 | |
 AnOgden Express (OGX) bus at Weber State Central, September 2023 | |
| Parent | Utah Transit Authority (UTA) |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 14, 2008[1] |
| Locale | Wasatch Front,Utah, U.S. |
| Routes |
|
| Hubs | |
| Website | rideuta |
TheUtah Transit Authority (UTA) operates twobus rapid transit (BRT) services along theWasatch Front inUtah,United States. It is described by UTA as "light rail on rubber tires." As of July 2024[update], an additional one is under construction, two are planned, and one has been discontinued.[7]
BRT has service improvements that differed from regular bus service, such asTransit Signal Priority (TSP), increased spacing between stops, high-frequency service, and improved stops.[7] BRT lines had limited stops (often at major transfer points).[Note 1] UTA BRT lines typically contain limited fixed guideway segments. The first such fixed guideway was built for the MAX service inWest Valley City on 3500 South from 3600 West to 2700 West.[8]
Another characteristic that distinguishes BRT from regular bus service is that it did not have a set schedule for all of its stops (although there are estimated times for arrival). BRT routes would leave their first stops and travel as fast as legally and safely possible to the end of the line.[7]
The first BRT line (3500 South MAX) opened on July 14, 2008.[1][7] The service was discontinued on August 7, 2022.
Another feature of BRT is that passengers could enter vehicles by any door and do not have to showproof of fare to the driver upon boarding. Fare payments are made via transfers from other services, Ticket Vending Machines at select stops, and via card readers present on platforms.[9][10] Fares were never truly enforced as they were on the TRAX andFrontRunner.
MAX[Note 2] was the former branding used by UTA to describe their BRT services. Only 1 line,3500 South MAX, ever used this branding, however, several planned lines used MAX, such asUVX (Provo-Orem MAX),MVX (Murray-Taylorsville MAX), or5600 West BRT (5600 West MAX). Over 80 miles of MAX routes were planned at one point.[8]
MAX had several unique features that distinguish itself from the current BRT system. It's fixed guideway segment was much more limited than future projects, with only 2 stations and mostly running single tracked. All MAX stations also had ticket vending machines, whereas services like UVX only plan to install ticket vending machines at the busiest stations, relying on fare cards and transfers from other services.
Utah Valley Express (UVX) is a BRT line that connects theProvo Central andOrem CentralFrontRunner stations viaBrigham Young University andUtah Valley University. UVX opened on January 9, 2019 traveling a route of 11 miles with 5 miles of dedicated lanes. UVX runs Monday through Saturday from about 4:00 am to Midnight (every 6-10 minutes at peak times and every 15 minutes off-peak and on Saturdays).
Ogden Express (OGX) is a BRT line that connectsOgden Central station toMcKay-Dee Hospital, running throughWeber State University and downtownOgden. OGX opened on August 20, 2023 traveling a route of 5.3 miles with around 2 miles of dedicated lanes. OGX runs 7 days a week from 4:30 am to Midnight on Weekdays, 9 am to 10:30 pm on Saturdays, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays (every 10 minutes on Weekdays, 15 minutes on Saturdays and every 30 minutes on Sundays).
There are several BRT lines under study, planned, or under construction in the UTA Service Area.
Midvalley Express (MVX) is an under-construction BRT line that will connectMurray Central station to theWest Valley Central station, running through theSalt Lake Community College campus inTaylorsville. MVX is planned to open in April 2026, traveling a route of 7 miles with around a mile of dedicated lanes. MVX will run 7 days a week from 4 am to Midnight Monday to Saturday and from 6 am to 9 pm on Sundays (every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sundays).
The Davis-SLC Community Connector is proposed to linkFarmington FrontRunner Station inDavis County to theUniversity of Utah'sResearch Park. Planned to open to 2028/2029, it will have transit signal priority within downtown Salt Lake City. However, no dedicated lanes will be built along its 26-mile long-route. Initial service plans envision this route to come every 15 minutes during daytime hours and every 30 minutes during early mornings and late evenings.[15]
The3500 South MAX[6] line connectedMagna with theWest Valley Central TRAX Station in West Valley City and theMillcreek TRAX station inSouth Salt Lake, traveling along a route of 10 miles (16 km) on 3500 and 3300 South (SR-171).[16] It was the first of several BRT lines that UTA is planning for theSalt Lake Valley andUtah County.[17] Costs for the project totaled $17 million (equivalent to $24,827,000 in 2024); alight rail extension along the same route would have cost $100 million.[17] Original plans were to discontinue MAX service between the Millcreek and West Valley Central TRAX Stations once theWest Valley extension of the TRAXGreen Line was completed. However, even though the Green Line began service in August 2011, as of May 2014, service between the two TRAX stations still continued.[6] The 3500 South MAX ran Monday through Saturday (no Sunday service) from about 6:00 am to midnight (every fifteen minutes on weekdays and every half-hour on Saturdays). It was permanently discontinued on August 7, 2022, after a year of temporary suspension caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[18][19][20]
| Rail lines | | |
|---|---|---|
| Bus Rapid Transit |
| |
| Bus | ||
| Police | ||
| Former lines | ||
Currently operatingbus rapid transit systems in theUnited States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
