Top 5 Public Transportation Safety Tips for Teens

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , , , , , , May 9th, 2013 @ 6:44 pm
Top Five Public Safety Transportation Tips for Teens

Hey teens, school is almost out for the summer, which means you might be wondering how to get to your part-time job, concerts, and amusement parks without bumming a ride from mom or dad. We’ve got good news for you – riding UTA is a great way to get where you need to go, and you can even take advantage of our discounted passes for students and minors. Before you jump on the bus, TRAX, or FrontRunner, there are a few things to know to make sure that your public transportation experience is easy and safe. Here are our top five public safety tips for teens.

  1. Stay alert when crossing tracks and approaching TRAX and FrontRunner. Our trains reach speeds up to 79 mph and a single train car can weigh as much as 79,000 pounds. Keep distractions like phones and MP3 players stowed away until you’re safely on the train – then you can text or listen to music on headphones to your heart’s content.
  2. Riding a bike or skateboarding is a great way to get to TRAX or FrontRunner, but be sure to push your bike or carry your board once you’re on the platform. Biking and skating are prohibited on platforms to help keep other passengers safe and prevent dangerous accidents near an oncoming train.
  3. Make sure to stand behind the yellow line when you’re waiting for a train. Never roughhouse on the platform or throw anything onto the tracks. You could delay service, be fined by Transit Police, or worse, seriously injure yourself or someone else.
  4. FrontRunner and TRAX aren’t the only places where you should use caution. When the bus is in motion, follow the bus driver’s instructions and always stay behind the white line until the bus has come to a complete stop.
  5. Plan your trip before you go, and be aware that UTA service ends early on the weekends. Paying close attention to schedules will keep you from missing the last bus or train home. If you have questions about our schedules, you can speak with a live customer service representative at 801-RIDE-UTA.

Want more information about how to stay safe on and around public transportation? Check out this safety video on our YouTube channel.

Baby Animals, Just a Bus Ride Away

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , , , , , , May 7th, 2013 @ 4:48 pm
Baby Animals, Just a Bus Ride Away

What’s cuddly, adorable and accessible from public transportation? Baby animals! Bus service to This is the Place Heritage Park and the Hogle Zoo makes it easy to see all the baby animals currently on display.

Running until May 24, Baby Animal Days at This is the Place Heritage Park gives your little ones the chance to help feed hungry lambs, hold yellow chicks, and make friends with baby goats. Children can also go for a pony ride and pet the park’s three friendly oxen – Booth, Bones and Gibb.

Looking for something a little more exotic? The Hogle Zoo has more than 800 animals on display, including several new baby animals. A baby reticulated giraffe was born in September and is already eight feet tall. Thai, a baby white-handed gibbon, is on display in the small primate building. Vistors can also see the zoo’s one-year-old snow leopard cub as well as Zuri, a three-year-old African Elephant.

This is the Place Heritage Park and the Hogle Zoo are accessible from bus route #3, which makes morning and afternoon stops at both locations Monday – Saturday. You can access a bus schedule here and plan your route using our trip planner. Hours and admission fees for the parks are available at the Hogle Zoo website and This is the Place Heritage Park website.

Get at Taste of Something New at Gardner Village

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , March 20th, 2013 @ 11:40 pm
Taste Culinary Boutique

A relatively new eatery at the ever-popular Gardner Village is Taste Culinary Boutique, a specialty coffee shop complete with a culinary retail store and a demonstration kitchen where regular cooking classes are offered. Gardner Village and Taste are only steps from the Historic Gardner Station on UTA’s Red line.

Taste’s coffee shop offers wonderful seasonal combinations, and one can find a great variety of coffee, hot chocolate, and juice drinks. One of their specialties is frozen hot chocolate, which is offered with seasonal flavorings and comes topped with a mountain of real whipped cream. Taste also has fresh to-go items including salads, pastries and sandwiches.

The real stand-out feature of Taste Culinary Boutique is their cooking classes, which focus on dishes with a seasonal emphasis and covers a wide range of cooking styles. Examples of cooking classes offered by taste include a cooking with chocolate class complete with wine paring, hand-rolled sushi, winter soups, Asian fusion cuisine, Easter dishes from around the world, and instruction on cooking with quinoa. Taste also occasionally hosts afternoon tea events and cheese, wine and fondue nights. Classes and events range from $35 to $50 per person, and advance reservations are required.

In addition, Taste Culinary Boutique is available for private events including bridal showers, bachelorette parties and corporate team building sessions.

Fall into Fun at Gardner Village

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , October 19th, 2012 @ 1:22 pm
Historic Gardner Village

Well-known for its great “WitchFest” displays and shows and its historic ambience and unusual shopping options, Gardner Village is a great place for adults to spend a little down time during the Halloween season.

The entire family can get in on the fun with Gardner Village’s new and improved pony rides, petting zoo and hay maze designed just for kids.

In the petting zoo, children can hold bunnies and chickens as well as meet other docile animals such as lambs, goats, donkeys and ponies.  The hay maze, which is included in the purchase price for the petting zoo ($4 and accompanying adults receive free entry), features tunnels, slides and a trampoline just for the little ones.

Two options are available for the pony rides. Very young children can enjoy riding smaller ponies on a carousel, but older kids can ride larger ponies on guided trips through the Gardner Village complex.  Pony rides are $5 each.

The petting zoo, hay maze and pony rides are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Getting to Gardner Village is half the fun as it is easily accessible on TRAX’s Red line and is across the street for the Historic Gardner station.

Blickenstaff’s Fun for Everyone

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , , , September 10th, 2012 @ 1:00 am
Blickenstaffs

Don’t just bring the kids, bring the whole family to explore the unique toys, games, candy and hands-on displays at the new Blickenstaff’s. The new store – easily accessible via TRAX - opens at The Gateway on Thursday, Aug. 9.

Blickenstaff’s is truly a store for everyone, allowing children of all ages to relive the memories of their childhood or build new ones. Upon entry you are immediately greeted with a warm nostalgic feeling. Enjoy rocking horses, old-fashioned candy and sodas, and unique toys not found at big box stores.

Plan on spending some time, because Blickenstaff’s is definitely a wonder to be seen.

Located just a short walk from the Planetarium TRAX Station stop, Blickenstaff’s can be found on the street level of The Gateway, just south of the splash pad. Also, for Utah County travelers, there is another Blickenstaff’s located at Riverwoods in Provo, easily accessed from Route 832.

Take the kids, take grandpa, and enjoy an afternoon of excitement. For more information, or a little behind the scenes on this fun, local shop visit Blick’s Blog.

Celebrate Union Pacific’s 150 Anniversary

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , July 18th, 2012 @ 1:33 am
Union Pacific 150 Anniversary

Celebrate Union Pacific’s 150 Anniversary with the Governor, Mayor and UP officials on Pioneer Day at The Gateway, beginning at noon.

Festivities include rides on UP’s mini train – UP 956. The small train, which runs on rubber tires was patterned after a 900-series passenger locomotive and consists of a locomotive, box car, coal car, gondola, tank car and a caboose. It was built in 1956.

In addition to the mini train, visitors will be able to enjoy a locomotive simulator and several performances until 4 p.m.

June 16 is Fort Douglas Day

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , June 13th, 2012 @ 1:00 am
Ft Douglas Day

Ft. Douglas Day

On Saturday, June 16, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. visitors are invited to make the short trip up to the eastern edge of the University of Utah to celebrate Ft. Douglas Day. (The area is accessed by Red Line TRAX Ft. Douglas Station.) This year marks the 150 anniversary celebration.

On Ft. Douglas Day, enthusiasts, historians and volunteers will come together at the fort’s parade grounds to celebrate.  There will be a Civil War encampment, displays of World War I and World War II equipment and vintage cannons will be fired throughout the day.

Ft. Douglas History

Ft. Douglas was founded in 1862, by Abraham Lincoln during the U.S. Civil War. The encampment was set up to keep a watchful eye on the Mormons settling the valley below. Until it was decommissioned in 1991, the fort served as a recruiting camp, training facility and even a prison camp for German and Italian soldiers.

Regular Museum Visits

If you can’t make it to the anniversary, consider visiting the museum at another time this summer. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday noon to 5 p.m. and is free to the public. The museum houses hundreds of military pieces dating back to the Civil War, but perhaps its most famous item is the boots warn by Saddam Huessein when he was captured.

You can also enjoy something of an online tour or learn just a touch about the ghosts at Ft. Douglas in this short video clip:

Travel Tips

  • Children under the age of six ride for free.
  • Try out the group pass—$14 for up to four riders to ride round-trip during regular service hours. The group pass is good on TRAX, bus and FrontRunner.
  • Before you cross railroad tracks or enter a TRAX or FrontRunner platform:
    • always watch for trains—look both ways
    • take off your head phones
    • put  your cell phone down—no texting or phone calls
    • hop off your bike or skate board
    • hold smaller children’s hands
    • walk across the tracks or onto the platform when it is safe
    • never cross between train cars—always walk around to a designated safe crossing
  • Always stand away from the yellow tactile strip when trains approach the platform.
  • Never walk or play on tracks or the rail corridor; even for short cuts.  It could be deadly and is trespassing, punishable by a $100 or greater fine.
  • Never go around a lowered gate or try to outrun a train.  Just wait for the train to pass, the gates to lift and lights to stop before crossing the track.
  • Never throw things at the train or place things on the track; you could get hurt or even derail the train.

Ten Kid Friendly Summer Activities Accessible on Transit

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , June 4th, 2012 @ 1:47 am
10 Fun Activities by Transit

Summer is heating up, school is letting and parents are wondering just how long it’s going to be before they hear, “I’m bored.” Fight that boredom with a summer full of fun, right in your backyard!

Today we’re sharing 10 great places that you and your kids can visit this summer via transit.

Summer Fun by Transit

Brigham Young University. If you’re in Utah County, Brigham Young University is a great place to experience a variety of fun summer experiences. Whether you’re stopping in at the Bean Life Science Museum or the University’s respected Museum of Art, there’s plenty to do and see. Don’t forget to stop in at The Creamery for their famous ice cream. The campus is served by a number of different bus routes.

Gardner Village. Travel to Gardner Village on Saturday morning for the farmer’s market, enjoy the shops or attend any of this summer’s fantastic events. The area is easily accessible via TRAX on the Redline. Travelers should exit at Historic Gardner Station.

Gateway. Though there are dozens of great offerings in the downtown area. There are few spaces with so many great activities for kids available all in relatively small space. Be sure to check out the Olympic Legacy Plaza splash pad, the incredible Discovery Gateway children’s museum and the Clark Planetarium. The Gateway is located near Salt Lake Central Station, a hub site for most bus lines, FrontRunner and TRAX.

Lagoon. What summer would be complete without at least one trip to Lagoon? Take FrontRunner to Farmington Station, where you will board Route 667 – the Lagoon shuttle. If you’re traveling in a group of four or more, remember to consider the round-trip group pass option.

The Leonardo. Enjoy a visit to The Leonardo, Salt Lake City’s art, science and technology museum. The space is host to continuing exhibits, as well as individual can’t miss events. Wednesday is an especially great day to go as all tickets are only $7. The Leonardo is within an easy one half

Salt Lake Bees. With tickets starting at $8 and a host of group options and package deals, a Salt Lake Bees game is an entertaining, inexpensive, quick ride away. Travel to Ballpark Station on 1300 South on any of the three TRAX lines.

Ogden’s Union Station. Not only does this fun location have large railroad vehicles that kids can oogle, climb on and otherwise enjoy, you can also visit the Utah Railroad Museum and a classic car museum. The best part? You can easily access all of this and the Union Grill via FrontRunner.

Utah Museum of Fine Arts. This summer is bound to be an exciting one up at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. They’re in the process of unveiling the Speed exhibit, showcasing 19 of the world’s fastest cars. Kids are gonna love this! Ride TRAX  Red Line to South Campus Station.

Water Parks. A couple of week’s ago we talked about free, local splash pads, but there are also a number of water parks available by transit. Check out Cowabunga Bay (Routes 201 & 811), Lagoon-A-Beach (Route 667)  Seven Peaks Salt Lake (Route 509), Seven Peaks Provo (Route 832) for more information, including pricing.

Wheeler Farm. What kid doesn’t love the bevy of fun summer activities hosted by Wheeler Farm? It’s the sort of place where there’s always SOMETHING going on. The location is easily accessible from Route 209.

Travel Tips

  • Children under the age of six ride free.
  • Try out the group pass—$14 for up to four riders to ride roundtrip during regular service hours. Good on TRAX, bus and FrontRunner.
  • Before you cross railroad tracks or enter a TRAX or FrontRunner platform:
    • always watch for trains—look both ways
    • take off your head phones
    • put  your cell phone down—no texting or phone calls
    • hop off your bike or skate board
    • hold smaller children’s hands
    • walk across the tracks or onto the platform when it is safe
    • never cross between train cars—always walk around to a designated safe crossing
  • Always stand away from the yellow tactile strip when trains approach the platform.
  • Never walk or play on tracks or the rail corridor; even for short cuts.  It could be deadly and is trespassing, punishable by a $100 or greater fine.
  • Never go around a lowered gate or try to outrun a train.  Just wait for the train to pass, the gates to lift and lights to stop before crossing the track.
  • Never throw things at the train or place things on the track; you could get hurt or even derail the train.

Animated Rail Safety Video for Kids

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , , May 16th, 2012 @ 1:59 pm
Rail Safety for Kids

As the weather warms up, children spend more and more time outside. Whether they are taking a trip to visit one of the area’s splash pads or just playing in the neighborhood, chances are they may be around active rail.

Though UTA has visited hundreds of classrooms along the Wasatch Front and there’s a good chance your child has received rail safety training, reviewing the rules and regulations is always a good idea.

There are lots of great educational tools available, including worksheets, games and videos.

Here’s a great animated video from L.A. Metro.

If you have any questions about Operation Lifesaver programming, contact Chad at csaley@rideuta.com

Splash Pads Accessible by Transit

Filed in Featured, Mom Aboard Tagged with , , , April 25th, 2012 @ 1:00 am
Gateway Splash Pad

The recent record breaking temperatures we’ve been experiencing have us thinking of ways to cool off. What better option than hoping on transit to visit a local splash pad or water park?

Here are four Salt Lake area splash pads accessible by transit:

City Creek Center – 50 South Main Street – is accessible by the Blue and Green TRAX lines, along with several bus routes.

The Engage Fountain (splash pad) is located in the Richard’s Court in front of Nordstrom near the much larger Transcend Fountain (map). The small fountain is perfect for kids – it shoots several columns of water up about five feet, where it blossoms into a jellyfish and drops to the ground.

City Creek is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed Sunday. Free.

The Gateway – 18 North Rio Grande Street – is accessible by the Blue and Green TRAX lines, along with several bus routes.

The Snowflake Fountain (splash pad) is located at the north end of The Gateway, in the Olympic Legacy Plaza, just west of the Union Pacific Building (map). This fountain shoots several dozen columns of water high in the sky. A fixed program runs on the half hour.

The Gateway is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Free.

Liberty Park – 600 East 900 South – is best accessed by bus routes 9 and 205,

The Seven Canyons Fountains are located in the middle of Liberty Park (map). This park is great for toddlers as it features trickling fountains and lazy running water.

The Seven Canyons is open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. though the area is closed for cleaning on Tuesdays until 3 p.m. Free.

Valley Fair Mall - 3601 South Constitution Blvd. – is best accessed by the Green Line.

The pop jet interactive fountain showcases 18 variable height spray nozzles, LED lights and loads of fun!

Valley Fair Mall is open daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Free.

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