FrontRunner riders heading from Lehi's Thanksgiving Point station to jobs along the Wasatch Front would pay at least $1 more per day under a base-fare increase the Utah Transit Authority is proposing ahead of a public comment period that opens Monday, Aug. 10.

UTA wants to raise its base fare from $2.50 to $3.00, according to the agency's digital newsroom. The price has not changed since 2013. For a five-day-a-week commuter, the bump works out to roughly $5 more per week or about $260 per year based on the base fare. FrontRunner uses zone-based pricing for longer trips, so the per-ride increase for Lehi-to-Salt Lake commuters may differ.

The comment period runs through 5 p.m. on Sept. 9.

Why now

Fare revenue accounts for about 4% of UTA's $1 billion 2026 budget, with sales taxes covering most operations. But senior public information officer Gavin Gustafson told KPVI the agency has held off as long as it could.

"I can't think of anything that hasn't gone up over the past 13 years, and so it helps to offset the cost of, say, operating maintenance and expanding the transit service as well," Gustafson said.

Local stakes

FrontRunner averaged about 14,800 weekday riders in early 2026 and operates at roughly 90% of peak-hour capacity. Ridership grew 10.5% in 2024. The Lehi station sits at the heart of the Silicon Slopes tech corridor, where thousands of workers board daily for commutes north along I-15.

UTA has not set a specific start date for the higher fare. The increase is penciled in for 2027 and remains subject to public input and board approval.

How to comment

UTA will host a virtual public meeting Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 5:30 p.m. Residents can register at rideuta.zoom.us/webinar/register.

Comments can also be submitted:

Gustafson stressed that only comments submitted through official channels make it into the public record. Social media posts and Facebook comments, he noted, are not tracked or logged as part of the formal process.

All comments must be received or postmarked by 5 p.m. on Sept. 9. Accommodations for the Aug. 26 meeting, including sign language interpreters, must be requested at least five working days in advance by calling 801-287-2444.