High Valley Transit launched in 2021 as Summit County’s transportation arm.
Operating in similar areas, some Park City Transit lines were cut, like the Pink bus servicing Pinebrook and the Brown route in Trailside.
Park City and Summit County signed an interlocal agreement when High Valley was formed which mandates High Valley take over the 10 White Express bus route from Park City on May 1, 2024.
The 10 White only has four stops: Kimball Junction, Canyons Village, Fresh Market, and Main Street. High Valley’s existing 101 Spiro route runs along the same line with more stops, and stretches farther to Deer Valley Resort and Pinebrook.
High Valley is evaluating the future of the two routes.
The shift will save Park City more than $2.6 million annually, according to a staff report.
Park City Manager Matt Dias said they plan to invest those funds in other bus routes in city limits.
“We have multiple routes within the city now that will be able to be operated year-round in ways that they weren’t or with more frequent service in our neighborhoods than they have ever before,” Dias said. “Summit County and High Valley Transit will be able to focus on the White Express, which is really a regional level or service, and they’re going to incorporate the White… I don’t know the exact timing and methodology, but they understand that there is some overlap on that route, and they will be fully taking on the responsibilities of the White Express.”
This spring and summer, Park City Transit will be operating the 3 Blue and 50 Teal buses. The Blue services Park Meadows and Thaynes, while the Teal will run between Prospector Square and Main Street.
Ridership on Park City’s free bus system has been growing since a drop during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall ridership in 2023 was up 10% year-over-year with over 1.8 million passengers. That’s just below pre-COVID 2019, when ridership reached nearly 2 million people.
