Rep. Brown was interested in the way UTA has linked its transportation system to major employment centers and institutions like medical centers, said UTA Public Relations Specialist Brandon Bott. Among other delegations have been representatives of Phoenix and Mesa Ariz., Pittsburgh, Penn., St. Paul, Minn., Seattle, Wash., Waterloo, Ontario, Boise, Idaho, and Henderson, Nev. who have checked out the agency's FrontRunner and TRAX systems. "With a lot of them they want to find a way to economically link the community," Bott said. Often, he said, those looking at Utah's transit system have outdated railroad rights-of-way which they can acquire, Bott said, much like UTA used rail lines for FrontRunner and is now using an old spur line to build a light rail line through Sugar House. Recently U.S. News and World Report named UTA the No. 2 transit agency in the nation, Bott said. In addition to it being named among the top transit systems in the nation, Bott believes other things that have proved successful in UTA's story is how well the agency has partnered with other agencies like the Utah Department of Transportation and with area municipalities. "We're very proud of the relationship we have with UDOT and local municipalities," Bott said. "That cooperative atmosphere is rare." Another aspect of UTA's operation which Bott said may contribute to UTA's popularity with other agencies is that, "We consistently come in on time and under budget, on projects."

UTA spokesman Brandon Bott said updated electronic signs are being installed at all TRAX stations and are expected to be operating when the West Valley and Mid-Jordan lines open for business Aug. 7. "We'll be able to tell passengers what the next approaching train is and how many minutes until it arrives," Bott said. "Ultimately, we'll be able to include some sort of advisory." That advisory, he said, would inform passengers of potential delays, alternate routes and suspended service, something that many riders feel would be beneficial. Nativia Solano of Rose Park said she has been frustrated by TRAX delays. Solano recalled one incident in which a train reportedly was experiencing brake issues. She and her fellow passengers waited while multiple trains passed in the opposite direction and even tried speaking to a conductor to find out what was going on. For smaller-scale incidents, train operators will make announcements for the waiting passengers, Bott said. Bott said one of the two Sandy lines had experienced an overhead power line malfunction, forcing operators to consolidate on a single line. Bott said there are other forms of mitigation for more serious incidents, including buses being used as a bridge between TRAX stations. UTA's Twitter feed - @RideUTA - and customer service lines are also available. "Our Twitter feed is usually pretty good with that," Bott said. Bott said Saturday's malfunction didn't appear to be a major inconvenience for most people. He said UTA's customer service received fewer calls than average Saturday - 2,900, compared with the typical 3,200 - and no Twitter messages were received about the Sandy delays. Still, reliable service is a priority, and Bott said he hopes the electronic signs will help avoid problems in the future. "Having the new signs will help us to give riders to-the-minute information," he said. With the opening of the new lines, Bott said the electronic signs will also help passengers differentiate between the various destinations of the arriving trains. "Up until now, they've only had two choices, and this will give them a third option they will need to know about," he said.

"Basically, we are getting ready to start a yearlong public discussion to think about distance-based fares," UTA spokesman Brandon Bott said.

For general inquiries, contact Brandon Bott, UTA Public Relations Specialist, (801) 230-5460.

UTA spokesman Brandon Bott said updated electronic signs are being installed at all TRAX stations and are expected to be operating when two new lines, the West Valley and Mid-Jordan, open for business on August 7. "We'll be able to tell passengers what the next approaching train is and how many minutes until it arrives," Bott said. "Ultimately, we'll be able to include some sort of advisory." The signs, he said, would inform passengers of potential delays, alternate routes and suspended service. Bott said for smaller-scale incidents, train operators will make announcements for the waiting passengers. Those announcements, however, are not always clear. On Saturday, some passengers waited 45 minutes for one train; when it finally arrived, its operator announced it was not the train passengers had been waiting for, but would act as a shuttle train to a different station. That train would then take passengers to a station where they could transfer to their correct train. Bott said that rail had experienced overhead power line malfunction on both of its lines, forcing operators to consolidate to a single line. Bott said the UTA will provide better solutions for more serious incidents, including buses being used as a bridge between TRAX stations. UTA's Twitter feed-@RideUTA-and customer service phone lines are also available. Bott said Saturday's malfunction didn't appear to be a major inconvenience for most people. He said UTA's customer service call center received fewer calls than average on Saturday-2,900, compared with the typical 3,200-and no tweets were received about the delays. Still, reliable service is a priority and Bott said he hopes the electronic signs will help avoid problems in the future. "Having the new signs will help us to give riders to-the-minute information," Bott said. With the opening of the new lines, Bott said the electronic signs will also help passengers differentiate between the various destinations of the arriving trains. "Up until now they've only had two choices and this will give them a third option they will need to know about," Bott said.