles of rail Transit (5 miles) Funding • 441 vanpools • 16 stations - Southwest Salt Lake County • Local-option sales tax: Salt Lake • 2,818 carpool matches • 18 locomotives (13 miles) County: 0.68375 cent; • 22 bi-level cab cars Weber, Davis counties: 0.55 • 16 bi-level coach cars cent; Utah County: 0.526 cent; • 15 refurbished passenger cars Box Elder 0.55 cent; Tooele and Grantsville cities: 0.3 cent • More than $1.7 billion received in discretionary federal grants in last 10 years

Utah transit Authority

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Utah 84101

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