A Utah Transit Authority bus leaves the system's 3500 South TRAX station in Salt Lake City. UTA has a new governance model with a seven-member commission and a full-time executive director. Photo courtesy Utah Transit Authority.
The way the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) runs its business at the top has changed. Effective July 1, the UTA began operating under a new governance structure established by the Utah Legislature during its 2025 general session. Under the new model, oversight for the Wasatch Front’s major transportation system shifted to a seven-member Transit Commission and a full-time executive director.
The legislation, Senate Bill 197, replaces UTA’s previous governance model of a full-time board of trustees and part-time local advisory council. Proponents of the change said during the legislative session that the new structure is intended to strengthen accountability, better coordinate transportation investments, increase ridership and support the agency's long-term growth.
The Transit Commission will serve as UTA’s governing body, overseeing responsibilities, including approval of the agency’s annual budget, adoption of its Long-Range Transit Plan and fiduciary oversight of regional transit investments, according to the new law. Executive Director Jay Fox will continue leading UTA’s daily operations, staff and strategic direction.
SB197 sponsors, Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, and Rep. Kay Christofferson, R-Lehi, said the legislation was formulated by research into governance models at other major transit agencies and by stakeholder input. According to the sponsors, the changes are designed to improve how local governments and riders engage with UTA and to increase organizational efficiency.
“This will position UTA to move forward and better serve growing Wasatch Front communities,” Harper said at the time the bill was passed. “Utah cannot build enough roads to meet its transportation needs. Transit must be reliable, timely and responsive to every area UTA serves.”
The commission’s seven members are Mike Caldwell, Jeff Silvestrini and Muriel Xochimitl, nominated by local government councils and appointed by Gov. Spencer Cox; Chris Gambroulas and Sheldon Killpack, appointed by the Senate president; and Beth Holbrook and Jeff Acerson, appointed by the speaker of the House.
The legislation also establishes a dedicated state funding mechanism for transit. Beginning in fiscal year 2029, 5 percent of incremental state sales tax growth above a fiscal year 2028 baseline will be directed to the Transit Transportation Investment Fund (TTIF), which is dedicated exclusively to transit. State projections estimate TTIF revenues will grow from $109.2 million in 2028 to nearly $200 million by 2035 without increasing taxes or redirecting existing funding.
“I’m grateful to the state for its vote of confidence in UTA’s continued success and its commitment to a dedicated funding vision,” Fox said. “This begins an era of greater coordination and unity between transportation agencies and communities to prepare for Utah’s future growth, founded on the daily commitment of our employees to continuously improving our service.”
The new governance model is based on the framework used by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and is intended to better align UTA with the state’s long-term transportation priorities, including planning for the 2034 Winter Olympics. During the commission’s first year, UDOT’s executive director will serve as a nonvoting, ex officio member to help coordinate statewide transportation planning during the transition.
Fox also recognized the contributions of UTA’s outgoing board of trustees.
“The trustees’ efforts have prepared UTA well to meet Utah’s growth,” Fox said. “Over their tenure, the board also navigated the agency through COVID-19 ridership recovery, the opening of new bus rapid transit lines and sustained gains in public trust.”
In a statement, UTA noted its recognition as the American Public Transportation Association’s 2025 Outstanding Public Transportation System as evidence of the agency’s recent performance. The agency said day-to-day operations, including bus, TRAX, Streetcar, FrontRunner, Paratransit, UTA On Demand and Vanpool services, will continue without interruption under the new governance structure.
