UTA bus service begins into Hill

  • Published
  • By Dana Rimington
  • Hilltop Times Correspondent
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  It may have been a cold, dark morning at the Clearfield Frontrunner station on Monday, but it was a momentous moment for Hill Air Force Base commuters.

For the first time in 20 years, riders getting off the FrontRunner train had the option of hopping on one of the two Utah Transit Authority Hill AFB routes to head into work.

It is now a luxury John Hughes, of West Jordan, is excited about after spending the last five years riding FrontRunner, walking over to State Street, hopping onto a bus that got him to the West Gate entrance on 650 West, then spending 15 minutes walking nearly a mile to get to his work at L-3 in the Trainer Software Support Center.

"This is awesome because it drops me off 100 yards from my work," Hughes said. "I like taking the train and bus because I don't have to deal with traffic, and I can sleep, read, text or play on my tablet."

UTA's new bus program heading into Hill now operates Monday through Friday with two bus routes that originate from the Clearfield FrontRunner Station, running from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. There are eight on-base stops along Route 664, the West Gate bus, and 15 on-base stops along Route 665, the South Gate bus.

The new bus routes won't just help Hill employees get to work. One of the biggest complaints Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd hears from his residents is the traffic congestion at the West Gate entrance.

"Many of the residents I've spoken to plan to take the bus (onto base) because it gives them the ability to bypass the traffic nightmare," Shepherd said.

Though the FrontRunner rail network was completed in Top of Utah in 2013, UTA Regional Manager Eddy Cumins said it only works if people can get to the largest employer in Davis County.

"That is what we are remedying today with our mass transit buses, making it a productive, efficient, and economically sound option for traveling to work with no cost to themselves," Cumins said.

With the federal transit benefit, federal employees receive up to $130 per month used toward mass transit to and from their place of employment. This will save employees who live in Salt Lake City up to $2,000 per year, according to Col. Kathryn Kolbe, 75th Air Base Wing and Installation commander.

"This is an exciting day for Hill Air Force Base as we leverage mass transit to benefit our employees. We're hopeful it will be a success," said Kolbe at the opening ceremony. "We're all looking for more time, and the use of mass transportation gets us that time back."

Lynn and Patti Betts, of Pleasant Grove, took advantage of the first day the new bus routes were in service by hopping off the FrontRunner and walking right onto the bus taking them to the base.

"This is our part helping clean the air and avoiding traffic with our car," Lynn Betts said. "I've always said, if it's convenient, I would do it because it's such a win-win situation for us."

His wife, Patti agreed. "It was very relaxing this morning on the train, and even though it takes us a little more time, we will see if it works for us."

When Hill AFB officials approached UTA about adding a bus route a year ago, UTA Chief Operations Officer Jerry Benson said they began looking into the option. With over 1,000 people using vanpools to get onto base, UTA officials knew adding bus service would be a viable option, but they didn't have the funds to cover the two new routes.

"We didn't have the resources to just add two new bus routes, but we decided we could generate enough revenue from the fares of employees using the federal transit benefit that would cover our operating costs," Benson said. "There are hundreds of cones going up on I-15 as we speak, so this is great timing for this more relaxing, effective choice."