With the winter season just around the corner and the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, Park City Transit is faced with some difficult decisions about their services this winter.
Public transit in Park City and the surrounding areas has seen a dramatic decrease in rider numbers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The department is now considering reductions and cuts to their winter service that would equate to a 35% reduction in services.
Most notably, the transit department is looking at cutting the Main Street Trolley and 3 Blue lines for the winter, a decision Park City Transit Manager Kim Fjelsted says is based simply on data collected on rider numbers and existing route overlaps in their system.
Fjelsted says the department’s operating budget was slashed by $1.2 million over the summer because of the reduced number of riders since March.
“The way that we recommended these changes, we look at all kinds of data points, ridership,” she says. “You know, our experience post-COVID right now has really changed our ridership and we’ve had to adjust to that because along with that, we’ve had a significant loss in sales tax revenue, which is a large portion of how transit is funded in Park City.”
Fjelsted says Park City faces a predicted $5.4 million sales tax shortfall heading into winter.
She says decisions need to be made now in order to provide enough time to hire and train the staff needed for the winter months. The department typically increases their staff in the winter due to the high number of skier and snowboarder visits and even with the projected drop in visitors this winter, there will likely be increased demand on public transit.
According to Fjelsted, many potential riders still see public transit as a risk during the pandemic despite studies showing when proper health and safety measures are in place, the risk of COVID-19 infection is relatively low. She says the department needs to be ready if and when people come back.
“You know, perception is reality and so, we think it’s going to take a while for people that are not transit dependent and have options to elect to come back to public transit, so we want to make sure we’re here for them when that day comes,” she says.
The transit department has also been consulting with local businesses as the winter tourist season approaches to gauge their needs. Park City is due to see an influx of seasonal workers this winter, many of whom will not have cars and will be relying on public transit to get to and from work.
Fjelsted says the outlook over the next few years is still unclear with no definitive end in sight to the pandemic and economic recovery from this year’s losses projected to take years. She says the coming cuts are likely to stay in place for the foreseeable future.
“Unfortunately, this pandemic is not going to be a one year situaiton where you just have to tighten down and save money for a year,” she explains. “We project we’re going to be catching up from this for three to four years so we want to make sure we’re here in the long haul and responsible with those resources.
Park City Transit is seeking public input on the proposed cuts to their services before any final decisions are made. Interested members of the public are encouraged to take a survey and participate via Zoom at the next Joint Transit Advisory Board meeting on September 15th.
For more information about the proposed cuts and to take the transit survey, visit engageparkcity.org.
