LAYTON -- FrontRunner will probably begin operating on Sundays -- but don't expect it to happen any time soon.
Since the commuter rail line opened in April 2008, the train has never operated on Sunday, but some community members who use the service would like to see the Sunday option become available.
"I don't have a car," said Clinton resident Monas Evans, who waited for a ride to Salt Lake City at the Layton FrontRunner Station on Thursday. "I'm OK getting around every day of the week except for Sundays. On Sundays you don't have FrontRunner or as much bus service, so I'd definitely like to see (Sunday FrontRunner service)."
The Utah Transit Authority ultimately wants to see Sunday service too, but right now there is neither a high enough demand nor enough money to make it happen.
"Right now, we just don't have the budget to do it," Gerry Carpenter, UTA spokesman, said. "There is a desire from some in the community for that to happen, but we're not there yet."
Carpenter said Saturday ridership on FrontRunner and most other UTA services is much lower in comparison to weekdays.
"If there is some kind of event, Saturday ridership (on FrontRunner) can be pretty good," Carpenter said. "But generally it's lighter. Sunday would be even lighter than Saturday."
Carpenter said that on Aug. 28, a Sunday, the TRAX system in Salt Lake County had a total of 15,100 boardings.
On Saturday, Aug. 27, TRAX had 33,000 boardings.
The average weekday ridership for TRAX is 63,000 boardings. The average number of weekday FrontRunner boardings during July was 5,800, while Saturdays averaged only 3,400.
"Right now, ridership is considerably lower on the weekends," Carpenter said. "The cost of operation for those ridership numbers would be prohibitive."
Currently, TRAX is the only UTA service that operates fully on Sundays.
Only three bus routes -- the 470, 603, and 612 -- operate on Sundays in Weber and Davis counties, with another dozen or so routes running in Salt Lake County.
In short, UTA said two things need to happen for FrontRunner service to start on Sunday: increased ridership and increased revenue.
"Nothing is going to happen soon," Carpenter said of FrontRunner Sunday service. "But it is a long-term goal."
Comments