LAYTON -- Three months after implementing a fuel surcharge to all transit services, the Utah Transit Authority is now removing it.
On Nov. 1, UTA will remove the fuel surcharge that it added to transit fares in August.
The surcharge was imposed when the region experienced high diesel fuel prices during the second quarter of 2010.
UTA's policy is to implement a surcharge when the average retail fuel price rises above $3 per gallon as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
"The average diesel price dropped in the third quarter to below $3 per gallon," said UTA General Manager Mike Allegra. "So we have initiated the process to remove the fuel surcharge on Nov. 1."
The UTA board of trustees adopted a fuel surcharge policy in May 2008 to protect the agency's budget and operations against volatile, unforeseen increases in fuel prices.
"The fuel surcharge is a way to protect UTA's budgets without implementing a permanent fare increase," Allegra said.
The fuel surcharge is a fluctuating, tiered fee, based on the quarterly cost of diesel fuel as reported by the United States Department of Energy.
If the average diesel fuel price in Utah stays between $3 and $4 per gallon for one quarter, UTA implements a 25 cent surcharge to its local base fare.
If the average price is between $4 and $5 per gallon, there will be a 50 cent surcharge.
Any price above $5 will result in a 75 cent surcharge. If the prices stay below $3, no surcharge is implemented.
The average retail price of diesel fuel, as reported by the DOE, was $3.08 for the second quarter of 2010, which triggered the surcharge.
The average price of diesel fuel for the third quarter was $2.98.
On Nov. 1, local bus service will be $2, with an adult monthly pass costing $67. Premium Express Bus service will cost $4.50 and the FrontRunner base fare will be $2 with and additional 50 cents at each stop.
Both FrontRunner and Express Bus monthly passes will cost $162.
For a complete list of fares or for more information, visit www.rideuta.com.
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