Sandy commuters who depend on TRAX and UTA buses would pay up to $20 more per month under a proposed fare increase headed to a virtual public hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 5:30 p.m.

The Utah Transit Authority plans to raise its base one-way fare from $2.50 to $3, the first increase since 2013. Express bus and ski bus fares would jump from $5 to $6. The higher prices would apply to buses, TRAX, FrontRunner and UTA On Demand services as early as spring 2027.

Sandy resident Lesley Alvarez, a bookkeeper who commutes to Taylorsville, told The Salt Lake Tribune the increase would raise her monthly transit bill from about $100 to $120. Alvarez walks 20 minutes to her nearest TRAX station each morning, then rides the Blue Line, the Red Line and a bus to reach her office.

"I can easily buy a good amount of groceries for $20," Alvarez said.

Sandy has four TRAX stations on the Blue Line: Historic Sandy, Sandy Expo, Sandy Civic Center and Kimballs Lane.

How to weigh in

UTA's public comment window closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Residents can submit feedback online, by email at [email protected], by phone at 801-287-3888, or by mail to UTA Attn: Jolisha Branch, 669 W. 200 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84101. The Aug. 26 virtual hearing requires advance registration through UTA's website.

What the money buys

The fare hike would generate roughly $10 million in additional annual revenue, according to the Tribune's reporting. UTA public information officer Gavin Gustafson told the Tribune that fare revenue supports current service levels rather than funding new routes. The agency's capital budget, primarily funded by federal grants, pays for expansions.

Passenger fares account for just 4% of UTA's total funding. One new bus route costs the agency about $17 million a year, meaning the additional revenue alone would not cover one.

Of 163 transit agencies surveyed in 2025 by the American Public Transportation Association, UTA's proposed $3 fare would be tied for the highest in the country. The proposal would match fares charged by Seattle and San Francisco transit systems that serve metro areas roughly four times the size of the Salt Lake Valley.

Christopher Stout, co-founder of the Utah Transit Riders Union, told the Tribune he opposes the plan because riders are getting less frequent service than before the pandemic while being asked to pay more.

What happens next

UTA's new seven-member Transit Commission, which replaced the agency's board of trustees on July 1, will have input on the proposal. The final decision on rates is expected by year's end from UTA's executive officers after they analyze public feedback.

Comments must be received or postmarked by 5 p.m. on Sept. 9 to be included in the official record.