Bus Lot Safety

The snow is the same.
The Ski Bus isn't.
Here's what you can do to stay safe.

• Bus Lot Safety Training
• Bus Lot Safety Equipment

Stay Safe this Ski Season

The school bus is the safest vehicle on the road—your child is much safer taking a bus to and from school than traveling by car. Although four to six school-age children die each year on school transportation vehicles, that’s less than one percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide. NHTSA believes school buses should be as safe as possible. Morning School Parking Lot Safety While the first few days of any new school year can be chaotic, mornings of any school day can be incredibly busy. Parents may walk or drive their children to school; buses will be arriving to bring kids. Edmonton Catholic Schools District school bus safety video. Edmonton Catholic Schools District school bus safety video.

The ski season is almost here, and we know you're excited to get out of the house to enjoy the outdoors and Utah’s amazing ski resorts. UTA’s priority during the COVID-19 pandemic has always been the safety of our riders and employees, so we will be implementing additional safety measures for Ski Bus service to help you stay safe all season long.
These efforts include limiting the number of riders per bus, enforcing mask wearing at all times, and creating socially distanced lines at key bus stops. With these safety measures in place, riders should expect greater delays getting to the resorts. Things might be a little different this season, but you’ll still be able to hit the slopes and enjoy the greatest snow on earth.
Many of the ski resorts are also implementing safety measures such as social distancing their parking, creating reservation systems and discouraging carpooling.
UTA’s efforts to ensure your safety on the Ski Bus include the following:

Here is how you can help:

We expect greater delays due to these safety measures and an increase in canyon traffic. To help, we will be monitoring ridership daily and working with the ski resorts to get riders to and from the resorts as effectively as possible. Plan ahead and take advantage of our recommended low peak days, times, routes and parking below to minimize those delays. So, while the way you get to the slopes might have changed, we’re confident that you’re going to have just as much fun as always once you arrive.
Before you leave, download the transit app (Click Here) to plan your trip; check bus crowds; or get alerts on canyon closures, accidents or avalanches.
We’ll see you on the Ski Bus!

BIG AND LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYONS

Snowbird, Alta, Brighton & Solitude
On November 29, 2020, UTA’s Cottonwood Canyon ski bus will start service to Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude ski resorts. To minimize delays, please consider the following recommended off-peak days, times and locations to ride the Ski Bus:

Best Days of the Week to Avoid Crowds:

• Tuesday-Thursday

Best Times of Day to Avoid Crowds:

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Best Routes and Parking:

• Midvale Ft Union Station, 7250 South 180 West
• 950 E 6600 S
• 6200 S. Wasatch Blvd
• Midvale Ft Union Station, 7250 South 180 West. (Route 953)
• 6200 South Wasatch Blvd
• Historic Sandy Station, 9000 South 165 East.
• 9400 South Highland Drive

FREE UTA Services included with the season pass:

• Alta: Bus, Ski Bus, TRAX, FrontRunner, VIA
• Brighton: Bus, Ski Bus, TRAX, FrontRunner, VIA
• Solitude: Ski Bus only
• Snowbird: Ski Bus only
• IKON: Ski Bus only

*Season Pass Holders: Contact the ski resort for additional questions about valid services
**IKON Pass Holders: Contact Solitude for additional questions about valid services
***Ski Resort Employees: Contact your employer for additional questions about valid services

WEBER AND DAVIS COUNTY

Snowbasin and Powder Mountain
On December 12, 2020, Snowbasin started its ski bus service. Powder Mountain ski bus service opened on December 19. Ski Bus service to Powder Mountain will begin when the resort opens. We will notify riders as soon as that information becomes available. Please use the recommended off-peak days, times and locations to ride the ski bus:

Best Days of the Week to Avoid Crowds:

• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
• Avoid holidays and weekends

Best Times of Day to Avoid Crowds:

• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Best Routes and Parking:

• Ogden Transit Center, 2350 Wall Ave
• Rainbow Gardens, 1851 Valley Dr.
• Ogden Transit Center, 2350 Wall Ave
• Rainbow Gardens, 1851 Valley Dr.
• Antelope Drive, 2280 N Hobbs Creek Dr.
• Layton Hills Mall, 1201 N. Hill Field Road

FREE UTA Services included with the season pass:

• Powder Mountain: Bus, Ski Bus
• Snowbasin: Bus, Ski Bus

*Season Pass Holders: Contact the ski resort for additional questions about valid services
**Ski Resort Employees: Contact your employer for additional questions about valid services

UTAH COUNTY

Sundance Ski Resort
On December 19, 2020, UTA’s Utah County ski bus will start service to Sundance Ski Resort. Please use the recommended off-peak days, times and locations to ride the ski bus:

Best Days of the Week to Avoid Crowds:

• Monday-Thursday (Jan. - Feb.)
• Avoid holidays and weekends

Best Times of Day to Avoid Crowds:

• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Best Routes and Parking:

• Palisade Park, 1376 East 850 North, Orem

FREE UTA Services included with the season pass:

• Sundance: Ski Bus, UVX

*Season Pass Holders: Contact the ski resort for additional questions about valid services
**Ski Resort Employees: Contact your employer for additional questions about valid services

In the fight against assaults there are ways for transit agencies to protect their bus operators. Agencies can install security cameras, call buttons to alert police and install bus barriers. Operators can face many different types of assault, and according to Brendan Danaher, the director of government affairs for the Transport Workers Union (TWU), some types of assault go unreported.

“For us and for many of the people that we represent, the biggest concern right now is bus operators who are subject to assault on a regular basis. In fact, depending on how you define assault, it is so common that sometimes people don’t even report it, verbal assaults and being spat on are things that happen maybe daily – certainly weekly. So it’s difficult to determine what those numbers are, but as you get into more dangerous and severe types of assault, whether that’s brandishing a weapon or being sprayed with mace or actually being punched or physically assaulted. Those do get reported,” said Danaher.

Danaher said that TWU has been advocating for the installation of bus barriers after discovering through research that many assaults stem from fare collection.

“This may be people who are drunk or otherwise impaired or they may be people who have some mental illness, but they are often angry about collecting fares or delays or service cuts and they take those issues out on the drivers. So installing a plexiglass barrier between the operator and the passengers is one of the most successful solutions that we’ve found,” said Danaher.

Agencies including the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has launched a number of safety campaigns and has been adding safety features to its buses.

Paul Gonzales, senior media relations officer, Metro explained, “In late 2013, Metro began the process of retrofitting our buses with a steel and polycarbonate barrier that protects the driver from assault. We leave it up to the operator to decide if they want to close the barrier or not. Since that time, all our new buses are delivered with an operator barrier from the factory.”

Gonzales also said that Metro came across the same findings that the main cause behind altercations was fare dispute. Metro then automated the fare announcement in the hopes that that would reduce the number of those instanced between operators and passengers.

Developing features of barriers

Vapor Bus International a Wabtec Companies offers bus barrier, protection doors that are meant to block both direct physical assaults as well as any objects that passengers throw at the bus operators.

Danaher said that TWU feels that not all barriers are equal, he said that barriers need to be designed to fit into different bus designs. “There do need to be some considerations so that other issues don’t come up as a result to these barriers; an HVAC that filters environmental stuff and preventing glare or reflection because that makes driving dangerous.”

John Condon, VP, Vapor said “The Vapor bus operator protection door integrates 2 variable-speed, high velocity electric fans that can assist in cockpit air circulation. Fans can be configured out/out, in/out or in/in operation. An electric powered window allows for increased airflow and ventilation, and permits operator and passenger verbal interaction.”

Danaher added that while bus barriers need to provide protection, there needs to be a way for the operator to exit easily and safely. “Even the way in which these doors open are an issue, if someone uses mace or another flammable material that driver needs to get out of that plexiglass barrier really quickly”

Condon said that Vapor has an installed emergency release features. “A large, easy reach, door latch release handle is used by the operator to open the door.”

Condon said that Vapor is currently working with several agencies to install porotype units.

Emphasizing safety in other areas

Bus Lot Safety Training

Besides implementing bus barriers, agencies have found success in other areas.

“Metro began installing monitor on buses to show a live feed from all on-board CCTV cameras. The concept is if a person sees himself on a monitors he knows he’s being recorded and is less like to commit a crime. The monitors have been successful in reducing operator assaults,” said Gonzales.

Danaher said that after reading transit studies he also found that informing people they are being recorded. “People then start to understand that they cannot act by impunity and those are important as are policing issues, to get police to the area quickly.”

Transit agencies have also put to use DNA swabs, Danaher said that TWU has seen London put that to use. It gives the transit authority a way to identify offenders. Another important factor in preventing operator assaults, is training operators themselves.

Bus Lot Safety Equipment

“Metro also conducted a pilot program with Transit Ambassador, a customer service curriculum owned by the Canadian Urban Transit Association. The curriculum contains modules that teach operators skills to defuse potentially dangerous situations in the field. The results were inconclusive,” said Gonzales.