UTAH TRANSIT AuTHORITY YEAR IN REVIEW 2014 DEAR UTA STAKEHOLDERS, UTAH TRANSIT AUTHORITY With 2015 well underway, UTA is continuing As UTA looks ahead, the agency will BOARD OF to work hard at being the best transit agency continue to lead many of the region’s transit- TRUSTEES 2014 in America, but it’s also looking back on a oriented development efforts, which are successful 2014. The agency completed its first designed to encourage the use of public H. David Burton, Chair full year of operating all five lines that were transportation rather than driving. UTA Representing the Governor a part of its FrontLines 2015 program, and will also continue its pursuit of operational of the State of Utah it was named as 2014’s Outstanding Public excellence and work to improve its current Gregory H. Hughes, Immediate Past Chair Transportation System of the Year by the 90 percent on-time reliability. In addition, Representing the cities within American Public Transportation Association. the authority will maintain its focus on Salt Lake County and the cities of Tooele and Grantsville safety by continuing its educational outreach Additionally, the agency experienced the efforts and by implementing state-of-the-art Christopher R. Bleak, Vice Chair Representing the cities within Utah County highest ridership in its history with 45 safety measures systemwide. million boardings, a 2.17 percent increase Justin Y. Allen over 2013 and a growth rate of more than UTA would like to thank you for helping the Representing the President of the Senate twice the national average. FrontRunner authority pursue excellence for more than Keith Bartholomew ridership, in particular, was strong with a four decades. As we move toward a future Representing Salt Lake City 15 percent increase in weekday boardings. that promises expanded service, greater transit access for more people and sound Necia Christensen Representing the cities within The authority also focused on adding bus financial management, we hope you’ll ride Salt Lake County and the cities service to Hill Air Force Base, increasing along with us. Together, we’ll be prepared of Tooele and Grantsville frequency on key commuter routes and to meet the challenges that come with the Larry A. Ellertson offering campus shuttle services at Utah growth of our region. We look forward to Representing the cities within Utah County Valley University. making a difference with you. Jeff Hawker Representing the cities within Salt Lake County and the cities of Tooele and Grantsville Charles G. Henderson Representing unincorporated Salt Lake County Robert A. Hunter Representing the cities within Weber County and the cities of Brigham City, Perry and Willard H. David Burton Michael A. Allegra Chair, Board of Trustees President & CEO Dannie R. McConkie Representing the Utah Transportation Utah Transit Authority Utah Transit Authority Commission H. David Burton Michael A. Allegra Robert McKinley Chair, Board of Trustees President & CEO Representing the cities within Salt Lake County and the cities of Tooele and Grantsville P. Bret Millburn Representing the cities within Davis County UTA is a government special service district overseen by a board of trustees. Special service districts are usually smaller Michael E. Romero than a state agency but serve an area larger than traditional city or county borders. UTA serves the residents of Salt Lake, Representing the cities within Weber, Davis and Utah counties and select cities within Box Elder and Tooele counties. UTA’s funding comes primarily Salt Lake County and the cities from the municipalities within its service area. of Tooele and Grantsville Chris Sloan The UTA Board of Trustees provides broad direction, governs the Authority, and sets policies and goals on issues such Representing the cities of Brigham City, as ridership, services and financial responsibilities. Members of the board are generally appointed by the city and Perry, Willard, Grantsville and county governments within UTA’s service area that support the agency with a local-option sales tax, with some members Tooele (non-voting) appointed by the state. Troy K. Walker Board members serve four-year terms with no term limits. The size and structure of the board and the procedures for Representing the Speaker appointing its members are determined by the Utah State Legislature. of the House SAFETY FIRST At UTA, safety is our top priority. In 2014, the agency introduced several new initiatives designed to make the system safer for both passengers and employees. UTA successfully reduced the number of transit incidents with a 30 percent decrease in TRAX accidents, and all rail accident rates were below the agency’s goal of 0.5 accidents per 100,000 miles of travel. Avoidable bus accidents were also down, with less than one bus accident per 100,000 miles of travel. IMPROVING SAFETY THROUGH design that will ensure platforms remain visited schools, childcare centers and VIDEO MONITORING structurally sound for many years to come. community facilities along the S-Line to In May 2014, UTA announced the addition share tips on how to stay safe while riding All stations remained open during the streetcar and enjoying the corridor. of a new camera system to help safeguard construction and wherever possible, passengers, employees and property. The stations were only partially blocked so In total, UTA employees and transit police SmartDrive Safety camera system was customers could still access ticket vending officers delivered 249 safety presentations installed on trains, stations and buses. It machines. When more extensive work to more than 12,200 individuals at schools, allows UTA to review video in case of an was required, temporary platforms were driver’s education programs, community accident or other incident on the transit constructed to keep stations open. organizations and businesses during 2014. system, which helps determine how incidents occur and allows the agency to UTA also hosted its second Bicycle PUBLIC AWARENESS AND make changes as needed to improve safety. Pedestrian Transit Safety Symposium. EDUCation This symposium focused on ways local The cameras also provide bus operators UTA continued its efforts to promote planners and engineers can design rail with a level of protection that was not rail safety in 2014, with a special focus grade crossings that increase safety and previously available. Because the operator on the new S-Line. The S-Line runs in visibility. More than 125 local planners has the ability to manually activate a a unique corridor also used for hiking, and engineers attended the event. recording, they have added protection for cycling and jogging. Using grant funding security threats such as robbery, unruly from Operation Lifesaver, a national GAVE 249 SAFETY PRESENTATIONS passengers or pedestrians, and road rage. rail safety organization, UTA staff TO 12,200 INDIVIDUALS. Many other transit agencies in the United States feature similar camera systems, including agencies in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Atlanta, New Jersey, Chicago, ACCOUNTABILITY Portland, Denver, Las Vegas, Maryland, San UTA is committed to the taxpayers and the citizens it serves. While trying to Francisco, Tulsa, Cleveland and Detroit. meet the transit needs of the community and plan for future growth, UTA ENHANCING PLatforM SAFETY encourages public participation and feedback. The agency prides itself in going A major effort to improve platform safety above and beyond the legal requirements regarding public access, particularly was undertaken during the summer and for functions such as service planning, fares and project development. fall of 2014. Thirteen TRAX platforms received highly visible yellow plastic tactile strips. Work was also done to replace the PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT an enhanced public involvement program concrete edges of these TRAX platforms. UTA follows rigorous guidelines with for service changes. The program is After years of use and exposure to the its outreach, including public hearing designed to increase public access and elements, the edges of some older platforms policies and procedures with mandatory participation and to promote more had started to deteriorate. The original comment periods. Beyond the legally meaningful dialogue and input. It includes edges were replaced by a longer lasting required hearings, UTA has implemented an initial scoping-type process to gather SUSTAINABILITY This past year, UTA continued to embrace its role as an environmental leader in the community. Efforts focused on getting people out of their cars and on transit during heavy pollution months, improving bicycle connections to trains and buses, and continuing to convert the agency’s bus fleet to vehicles with cleaner fuel technologies. the public’s priorities and preferences CLEANER BUSES UTA is also taking steps to help paratransit for the transit system prior to holding In 2013, UTA began acquiring compressed vehicles reduce emissions and save fuel. required public open houses. In addition, natural gas (CNG) buses with the potential Currently, paratransit vehicles spend UTA creatively uses new technologies to expand the CNG fleet to more than 100 up to 30 percent of their on-road time and tactics—such as Twitter chats, online buses in the near future. Currently, the UTA idling while riders board and exit the comment forms, online surveys and bus fleet mix is approximately 45 percent bus. Paratransit operators are required to other social media tools—to share and pre-2006 diesel, 42 percent clean diesel, 7 keep the