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TO: |
Board of Trustees |
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THROUGH: |
Jay Fox, Executive Director |
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FROM: |
Viola Miller, Chief Financial Officer |
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PRESENTER(S): |
Kensey Kunkel, Manager Fare Strategy |
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James Yapias, Salt Lake Education Foundation |
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Dan Dugan, Salt Lake City Councilman |
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Julianne Sabula, Salt Lake City |
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Lara McLellan, Salt Lake City |
TITLE:
title
Education Pass Agreement with the Salt Lake School District, Salt Lake Education Foundation and Salt Lake City
end
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:
Discussion
RECOMMENDATION:
Informational Item for Discussion
BACKGROUND:
Last June, the UTA Board of Trustees authorized the Executive Director to enter a partnership with the Salt Lake School District, Salt Lake Education Foundation, and City of Salt Lake. Through this ground-breaking partnership, over twenty-four thousand (24,000) students, faculty, and staff in the Salt Lake School District received an unlimited use transit pass valid for use on local UTA service (Bus, TRAX, Streetcar, on On-demand services). The total value of the agreement is $379,000 and is divided as follows:
• Education Pass Agreement with the Salt Lake District and Education Foundation in the amount of $279,000
• Funding Agreement with the City of Salt Lake in the amount of $100,000
This ground-breaking partnership has been incredibly successful. As compared to the previous school year (2021-22), ridership by the District’s authorized users has increased nearly seven hundred percent (700%) year over year. In May, nearly four thousand (4000) unique riders utilized their District transit pass, which is the largest number of pass riders since the program launched in August 2022.
Less measurable than ridership is the access to opportunity that this pass has provided to the pass holders and their families. James Yapias, Salt Lake Education Foundation Director, shared that schools are seeing more participation in after-school activities as a result of students having access to transportation outside of the yellow school bus. Mr. Yapias also shared that students have been able to take internship opportunities and jobs now that they have a transportation option. In another account, the principal of a middle school shared that those students, who would once miss school during inclement weather, were now able to make it to class because of having an alternative option to walking.
The success of this partnership has gained the attention of City leaders, including Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Councilman Dan Dugan. In an effort to expand access to opportunity, the Salt Lake City Council recommended, and the Mayor approved, a line item within the City’s budget to provide additional funding to the School District’s Education Pass Agreement. This funding will be used to provide one additional transit pass per family for use by a parent or guardian.
DISCUSSION:
The Fares team will return to the board on July 26, 2023, for approval of both the Education Pass Agreement and the Funding Agreement to provide Students, Faculty, Staff, and One (1) Guardian with a Local Transit Pass (total additional authorized users TBD). The total value of the 2023-24 agreement is $493,648 and will be divided as follows:
• Education Pass Agreement with the Salt Lake District and Education Foundation in the amount of $279,000
• Funding Agreement with the City of Salt Lake in the amount of $214,648:
o Mayor’s General Fund: $100,000
o Council’s Addition: $114,648
ALTERNATIVES:
Do not enter an Education Pass Agreement and Funding Agreement to provide transit passes to the Salt Lake School District for use by their authorized users.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Additional $114,000 in revenue as compared to the 2022-23 education pass agreement.
ATTACHMENTS:
None