Pros and Cons of Public Transportation in Utah

Recently I went to Salt Lake City on two different days in the same week. I almost always drive when I go to Salt Lake, but one day, I took the train (Frontrunner) and Trax (light rail). I had never done it before so it was enlightening.

I love to analyze the most efficient way to do something so here are my conclusions:

1. Public transportation takes longer. Maybe someday this won't be true but the traffic here is not bad enough yet, that it's faster to take the train. Taking Frontrunner takes about 2x as long as it does driving with no traffic--if everything goes smoothly. One way took 1.5 hours.

Driving in the car took 50 minutes with minimal traffic at midday. Unfortunately the traffic was much heavier on my way home (and there's construction) and it took me about 15 minutes longer. But it was still shorter than the 1.5 hours on public transportation.

2. It is definitely more pleasant to travel on the train than drive in the car. I especially hated driving home when the traffic was bad. When I took the train and Trax, I was able to read fairly peacefully. When I took the bus, I didn't read because I was concerned with getting off at the right stop. As it happened, I still got off one stop too soon. Rookie mistake.

3. Parking isn't a problem in SLC yet. I actually took the train thinking I would have a hard time finding a place to park near my destination. I was wrong. The parking was right next door and at a very reasonable price--$5 for the day.

4. Driving your own car is only slightly more expensive. Taking the train cost me $11 roundtrip. My little car gets about 30 mpg and my destination was about 90 miles round-trip. With gas close to $2 a gallon, this is about $7 in gas. Parking would have made it $12 plus the wear and tear on the car (and driver).

5. Frontrunner is a nice option for getting someone to the airport. Recently my son took the train to the airport and that worked well. The timing didn't work out very well for his return trip (he just barely missed the train and would have had to wait another hour--so we ended up picking him up.)

Bottom-line: For me, time away from home is critical so I will drive unless it is absolutely necessary not to. For someone who has to make that daily commute and doesn't have to transfer, I could see the train being the more desirable way to travel.

Comments

Our Cousin Drew

This last week, my brother and his wife lost a very precious son, just 13 years old. He collapsed while running with a cross-country team and passed away before he could be revived. Everyone that knew Drew is broken-hearted at this loss. He was the happiest, most agreeable kid we knew. I remember him being at my house without anyone close to his age to hang out with, so he found our Duplo blocks and started building even though it is a toy that boys his age don't usually enjoy. He was so content. He didn't complain that I ever remember. His mother always called him the perfect child. He will leave a big hole in not only his immediate family but our extended family as well. Here is a poem my aunt shared that seems fitting: Leave Taking How I would have liked to wave goodbye and watch until you turned and smiled and disappeared on the horizon. You who taught me to dance and let me teach you, who laughed at my stories and winked at me when I was sad. I can just see you trav

Remembering Drew

This weekend we celebrated Drew's life. On Thursday night, we gathered as an extended family and had a dinner then sat in a big circle and talked about our memories of him. I took some notes and here is what people said. Grandpa (Gary Hansen): The last time we saw Drew was last week on the 4th. I remember all the cousins on the trampoline, bouncing up and down and playing basketball. Grandma (Susan Hansen): I asked Drew to come over last winter to teach my Activity Day boys how to make origami stars. He was very patient in working with them even though they were pretty clueless. Eventually they all went home happily with their stars. Paula: This last winter we invited Bruce and Michelle over for dinner and we didn't have anyone his age for him to hang out with. I remember that Drew found the Duplo blocks on his own and played with them all by himself, quite cheerfully entertaining himself. I asked him if he wanted to play with a different toy--maybe something more sophistica

Drew's Funeral

Yesterday was the viewing for Drew and then today was the funeral. There were a LOT of people at the viewing. Bruce and Michelle greeted people for almost four hours yesterday and then again this morning before the funeral. Bruce said that if weren't for Drew's death, it would be the best week of his life with so much love being shown to them. Friday actually began with a family run in Drew's honor. We started at a church by the new Lindon temple and ran to Bruce and Michelle's house with breakfast following. Friday night was the viewing. There was a very nice display of all things Drew. This was one of the pictures displayed and I recognized someone I know: We stood in line and the paramedics who worked on Drew stood in line behind us so we got to talk to them. Here's a fun fact: They cover both Orem and Vineyard but Vineyard gets a lot more 911 calls than Orem per capita. It's a younger population and they are quicker to call. They said it's hard when the

Search This Blog