A popular Wasatch Front public transit route is charging fares for the first time.
The Utah Valley Express, or UVX, opened in August 2018 and serves passengers from Orem to south Provo. Passengers will now pay $2.50 per trip, which will align with the cost of other local routes and “provide long-term support for the transit system,” the Utah Transit Authority said in a news release.
When the bus rapid transit line was first launched, UTA offered no-fare travel on it through 2021, thanks to a grant from the Federal Highway Administration.
Additional funding allowed UVX’s free fare to last through most of 2024, but starting Aug. 18, as part of a series of transit system changes, UTA began charging fares on the route.
Riders who are eligible for reduced fare — including those 65 or older, children between the ages of 6 and 18, individuals with disabilities and low-income users — will pay $1.25 per trip.
In its first year of operation, ridership on UVX rivaled that of the TRAX Green Line. At the time, a regional manager for the transit agency credited free fares for the route’s popularity.
Despite the new cost, most of the route’s passengers will continue to ride for free.
“The majority of riders are (Brigham Young University) and (Utah Valley University) students, staff, and employees, who will still be able to ride at no cost with their student or staff ID,” the transit agency said. “For riders outside of those groups, we understand this will be an adjustment. We are doing our best to provide support, information, and resources to make this a smooth transition.”
Utah Transit Riders Union co-founder Christopher Stout said he believes the route will remain exceptionally popular, but said a slight decrease in ridership will show the necessity of a free-fare system for all.
“One of the reasons why the Transit Riders Union is a big proponent of a free-fare system is that you don’t have to worry about giving discounts to universities or workplaces — everybody gets the same fare,” Stout said. “All that’s happening now is that you’re just going to have some riders that may have been riding simply because they’re near the university. Now they may find other alternative means of transport.
Other changes that took place within the UTA system on Aug. 18 include the replacement of a discount program with a fare-capping initiative for those who use a reloadable FarePay card.
