Skiers who use Utah Transit Authority’s Ski Bus servicewill have more shelters while they wait for their next bus. UTA has announced the number of shelters for the 2014-15 season has doubled from 5 to 10. There were already five existing ski bus shelters at Snowbird, Alta, Brighton Ski Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort and the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The shelters are designed to keep up to 20 people out of the elements without blocking the mountain vistas. UTA spokesman Remi Barron says two shelters were added each at Alta and Snowbird and another was added to the bus stop at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.
“Anything we can do to get people on our ski bus service is a good thing for everybody. It cuts down on the traffic and the air pollution,” says Barron.
He says an average of 120,000 skiers per season use the service that opened this past Sunday. He says the Federal Transit Administration provided a $70,000 dollar grant, the US Forest Service helped with permits while Alta and Snowbird provided equipment, so the cost to UTA was zero.
“We’re looking ahead at seeing how we can use our resources to increase the frequency of the busses, maybe adding some more busses and keep adding some more shelters,” says Barron. “That’s in our immediate future.”
Barron says the ski busses are free for season ticket holders at the four resorts in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons and for visitors who purchase Super Passes. He says the Super Pass includes Resort passes with all bus and TRAX Light Rail around the valley and the airport.
