Please use this style guide for content about the Utah Transit Authority. It includes basic information, definitions, and writing style rules for UTA service names.

Note that the sample sentences in this style guide are intended as examples only and do not necessarily reflect the current, past, or future plans, services, or views of UTA.

About UTA

Established in 1970, the Utah Transit Authority is a multimodal public transportation agency that serves six counties along the Wasatch Front and provides more than 40 million passenger trips each year. UTA’s fleet is ADA accessible and offers fixed-route bus, bus rapid transit, streetcar, light rail, commuter rail, express, ski, paratransit, vanpool, and innovative mobility services.

When To Include “the” When Referring to the Utah Transit Authority

When writing about UTA, the Utah Transit Authority should be used on first reference, including the definite article. UTA is acceptable upon second reference.

When the name is spelled out, include the definite article: The Utah Transit Authority broke ground on a new facility today. When using the acronym, no article is needed: UTA broke ground on a new facility today.

Service Names & Types

For all route numbers and other designations, such as whether a route is a Ski Bus or Express Bus, visit the Schedules and Maps page on rideuta.com.

bus

Buses travel on roadways and provide fixed-route service. UTA operates diesel, hybrid, CNG, and electric buses.

Do not capitalize the word bus. When naming a specific route, capitalize the word Route.

Ski Bus

UTA’s seasonal service to ski resorts along the Wasatch Front is called Ski Bus.

Ski Bus should be capitalized as shown.

Express Bus

Express Bus routes typically travel in peak directions during commute hours and make limited stops.

Express Bus should be capitalized as shown.

UVX, OGX, MVX

Utah Valley Express (UVX) (Provo-Orem), Ogden Express (OGX) (Ogden), and Midvalley Express (MVX) (Murray, Taylorsville, West Valley) are UTA’s bus rapid transit (BRT) routes.

Route names should be capitalized as shown; Midvalley is one word with no hyphen. Do not capitalize bus rapid transit.

Go Route

UTA’s Frequent Service Network is a type of transit service that has 15-minute or better frequency during the day Monday through Saturday and 30-minute frequency during late night hours and on Sunday. These routes operate in Salt Lake City. Go Routes include:

• Bus:
  • 1
  • 2
  • 9
  • 21
  • 200
  • 217
• Rail:
  • TRAX Blue Line
  • TRAX Green Line
  • TRAX Red Line
  • S-Line

Capitalize Go Route as shown in two words. Each route is considered a Go Route: Route 1 is a Go Route. Routes 2, 9, and 21 are Go Routes.

TRAX

TRAX is UTA’s light rail system connecting downtown Salt Lake City to surrounding cities and the airport:

• TRAX Blue Line runs from Salt Lake Central Station to Draper Town Center Station.
• TRAX Green Line runs from West Valley Central Station to Airport Station.
• TRAX Red Line runs from the University of Utah Medical Center Station to Daybreak Parkway Station.

TRAX and the line names should be capitalized as shown. Do not capitalize light rail.

S-Line

The S-Line is UTA’s light rail streetcar connecting residential and commercial areas in Sugar House and South Salt Lake.

S-Line should always be used on first reference. The term streetcar is acceptable as a supplement or second reference. Do not use the name Sugar House streetcar to refer to this line.

FrontRunner

FrontRunner is UTA's commuter rail service that currently travels from Ogden to Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City to Provo. FrontRunner is a premium service with distance-based fare.

FrontRunner should be written as one word with both F and R capitalized. Do not capitalize commuter rail.

Paratransit

UTA Paratransit offers origin-to-destination service for qualifying individuals to and from locations within 3/4 mile of applicable fixed routes or TRAX stations.

Capitalize Paratransit as shown when referring to UTA’s service name. Do not capitalize when referring to the service type in general.

UTA On Demand

UTA’s microtransit service in contracted partnership with Via, a rideshare company. Riders can book a spot in a carpool that offers corner-to-corner service within designated zones.

Capitalize as shown in three words when referring to UTA’s service. The full name, UTA On Demand, must always be used. When referring to on-demand service in general, lowercase and hyphenate normally.

Vanpool

Prearranged commuter transportation of a relatively fixed group of four to 15 persons, including the driver, between home and work, or other destinations near home or work. Vanpool vehicles (typically large vans or minivans) are owned by UTA and leased to participants.

Capitalize when referring to UTA’s Vanpool program.

Incidents

In instances where a UTA vehicle has struck a person, use simply the term person.

Avoid trespasser. Though it may be legally and technically correct that a person entered a UTA right-of-way, using person avoids judgement at the time of incident.

Avoid pedestrian. This term suggests that the person was merely out for a walk and was hit by a vehicle, which may not be accurate. A person who is walking in a railroad right-of-way is considered trespassing.

Planning Document Names

UTA releases several publicly available documents outlining planning and service changes for the future. The names of these should be written as follows.

Five-Year Service Plan

The Five-Year Service Plan is a dynamic guide for UTA’s near-term future. It is updated every 2 years.

10-Year Capital Plan

The 10-Year Capital Plan shows how UTA’s Strategic Priorities guide our planning process and how our long-term plans, from 5 to 30 years, influence service changes each year.

UTA Moves 2050

The Long-Range Transit Plan is called UTA Moves 2050. It is shaped through collaboration with our regional transportation planning partners and communities and sets the stage for transforming public transit across the Wasatch Front over the next 30 years.