All Aboard!

1 comment for this page [ View ]

Curious flock to free rides as FrontRunner starts weekday service

LAYTON -- The first Monday morning commute for FrontRunner proved to be a success -- an overwhelming success.

Commuters took advantage of free fares, and FrontRunner stations from Ogden to Salt Lake City remained packed throughout the day.

Utah Transit Authority officials estimated more than 5,000 people had passed through the Salt Lake City hub alone. That was before noon.

"And that number doesn't even factor in the people that got off on all the previous stops," said UTA spokeswoman Carrie Bohnsack-Ware. "We are very happy with the interest people have been showing so far."

Before FrontRunner's maiden voyage on Saturday, UTA officials estimated a daily ridership of about 5,900.

So far, the commuter rail has easily surpassed those expectations, but officials said once the free rides stop Thursday, the numbers will fall closer to the initial estimate.

"The numbers we are really going to look at start on Thursday," Bohnsack-Ware said. "We think, once the free fares are over, we will see numbers a lot closer to what we projected."

At least one local business is hoping so.

Brad Wilson, president and CEO of Destination Homes, works in an office building directly across from the Layton FrontRunner station. He said he was shocked when he saw the parking lot Monday.

"When I got here this morning at 8:30, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe the amount of cars over there."

Wilson said as parking began to fill up at the Layton station, FrontRunner customers began using his lot.

"I suspect once the free rides are over, it won't be an issue," he said. "But we've talked to UTA, and they've said they would accommodate us if it becomes a problem."

UTA said the free fares give everyone a chance to take a trial run on the rail, and expect station facilitieswill be adequate on regular days.

"We are still waiting to see exactly how things play out," Bohnsack-Ware said. "But we have contingency plans in place to build bigger lots if they do fill up."

Roberta Beverly, executive director of Union Station, which is only 100 feet south of the Ogden FrontRunner stop, said parking at her place of business has been hard to come by since the train began running Saturday.

"One of the problems we've had is people thinking the actual stop is here at the Union Station," she said. "But it's actually just north of us."

The temporary inconveniences will be worth it if FrontRunner brings more customers to Union Station, Beverly said.

"It's good because it brings a lot of people down to our part of town. I think, in the long run, it will be great for this area."

Wilson said he, too, is glad to see people riding the train.

"I think it's great for revitalization. It should spark a lot of development."

With the abundance of rail riders, some FrontRunner and TRAX connecting rides have been slightly off schedule.

"We are still working some kinks out," Bohnsack-Ware said. "We haven't had any major delays yet, but we are still perfecting things and hope to have all the details ironed soon."

Regular fares will begin Thursday. A one-way FrontRunner ticket is $2.50. Each additional stop after that is 50 cents. A monthly pass is $145.

Comments

Add a comment...

Name:
Comment:
Security Code:	Type the characters to the left in the box exactly as they appear.
Your IP:	38.103.63.16 This address is recorded for security purposes.