Transportation Access

Utah Transit Authority May Raise Paratransit Fares

    By Emily F. Keller

    Seniors and people with disabilities who use paratransit service in the Salt Lake City area may soon be charged a substantially higher fare than public transit riders.

    The Utah Transit Authority, which serves Salt Lake City, is holding public hearings this month about a proposal to raise fares for its paratransit service this summer from $2.50 or $2.75 to $4 per trip. That would be double the expected public transit fare of $2. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the authority has 4,200 paratransit customers.

    In addition to raising the paratransit fare to double that of public transit, the authority is proposing to get rid of its monthly paratransit pass and discounts on multi-trip packages.

    In its press release, the authority said it has historically gone "above and beyond" federal regulations, offering rides to residents who live outside the required service area, but can no longer afford to do so because of in increase in ridership and a decline in sales tax revenue. In 2008, the authority's sales tax revenues came in $18 million lower than expected.

Sheri Baker Levy Slideshow

 
    Sheri Baker Levy is a disability rights advocate in Brooklyn, New York. This audio slideshow is a profile of her life, produced in the spring of 2007 and published on Transportation Access in April 2009. Photography and production by Emily F. Keller.

Watch the audio slideshow.