LAYTON -- The Utah Transit Authority hopes to make its entire fare system cashless by 2020.
At a recent board meeting, UTA officials discussed the results of a fare study that identified ways to update the agency's current fare collection system to save time, save money and make trips more convenient for transit riders.
The update would include doing away with all cash payments on UTA's three main modes of transit -- buses, TRAX and the FrontRunner commuter train.
"We would like to see cash phased out eventually," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter. "But there is a lot of infrastructure involved and processes that have to be put in place before that can happen."
Carpenter said customers still will be able to use cash to purchase electronic tickets and cards, just not at the actual, physical vehicle.
"We recognize that there will always be people who want to use cash," Carpenter said, "so we want to make (the hoped-for cashless transition) as easy as possible."
Carpenter said UTA would place cash vending machines at transit hubs, like the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center, 2393 Wall Ave., and at community gathering spots such as grocery stores.
"We want to make it widely available, easy to use and easy to understand," Carpenter said. "That's the goal."
UTA officials say a cashless fare system would be easier to enforce and more cost-effective.
"There are costs involved (with the current cash system) with things like emptying fare boxes and counting cash," Carpenter said. "Electronic payment would get rid of that."
As part of the new plan, UTA also is considering a distance-based fare rate that would charge riders for the number of miles they actually travel instead of one flat rate.
Carpenter said the electronic payment system would make that charging method much easier.
The new system also would include frequent-rider rewards and discounts for registered riders.
In 2010, UTA's total fare-box revenue was $35.2 million. By 2020, the agency projects that figure will be $86.3 million.
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