SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Transit Authority trolley bus service in Ogden and Layton and the shuttle service in Farmington — free to riders — will continue.

The Utah Transit Authority Board of Trustees this week extended agreements with the three cities to maintain the service in 2022. It is is meant to give travelers arriving in the locales via FrontRunner trains or other UTA buses a way to get around the main commercial areas in the cities, thus spurring economic activity, boosters hope.

UTA reached agreements in 2020 to provide the service in Ogden and Layton, offered in distinctive red buses made to replicate the look of trolleys. They were renewed for 2021 and, per Wednesday’s action, for the coming year. Each locale will pay 25% of estimated operating costs for the year, $70,213 for Ogden and $179,004 for Layton.

Farmington entered into an agreement for service there in 2019 and is renewing it for the third time for 2022 at a cost of $76,350.

The Ogden service, route 601, meanders from the FrontRunner station to Historic 25th Street, Kiesel Avenue and Washington Boulevard before returning to the commuter train station. Route 601 boardings averaged 71 per weekday and 105 riders on Saturdays in October compared to 78 per weekday and 79 each Saturday a year before in October 2020, according to UTA data. The figure in October 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and before Ogden entered into a formal agreement with the UTA, was 111 per weekday and 154 each Saturday.

The Layton service, route 628, goes from the Clearfield FrontRunner to Layton Hills Mall, continuing via Main Street to the Layton FrontRunner station and Layton Hospital before heading back. Route 628 boardings averaged 290 per weekday and 229 on Saturdays in October compared to 259 per weekday and 168 each Saturday in October a year before. In October 2019, before entering the current agreement, boardings averaged 456 per weekday and 461 each Saturday.

The Farmington service, route 667, follows a loop linking the FrontRunner stop at Farmington Station, Lagoon Amusement Park and the University of Utah Health Farmington Health Center. At certain hours, the loop extends to Main Street in Farmington. Route 667 boardings averaged 126 per weekday and 723 each Saturday in October compared t0 119 per weekday and 332 each Saturday in October 2020. In October 2019, boardings averaged 199 per weekday and 913 each Saturday.

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