Study indicates UTA services benefit Utah’s economy, provide household savings

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A study found that the Utah Transit Authority services benefit Utah by providing significant economic return.

Currently, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) offers over 100 routes and 6,200 stops. Their services range from the FrontRunner train which travels between Ogden and Provo, Bus and TRAX routes for inter-city travel, and a seasonal Ski Bus. They also offer flex routes that allow passengers to request route deviations.

According to a 2023 study conducted by Metro Analytics, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and its numerous services provide significant benefits to Utah’s economy, by generating thousands of jobs and impacting developmental value near transit lines.

The study reported that “For every $1 invested in UTA operations and capital, Utah’s economy is able to produce a $5.11 in additional goods and services that could not have otherwise been possible”. In total, this leads to an estimated additional $9.6 billion annually.

Workforce Benefits

UTA services have created 79,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly, according to the study. UTA employs operations crews, suppliers, contractors, and patron-facing representatives, personally employing 13,500 jobs.

Additionally, thousands of workers depend on UTA transit to travel to their jobs. Other workers’ jobs depend on those transit workers, as well. As a whole, UTA services induced jobs by “saving money for drivers, connecting workforce to employers, providing workers access to higher earnings, and spending money on the economy.”

Household and Business Savings

UTA also economically benefits those who do not use public transit. Its services reduce traffic congestion, in turn ensuring fewer tax dollars are needed to repair roads, while maintaining cleaner air and quicker travel times.

According to the study, “the estimated time, travel, maintenance savings, and reduced air quality costs for Utah households and business travel totaled $717 million in 2023”. UTA services also provide local businesses with more foot traffic.

Future Economic Impact

It is likely that continuing to invest in UTA services will lead to increasing economic returns in the future. The study indicates that, with continuous investment, each $1 invested in transit will produce $6.08 in return and save households $2.14 by 2050.

The 2030-2050 Utah Unified Plan outlines funding plans for UTA growth throughout the state.

The potential economic impact is one of several factors used to determine transit investment. Andrew Gruber, the executive director of UTA’s Wasatch Front Regional Council, says public transit, “means more economic activity, which means more revenue and more opportunity to make more investments in Utah’s economy”.

More information on UTA’s available routes is available here.