It’s free-ride February for the Wasatch Front.
Each day this month, the Utah Transit Authority is waiving fares for all services. The effort aims to reduce air pollution in what’s usually a challenging air quality month for the valley, according to a news release from the UTA.
February typically sees frequent inversions and “mandatory action” days — days when the Division of Air Quality encourages people to use public transit and work remotely, if possible, to improve air quality.
The UTA’s free services this month include:
Bus
TRAX
FrontRunner
S-Line Streetcar
Ski Bus
The Park City-SLC Connect
Paratransit service
UTA On Demand in southwestern Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City’s west side.
During valley inversions, the valley’s floor is colder than the warm air above it. That warm air then works like a lid, trapping pollutants and resulting in smoggy winter skies across the Salt Lake Valley.
The free-fare program hopes to reduce vehicle emissions this month, which would reduce the level of air pollution, the news release states. It also recognizes the 20-year anniversary of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, when more than 4 million people used UTA services across the games’ 17-day stretch.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall led the effort to waive fares this month, with the support of local businesses and other local government officials, according to the release.
“UTA has held several free fare days in recent years, thanks to our community partners,” Carlton Christensen, chair of the UTA board of trustees, said in a statement. “We are excited to build on that success with Free Fare February.”
To plan a trip using UTA, visit www.rideuta.com, or use the Transit app.
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