A group of citizens and local leaders gathered in the Uintah County building on Wednesday for a public meeting on several topics including the Basin Transit Association’s long range plan. The passenger count for all BTA routes from July 2016 through June 2017 was 36,291 passengers. Nearly 21,000 of those were riders on the Vernal City Loop, known as the Red Route. The total from the previous year was 33,287 passengers and the data has shown consistent growth in ridership over the years. The Paratransit passenger count for July 2016 through June 2017 was 937, up from 533 Paratransit riders the year before. Statistics were also provided to show BTA ridership for special events. Paddlefest had 3,098 riders, the Holley Trolley had 1,324 riders, and Duchesne County Fair had 3,585 riders for the most recent events recorded. A video was played showing clips from passengers and family members, some of whom were present in the meeting, talking about how BTA has improved their life and mobility. Support was also cited from local agencies that provide services for community members with disabilities as well as from businesses and schools, such as the Terra Academy, where many students ride BTA to and from school each day. The topic of BTA continue surfacing in the coming weeks with Proposition 5 on the upcoming election ballot in Uintah County. Voters will decide if a sales tax of 1 cent per $4 dollars on non-food items will be implemented to provide for transportation needs including public transit.
