Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Some of UTA's 'On Demand' vans have out-of-state plates due to sourcing methods.
- The vans are procured by Via Transportation, a global vendor.
- UTA aims to register them with Utah plates within 60 days.
SALT LAKE CITY – I've received emails from KSL viewers who said they've spotted Utah Transit Authority rideshare vans with license plates from outside of Utah.
"I've seen many registered in other states," one such email said. "How ridiculous is that?"
I started paying attention and, sure enough, I spotted a UTA van right in front of KSL's Broadcast House with a Missouri plate. My producer spotted another van in Salt Lake's Rose Park neighborhood with a Missouri plate.
Another viewer sent me snaps of UTA vans with California and Colorado license plates.
"I just think it's very two-sided for the state to expect citizens to follow the rules yet they have UTA vans driving around on Utah roads with some of them registered in other states," that viewer wrote.
"We are always working to get every van, and every vehicle Utah plates as soon as possible," UTA spokesperson Gavin Gustafson said, who assured me it's nothing sinister.
The vans are part of an expanding UTA service called 'UTA On Demand.' It's kind of like a rideshare, in that they'll come to you when you hail them. But it's also kind of like a bus in that you may end up sharing the van with other riders.
And it's cheap: $2.50 per ride. Not only is the program popular, but it's also expanding, according to Gustafson.
"We work with an external vendor called Via Transportation. They're a massive global organization that does this for a lot of transit organizations— this on-demand service," he explained. "And they source a lot of their vehicles for us from all kinds of different sources, often times rental fleets and things like that."
So high is the demand, Gustafson said, that when the vans get to Utah, UTA gets them on the road as soon as possible while waiting for the Utah plates to come in.
"They're on our 'as soon as possible' list," he said.
According to Utah law, when a vehicle moves to Utah from out of state, it can be driven on Utah roads for up to 60 days before it's required to have a Utah license plate.
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