Salt Lake City may kill discounted transit pass
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A low-cost transit pass for Salt Lakers is likely to be axed as part of Mayor Erin Mendenhall's proposed budget plan.
Why it matters: Commuters who rely on the discounted pass could end up paying significantly more to ride public transit.
State of play: For $42 a month or $475 a year, the Hive Pass, in partnership with Utah Transit Authority (UTA), provides unlimited access to the agency's buses, Trax and Frontrunner.
- Compare that to a premium unlimited pass that goes for $170 a month or $85 a month for a reduced-fare version for people 65 and older, youth, low-income riders and those with disabilities.
- Individual one-way fares for buses and Trax are $2.50 or $5 for a day pass.
Yes, but: Despite this absolute steal, only about 400 people use the pass, raising questions about how well it was marketed by the city or UTA.
Between the lines: UTA already offers free transit passes for Salt Lake City School District students, faculty and staff. The district originally distributed 25,000 passes when the program launched in 2023.
- Compared to the Hive Pass, that program has been highly successful, according to UTA.
- Average monthly ridership went from 400 students the year before the rollout to 3,000 a month afterward.
By the numbers: Eliminating Hive Pass would save the city over $400,000, according to Mendenhall's budget, which also calls for a steep property tax hike to address rising costs.
What they're saying: In a statement to Axios, Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for the mayor's office, said increased costs to administer the program, low utilization and no income restrictions led the mayor to eliminate the program in her budget proposal.
What's next: The Salt Lake City Council faces a June 30 deadline to finalize the budget.
You tell us: How would you feel if the Hive Pass went away? Let us know in the survey below.