Even before bus rapid transit (BRT) pulls into Utah, it's off schedule and won't be rolling as expected later this month - not because of some snag at the Utah Transit Authority but due to a couple of glitches on the other side of the Atlantic.

Oops No. 1: The engines for the new BRT buses don't fit.

The motors ordered were based on specifications listed on a supplier's Web site, according to a March 7 letter to UTA from the Belgium-based builder Van Hool. But the engines the company received had the starter on the opposite end.

Oops No. 2: The engine filters arrived two months late.

After U.S. and European emissions standards changed, Van Hool had to go back to the drawing board and design a diesel particle filter that fit the new requirements, as well as client demands, according to the statement.

"As a consequence, many engineering drawings for the body and engine accessories (which were already made) had to be restarted," the letter reads.

So, of the 10 buses - each costs about $430,000 - scheduled to arrive at the first of April, two are on a boat making their way to Utah within the next two weeks. The other eight should arrive in weekly batches until the whole fleet is ready to provide the expected service.

The start date for the 10-mile BRT line from the 3300 South TRAX station to Magna along 3500 South was expected to coincide with the April 26 Front-Runner opening.

Now, it looks like the buses will be ready to go in mid-to-late July.

"From our standpoint, it's not a big problem, given that we're going to have 3500 South torn up due to construction," said West Valley City Manager Wayne Pyle.

He added that a bus rapid transit grand opening now wouldn't have been very ceremonious with Questar Gas putting lines under the road and, as soon as that's done, 3500 South being widened between Interstate 215 and Bangerter Highway.

UTA spokeswoman Carrie Bohnsack-Ware concedes that the delay is disappointing, though it isn't costing the agency any money. "In the big picture," she said, "it's just a hiccup."

mariav@sltrib.com

* IT WILL be Utah's first bus-rapid-transit route.

* BUSES WILL have a frequency of 15 minutes or less.

* STOPS WILL be a half- to a quarter-mile apart to increase speed.

* THE ROUTE won't have dedicated BRT lanes at the start, but it will once 3500 South is widened.

* EACH BUS costs $430,000.

* BUSES HAVE 330 horsepower; regular buses run between 240 and 280 horsepower.

* ABOUT 60 people can fit onboard standing; there are 36 seats.