Did you know that UTA is offering rides on all its buses, trains, ski transport and FrontRunner lines for the month of February for free?! The intended purpose is to remove cost as a barrier to riding transit in order to improve air quality as car exhaust particles are the number one cause of the bad air quality Utahns hate.
Here are a few helpful hints to take advantage of the free fair month:
• Know what routes are nearby: Start by paying attention to buses or stations that are close to places you frequent. Chances are there is a route closer than you think.
• Visit www.RideUTA.com: Here you can see schedules, search by locations, route numbers or types of transit. They also have a trip planning app.
• Decide how you are getting to the station/stop: You might want to walk to the stop close to your home or work. You could choose a scooter or a bike. All buses are equipped with two bike racks on the front that are easy to use and secure. Larger buses like UVX, and the streetcar and FrontRunner trains all have bike spaces as well. You may choose to drive to the FrontRunner station and park there. That still reduces emissions.
• Recognize when transit is not the best option. The system may not go where you need it. You may not be able to carry back everything you get from a store. It could take substantially longer for you to get somewhere because of transfers or distance. But, remember that just because transit is not a good choice for one trip does not mean it is a bad choice for other trips.
Recently I experimented to see how I would take the bus to work. I picked a day I did not have to be there at a specific time, as I was not sure how long the trip would take me. When I missed the bus by a few seconds I thought my experiment would be doomed. A posted number allowed me to text so I could find when the next one was coming: just over 15 minutes. I used the waiting time reading for work and kept on reading once I boarded.
My trip required a connection, which went seamlessly. The drivers were friendly and helpful when I asked them for help with where to get the next bus. Coming home I waited seven minutes for the bus, made another smooth transfer and had a lovely chat with the bus driver on my last segment of the trip.
My usual commute is about 25 minutes driving one way, or 50 minutes roundtrip. The bus took about 30 minutes, or 60 minutes round trip. I needed about five minutes to get to and from the stops. My total wait time when I missed the bus and when I was returning was about 25 minutes. That means my round trip via transit was one hour and 45 minutes.
On paper it seems like driving is the much better option. However, in that time I also got 20 minutes of exercise I would not have otherwise had. The best way to stay active is to build movement into your daily routines. That’s why places that are more walkable are also healthier.
I also used the wait time and the driving time to read. I used about 50 minutes to do work-related reading (the same amount of time I would have spent in the car). Alternatively, I could have used that time to respond to emails or catch up with someone on my phone. It was much more productive time than when I drive.
One final thought: For young kids transit is not about getting to the destination. Watching a young person on transit as they take in new (and to them, exciting) experiences is worth the time the ride will take. What better way to learn the system than to take advantage of Free Fare February and take your kids on transit.
I’ll be riding again and hope to see you too on a UTA line in February and beyond.
Laura Redford teaches U.S. history and city planning as an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University.
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/Y4GKvWD
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