Park City maps four transit programs to target commuters, remote areas

Photo: Town Lift // Randi Sidman-Moore

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City officials are exploring four new transportation initiatives that could help ease commuter traffic and increase transit coverage, with City Council members expressing strong support during Thursday’s work session.

The largest program presented is a partnership with Commute with Enterprise to establish a vanpool system for local employers. The $80,000 pilot program would subsidize approximately nine vehicles at $750 per month each, targeting commuters from Summit and Wasatch counties where existing Utah Transit Authority vanpools cannot operate.

“A lot of these companies currently use UTA’s program, which is very similar, except that it only…can begin and end within one of their service areas. So currently, Summit County and Wasatch County are ineligible,” Transportation Planner Hannah Pack told the council.

Council members indicated support for potentially expanding the vanpool budget if successful, noting its potential to reduce single-occupancy vehicles and parking demands.

The second major initiative addresses “transit deserts” through a taxi reimbursement program. Residents living more than half a mile from bus stops, primarily in upper Aerie Drive and Deer Valley areas, would receive $10 reimbursements per trip. The program targets 664 eligible addresses, including 242 primary residences, though council members debated whether to limit eligibility to full-time residents.

At Old Town Transit Center, the city has installed 16 temporary storage lockers aimed at transit riders and visitors. The lockers, charging $1 per hour with a $10 daily maximum, are awaiting final cost approval and software setup. Staff expects them to be operational by Deer Valley Resort’s opening day.

The city began transitioning from MyStop to the Transit App platform in April 2024. The new system, currently operating in 23 countries and 292 U.S. regions, allows users to plan trips across multiple transit systems including Utah Transit Authority and High Valley Transit routes. Officials report that MyStop generated 16% of all transit complaints since 2018.

All initiatives will be funded through approximately $400,000 in savings from a recently concluded microtransit pilot program within the city’s $1.5 million annual transportation budget. The vanpool and taxi programs each have proposed $80,000 budget caps.

Transportation officials will return to council with program updates after the winter season for review before any long-term implementation decisions are made.