After the Utah Transit Authority offered free fare two days last week on its buses and trains, the Utah House advanced a bill Monday that could provide 17 more free-fare days over three years as an experiment to help reduce air pollution.
It passed HB353 on a 47-26 vote, and sent it to the Senate for consideration. It would create a $1.2 million pilot program that would cover the $70,000 a day in cash fares that UTA figures it would lose when fares are free.
“We’re trying to change behavior,” said Rep. Joel Briscoe, D-Salt Lake City, sponsor of the bill.