With the pilot program set to expire in November, the Park City Council was asked Sept. 26 if it supported allowing dogs on buses permanently,
“My answers on the direction would be woof and woof — and that’s a yes,” Park City Councilmember Bill Ciraco said.
Ciraco summed up a majority of the council’s support for allowing dogs on buses year-round.
Councilmember Jeremy Rubell said canines have not presented any problems on public transit.
“Dogs apparently are enjoying the bus, they’re having a good time,” Rubell said on KPCW’s “Locals News Hour” Sept. 26. “We haven’t run into any issues. And we talked about under the umbrella of continuous improvement, it’s working, so why not do more of it? Our transit team is on top of the risks, and they’re looking at managing those. They have plans in case something does go sideways, but for now, things are going well. People are enjoying it.”
Ed Parigian was the only member of the council who expressed some hesitancy. Parigian said there could be issues during the height of ski season.
“You got people with ski boots and their skis, their poles, their kids, and you try to think of a dog navigating that,” Parigian said. “I don’t know.”
Between mid-July and late August, nearly 200 dogs boarded city buses.
Park City has instituted a few rules for riders bringing their pups along. Dogs are required to be leashed and muzzled on the bus. Their owners are also asked to board through the rear door and sit in the back.
Owners are required to clean up any mess created by their furry friends.
Additionally, Park City Transit drivers retain the right to deny access to dog owners in situations where a bus is too full.
Unless they are service animals, dogs are not allowed on High Valley Transit buses, which operate between Park City and Summit County.
Park City Municipal is a financial supporter of KPCW.
