Axios Salt Lake City readers weigh in on Hive Pass's fate
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Salt Lake City's Hive Pass would be eliminated under the mayor's proposed budget, so we asked our readers to weigh in on the possible cut.
Why it matters: For $42 a month, the Hive Pass provides city residents unlimited access to Utah Transit Authority buses, TRAX and FrontRunner.
- A standard unlimited transit pass, by comparison, costs $170 a month.
State of play: The program is on the chopping block as the mayor's office looks to trim the budget amid inflation and rising costs.
By the numbers: A majority of our 25 survey respondents said they hadn't been aware the pass existed.
- And most of those said they would have taken advantage of the pass if they had.
Here's what some of our readers had to say:
- "I use the Hive Pass to commute to work, and eliminating that would be greatly detrimental."
- "Public transportation is a crucial part of my daily commute, and losing access to the Hive Pass would be devastating."
- "The Hive Pass is one of the biggest benefits to living in Salt Lake City. It should/should have been publicized that way. ... Advertise the program, don't cut it!"
- "As a new resident of downtown/the Avenues, I would love to utilize public transport!!"
The intrigue: Only about 400 people use the pass, according to Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for the mayor's office.
- The low utilization has raised questions over how the pass has been marketed to residents.
Catch up quick: The city's transportation division said in a statement to Axios that it promoted the Hive Pass through direct community outreach and public events.
- Last summer, the division visited six community events, including the Downtown Farmers Market and the Urban Flea Market, to promote transportation options, per the statement.
What's next: The Salt Lake City Council is expected to finalize the budget on June 16.
- Residents can email [email protected] or call 801-535-7654 to leave feedback on the budget plan.