SALT LAKE CITY — Thousands of Utahns like Amanda Ott board a UTA bus or train every single day.
“For some reason with public transportation, there's, like, a stigma that people are like, ‘Oh, you take public transportation?,' but like in reality, it's way better than people think it is," said Ott.
“If I'm only getting from Point A to Point B, I don't need to drive there if there's something else available," she said.
The Millcreek resident wishes more commuters took advantage of public transit, but she understands that it’s not accessible to everyone.
“I find it helpful not having to drive here and then driving home and traffic every day," said Ott. "I think for people who don't live in the city, but need access to the city, it would be super helpful.”
Last week, UTA’s Board of Trustees approved the agency’s 2030 Strategic Plan, giving the agency a new motto ("We Move You") and laying out ambitious goals for the future.
“While they're nervous about a few of them, about whether or not we can hit them, we think that they're important," said Carlton Christensen, Chair of the Board of Trustees. "We do think they're reachable.”
Moving Utahns to a better quality of life involves two objectives: making transit service more available to everyone and reducing UTA's carbon footprint, he said.
“Utah County is slated to double in its population size," said Christensen. "We certainly have a lot of growth happening in the southwest part of Salt Lake County, and they've expressed some concern.”
UTA is aiming to reduce its carbon footprint by 25 percent.
“We have a strategy to convert about half of our buses to electric buses over the next 20 years," said Christensen. "That certainly will help.”
UTA can’t achieve any of its goals without being able to attract and retain employees, something that’s forced them to reduce service already this year, he said.
“If we're going to continue to grow at a pace that's one of the highest in the nation, transit has to be part of that answer," said Christensen.
UTA is also aiming to get the community to recognize UTA's economic value.
