Utahns could see non-UTA buses shuttling riders up the canyons next winter, a Utah Transit Authority spokesman said Wednesday, but only as an addition to the standard Ski Bus routes driven by UTA employees.

Worries around the future of Ski Bus service has become a perennial topic—as staffing shortages and tight transit funding grind against the goal of getting people out of their cars—and flared up again this week after UTA made it known to employees that they were exploring third-party contractors to ease the strain on canyon routes, as well as for special events like the Utah Air Show, bus bridges related to Trax maintenance and other periods of surge demand.

"What gets noticed is the Ski Bus," Carl Arky said. "I’m glad people like it that much."

Arky was adamant that any third-party agreement would exist on top of UTA's standard network. He gave the example of a holiday like President's Day, when UTA's bus frequencies don't necessarily adjust in response to an atypically high amount of weekday resort use. Third-party vehicles and drivers, Arky said, would operate only on an as-needed basis.

"We’re doing ski bus service next year, and in fact we’re trying to improve it," Arky said. "We’re putting out [requests for proposals] to vendors and contractors just to see what we could do to supplement what we’re doing."

On Monday, Josh Memea—a popular Ski Bus driver known as "Uncle Maui"—posted on social media that the ski routes were at risk of being eliminated and replaced by outside drivers. Saying that his canyon future was in jeopardy, Memea asked his followers to show their support by attending the next UTA Board of Trustees meeting on May 8.

"Every single one of my fellow operators and I are passionate about our ski routes and love love love what we do," Memea wrote. "Do not let them take it away!"

Arky said there were no such plans to diminish or eliminate Ski Bus routes, only to improve the rider experience. He also noted that it's rare for a transit agency of UTA's size to offer regular canyon services.

Where other cities might run a single shuttle vehicle to nearby recreational areas—dropping off in the morning and picking up in the afternoon—UTA is an outlier for integrating canyon routes into the broader transit network. And doing so, Arky said, places a strain on day-to-day transit services in the valley that riders depend on for work, school, doctors appointments or for visiting family and friends.

"We have proximity and we can do it, so we do it. But there’s nothing like this is Denver, there’s nothing like this in Reno, that I’m aware of, or Sacramento," Arky said. "We’re running buses up and down these canyons all day long, with rather frequent service. It does present some challenges."

Ski Bus service for 2024 concluded on April 14 and, at the time, UTA reported a ridership increase of 8% on Salt Lake County routes, compared to the same period the year before. Ridership on Ski Bus services overall—which includes routes outside Salt Lake County—increased by 4.3%.

“Our resort partners, operators, and UTA ambassadors worked hard this year to make Ski Bus service a valuable resource to thousands of guests and reduce congestion in the canyon for other drivers,” UTA regional general manager Andres Colman said in a prepared statement. “These numbers will help us plan for increased riders next year and continue to improve wait times, route efficiency, and a positive experience.”