Utah Transit Authority bus rapid transit#MAX

BRT has service improvements that differed from regular bus service, such as Transit Signal Priority (TSP), increased spacing between stops, high-frequency service, and improved stops. BRT lines had limited stops (often at major transfer points).{{refn|name="Stops"|group="Note"|Many "stops" or stations on a BRT line actually consist of two separate stations, one for each direction of travel, usually on opposite sides of the road and sometimes on opposite sides of an intersection. On sections of the line where BRT has dedicated travel lanes (guideways), the stations are located in the median of the road.}} UTA BRT lines typically contain limited fixed guideway segments. The first such fixed guideway was built for the MAX service in West Valley City on 3500 South from 3600 West to 2700 West.{{cite news|last=Hancock|first=Laura|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700022259/UTA-bus-rapid-line-running-on-3500-South.html?pg=all|title=UTA 'bus-rapid' line running on 3500 South|date=April 6, 2010|newspaper=Deseret News|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20140224045306/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700022259/UTA-bus-rapid-line-running-on-3500-South.html?pg=all |access-date=March 28, 2013|archive-date=February 24, 2014 }}

Another characteristic that distinguishes BRT from regular bus service is that it did not have a set schedule for all of its stops (although there are estimated times for arrival). BRT routes would leave their first stops and travel as fast as legally and safely possible to the end of the line.

File:Max station at millcreek trax.jpg]]

The first BRT line (3500 South MAX) opened on July 14, 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3760863|title=UTA launches MAX bus service|last=Hollenhorst|first=John|work=ksl.com|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|date=July 14, 2008|access-date=August 3, 2013}} The service was discontinued on August 7, 2022.

Another feature of BRT is that passengers could enter vehicles by any door and do not have to show proof of fare to the driver upon boarding. Fare payments are made via transfers from other services, Ticket Vending Machines at select stops, and via card readers present on platforms.{{cite web|url=http://www.rideuta.com/news/2010/11/dining-on-route-35m-millcreek-station-to-magna/|title=Dining on MAX Millcreek Station to Magna|website=rideuta.com|publisher=Utah Transit Authority|date=November 5, 2010|access-date=March 10, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=RidingUTA-PayingYourFare-Fares|title=Current Fares|website=rideuta.com|publisher=Utah Transit Authority|access-date=March 18, 2013}} Fares were never truly enforced as they were on the TRAX and FrontRunner.

MAX{{refn|group="Note"|The meaning and origins of the name "MAX" was never identified or specified by UTA (as it has in the case of TRAX, which is a shortened version of "Transit Express").{{cite news|last=Van Eyck|first=Zack|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/591534/New-names-may-put-TRAX-on-the-map.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505112618/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/591534/New-names-may-put-TRAX-on-the-map.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2014|title=New names may put TRAX on the map|newspaper=Deseret News|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|date=October 28, 1997|access-date=March 28, 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.utahrails.net/uta/uta-trax.php|title=Utah Transit Authority's TRAX Salt Lake City Light Rail|website=utahrails.com|publisher=Utah Rails|date=March 3, 1997|access-date=March 28, 2013}} However, the term MAX, as a shortening of Metropolitan (or Metro) Area Express, has been used in conjunction with bus rapid transit (BRT) since June 2004 by the Metropolitan Area Express in the Las Vegas Valley in Nevada{{cite web|url=http://www.rtcsnv.com/press-archive/rtc-to-celebrate-20-years-of-providing-public-transportation-in-our-valley/|title=RTC to celebrate 20 years of providing public transportation in our valley|website=rtcsnv.com|publisher=Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada|access-date=March 26, 2013}} and since July 2005 by the Metro Area Express in Kansas City, Missouri{{cite web|url=http://www.kcata.org/documents/uploads/MAX_Fact_Sheet.pdf|title=FACT SHEET: "MAX" - Metro Area Express|website=kcata.org|publisher=Kansas City Area Transportation Authority|date=Oct 2009|access-date=March 26, 2013}}}} was the former branding used by UTA to describe their BRT services. Only 1 line, 3500 South MAX, ever used this branding, however, several planned lines used MAX, such as UVX (Provo-Orem MAX), MVX (Murray-Taylorsville MAX), or 5600 West BRT (5600 West MAX). Over 80 miles of MAX routes were planned at one point.{{cite news|last=Hancock|first=Laura|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700022259/UTA-bus-rapid-line-running-on-3500-South.html?pg=all|title=UTA 'bus-rapid' line running on 3500 South|date=April 6, 2010|newspaper=Deseret News|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20140224045306/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700022259/UTA-bus-rapid-line-running-on-3500-South.html?pg=all |access-date=March 28, 2013|archive-date=February 24, 2014 }}

MAX had several unique features that distinguish itself from the current BRT system. It's fixed guideway segment was much more limited than future projects, with only 2 stations and mostly running single tracked. All MAX stations also had ticket vending machines, whereas services like UVX only plan to install ticket vending machines at the busiest stations, relying on fare cards and transfers from other services.

{{main|Utah Valley Express}}

Utah Valley Express (UVX) is a BRT line that connects the Provo Central and Orem Central FrontRunner stations via Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University. UVX opened on January 9, 2019 traveling a route of 11 miles with 5 miles of dedicated lanes. UVX runs Monday through Saturday from about 4:00 am to Midnight (every 6-10 minutes at peak times and every 15 minutes off-peak and on Saturdays).

{{main|Ogden Express}}

Ogden Express (OGX) is a BRT line that connects Ogden Central station to McKay-Dee Hospital, running through Weber State University and downtown Ogden. OGX opened on August 20, 2023 traveling a route of 5.3 miles with around 2 miles of dedicated lanes. OGX runs 7 days a week from 4:30 am to Midnight on Weekdays, 9 am to 10:30 pm on Saturdays, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays (every 10 minutes on Weekdays, 15 minutes on Saturdays and every 30 minutes on Sundays).

There are several BRT lines studied, planned, or under construction in the UTA Service Area.

{{main|Midvalley Express}}

Midvalley Express (MVX) is an under-construction BRT line that will connect Murray Central station to the West Valley Central station, running through the Salt Lake Community College campus in Taylorsville. MVX is planned to open in the Fall of 2026, traveling a route of 7 miles with around a mile of dedicated lanes. MVX will run 7 days a week from 4 am to Midnight Monday to Saturday and from 6 am to 9 pm on Sundays (every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sundays).

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{{main|3500 South MAX}}

The 3500 South MAX{{cite web |title=UTA MAX |url=http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=UTA-Home-MAX |access-date=January 13, 2013 |website=rideuta.com |publisher=Utah Transit Authority}} line connected Magna with the West Valley Central TRAX Station in West Valley City and the Millcreek TRAX station in South Salt Lake, traveling along a route of {{convert|10|mi|km}} on 3500 and 3300 South (SR-171).{{cite news|last=Warburton|first=Nicole|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/695249755/UTA-plans-bus-rapid-transit-line.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130410184647/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/695249755/UTA-plans-bus-rapid-transit-line.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 10, 2013|title=UTA plans bus rapid-transit line|date=February 3, 2008|newspaper=Deseret News|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|access-date=March 28, 2013}} It was the first of several BRT lines that UTA is planning for the Salt Lake Valley and Utah County.{{cite news|url=http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3752722|title=UTA set to unveil speedy MAX bus route|access-date=July 13, 2008 |author=Salt Lake Tribune |author-link=Salt Lake Tribune |work=KSL.com|publisher=MediaNews Group|agency=The Associated Press|location=Salt Lake City|date=July 13, 2008}} Costs for the project totaled $17 million ({{inflation|US|17000000|2008|r=-3|fmt=eq}}); a light rail extension along the same route would have cost $100 million. Original plans were to discontinue MAX service between the Millcreek and West Valley Central TRAX Stations once the West Valley extension of the TRAX Green Line was completed. However, even though the Green Line began service in August 2011, as of May 2014, service between the two TRAX stations still continued. The 3500 South MAX ran Monday through Saturday (no Sunday service) from about 6:00 am to midnight (every fifteen minutes on weekdays and every half-hour on Saturdays). It was permanently discontinued on August 7, 2022, after a year of being temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite press release |title=Service Adjustments |url=https://www.rideuta.com/Test-Pages/Service-Adjustments |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=www.rideuta.com}}{{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Lee |date=July 22, 2020 |title=UTA is restoring bus and train service to 91% of pre-pandemic levels |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/07/22/uta-is-restoring-bus/ |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=OpenGov |title=August Change Day 2022 |url=https://stories.opengov.com/utahtransitauthority/published/He3iF15jp |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=August Change Day 2022 |language=en}}

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{{commons category|MAX (Utah Transit Authority)}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130121143128/http://www.rideuta.com/uploads/FactSheets_BRT_2012.pdf Bus Rapid Transit fact sheet]
• [http://www.rideuta.com Official UTA website]
• [https://www.rideuta.com/Services/Bus-Rapid-Transit Official UTA BRT website]

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Category:Bus rapid transit in Utah

Category:Transportation in Salt Lake County, Utah

Category:Transportation in Utah County, Utah

Category:2008 introductions

Category:2017 introductions

Category:2023 introductions