You won’t have to pay a thing for the privilege.

On Tuesday, UTA announced in a press release that services will be “Zero Fare” for the weekend while its fare collection system receives massive updates.

“The Utah Transit Authority will temporarily suspend fare collection and offer Zero Fare systemwide September 18-20 while UTA upgrades its fare collection system,” the release said. “UTA is modernizing its fare collection software and hardware to provide riders with a faster, more convenient and flexible payment experience. The upgrades will also create the foundation for additional payment options and new rider benefits.”

In an email to the Standard-Examiner Tuesday, UTA Senior Public Information Officer Gavin Gustafson told the Standard-Examiner that the fare-free weekend applies to all services without exception.

“For this weekend, the message is simple: just board and ride,” he said. “No tickets, passes, FAREPAY cards or fare validation will be required from September 18-20.”

He said the scale of the upgrades meant it would be easier to give patrons a few days away from paying fares than slowly roll the changes out and risk service disruptions.

“UTA is upgrading the software and hardware that support fare collection across the system,” he said. “Because these systems are interconnected — including ticket vending machines, FAREPAY Cards, validators and account management tools — temporarily suspending fare collection allows UTA to complete the work efficiently while minimizing inconvenience to riders. Rather than asking customers to navigate temporary changes or intermittent outages, UTA chose to offer Zero Fare and keep the rider experience as simple as possible. These upgrades are part of a broader modernization effort to make access to transit faster, easier and more flexible.”

Gustafson said there have been occasional zero fare periods on specific services, but there’s never been a reason to spread it out across the entire system.

“UTA has occasionally offered Zero Fare for specific projects, promotions and special events, including Zero Fare bus rapid transit services such as UVX, OGX and MVX, as well as Ticket As Fare partnerships for major events,” he said. “However, a systemwide Zero Fare period tied specifically to fare collection system upgrades is uncommon and reflects the scale of this modernization effort.”

As for the changes themselves, Gustafson said these include:

• “Better FAREPAY account management online and at ticket vending machines.
• Fare capping, which automatically helps frequent riders receive the best value.
• Enhanced account security for lost or stolen cards.
• Future payment options, including credit cards, debit cards and mobile wallets.
• Faster, more convenient payment options for occasional riders and visitors.”

He said the upgrades will greatly benefit riders, regardless of the service they utilize.

“This is an investment in the customer experience and another step toward making transit easier, more flexible and more convenient for everyone who rides UTA,” he said. “We appreciate our riders’ patience as we complete this important work to deliver a system that offers more flexibility, more convenience and more value for customers across the Wasatch Front.”