Park City to discontinue microtransit pilot program April 14

Photo: High Valley Transit

The city will not renew its contract with High Valley Transit after the $1.5 million pilot program ends later this month

PARK CITY, Utah — The High Vally Transit microtransit pilot program will be discontinued in Park City later this month following a decision from the Park City Council at its meeting on April 4.

Through this microtransit program, riders can book free transportation through the High Valley Transit app. Riders are typically picked up at a nearby corner in one of High Valley Transit’s branded minivans.

The Park City Council initially approved a contract with High Valley Transit for the company to temporarily provide microtransit service on Oct. 6, 2022 until April 15, 2023. The pilot program was relaunched in June 2023, terminating April 15 of this year.

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According to a Park City Council staff report, total microtransit ridership for 2023-2024 was 29,681, with 180 individuals using microtransit
for 50 or more rides.

According to staff, a majority of these rides took place in areas where consistent public transportation services were already offered. 91% of rides requested originated from areas that already had adequate or relatively high levels of fixed route service, and the remaining 9% of ride requests came from areas with either limited or no fixed route service.

Some concern also surrounded customer feedback regarding inconsistent or lengthy wait times. According to the staff report, riders waited for a vehicle for an average of 27 minutes. Although no service standards were formally set for wait times, staff said that having a vehicle arrive within 15 minutes of a request was considered “desirable.”

“This data shows great variability in the amount of wait time that a customer may experience, with many trips still arriving within 15 minutes. However, most trips take longer than 15 minutes and often over 30 minutes to arrive,” said the staff report. “This lack of consistency is not desirable, especially in instances where customers hope to generally arrive at a certain time.”

Instead of continuing the program, staff recommended that the city explore implement the following three fixed bus routes, which would save the city $664,000 when compared to the cost of keeping microtransit:

Park Meadows to Park City Mountain, Old Town Transit Center (OTTC), and Deer Valley

Approximate frequency: 90 minutes
Approximate service span: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Royal Street to Deer Valley

Approximate frequency: 90 minutes
Service span: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Route is interlined with the Orange route at Deer Valley, which means it will be a one seat ride from Royal Street to OTTC.

Quinns Junction/ Park City Hospital to Fresh Market

Approximate frequency: 30 minutes
Service span: 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

“Microtransit service in Park City will be discontinued on Sunday, April 14th. Park City Transit will continue to serve the community with free transit service,” said Clayton Scrivner, communications manager for Park City. “For route and schedule information, visit parkcitytransit.org (http://parkcitytransit.org) or download the MyStop app. Going forward, the Park City Municipal Transportation Team will continue to evaluate and advocate for transit service models that best serve Park City residents.”

Microtransit will still be available to riders within the program’s Summit County Zone, which covers Kimball Junction, Jeremy Ranch and surrounding areas, as well as the Wasatch Zone, which covers Heber Valley and surrounding areas. Find more information on microtransit here.