Council work session highlights microtransit as near-term option to improve access to Frontrunner

The American Fork City Council’s work session heard that the Transit Circulator Study’s primary short-term recommendation is a UTA-operated microtransit service to improve access to the Frontrunner station and other local destinations.

Mehrnaz Fereydouni of Horrocks told the Council the microtransit service would operate similarly to Uber or Lyft using small shuttles inside a designated zone and emphasized the service could be used to collect origin–destination data to guide future transit investments. “The study's primary short-term recommendation is a UTA-operated microtransit service, which functions similarly to Uber or Lyft by providing on-demand, door-to-door transportation within a designated service area,” she said.

Council members pressed staff on operational details. Council Member Ryan Hunter asked whether microtransit trips would be limited to six miles; consultants said six miles is generally UTA’s preferred trip length but that longer trips may be accommodated when necessary. Staff reported UTA expects to deploy about 16 microtransit vehicles across northern Utah County and that the proposed $2.50 fare would include transfers to connecting services.

Consultants and staff characterized microtransit as costly to operate and noted it is best viewed as a near-term, data-gathering tool to identify whether demand would eventually support fixed-route or circulator service. Patrick O’Brien (Development Services Director) said the City intends to use early ridership data to identify travel patterns and potential midterm circulator options.