If the tax is approved, it could mean bus service for the first time to such communities as Bear River City and Tremonton, as well as buses to Cache Valley and to defense contractor ATK Thiokol west of Corinne.

A transit study commissioned by Brigham City found a half-cent sales tax could raise $1.9 million a year, which would be enough to fund six routes, said Matt Riffkin, president of InterPlan Co. of Midvale.

The routes could go, at least once a week, as far north as Portage at the Idaho border and would serve not only students and workers commuting to their classes and jobs, but the disabled and seniors who have few transportation options in the rural county.

InterPlan suggested formation of a transit district, which would contract with Utah Transit Authority to continue running its commuter buses from Willard, Perry and Brigham City south to Weber County and another company to run the buses that stay within the county and travel to Cache County.

Cache County and Logan transit districts contract with Laidlaw, and if that company ran all three systems, it's possible there could be cost savings.

There's much work yet to do, however, said Rex Yarger of Brigham City, chairman of a task force that is educating community groups and elected leaders about the options. He'll present the study's recommendations to the Brigham City Council on May 5.

The study was initiated because 12 different bus systems serve residents. UTA has two commuter routes to Ogden, but 11 other bus services - some run by nursing homes - serve the disabled and seniors, mostly in the southern part of the county.

When funding is tight, it makes no sense to duplicate services, Yarger said.

A public opinion survey is planned this spring to determine the transit needs of residents, and decisions need to be made by July about what to propose to voters. It's not clear whether the vote would be city by city, countywide or in a geographical area of the county proposed for a transit district.

One complication is that Brigham City, Perry and Willard already collect a quarter-cent sales tax to be part of the UTA system.

Riffkin says the other quarter-cent sales tax could go to improved bus service now, and commuter rail later, when UTA decides to extend the rail line to Brigham City.

UTA planner Mick Crandall said no firm date for rail service to Brigham City has been set, although the Union Pacific right-of-way has been acquired. Commuter rail is expected to reach Pleasant View and Ogden in early 2008.

The Tremonton City Council is skeptical that voters there would approve a sales-tax hike, said City Manager Rich Woodworth.

“We're thinking they're not going to vote for anything,” he said.

Tremonton voters not long ago rejected a bond for a new library, one of the few Utah communities to do so in recent years.

kmoulton@sltrib.com