Metro now ready to take on serious commuters

The opening weekend of light rail in the Valley was mostly given over to spectators - the politicians, journalists and locals who were just plain curious.

But today, the first working day for many since the Metro went public, the rail line is expected to be handed over to the serious riders, the ones who will board it to reach their crosstown jobs and destinations.

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For people like John Tynan, a Tempe Web developer, it means he and his wife can finally ditch one of their cars.

In fact, the couple's transportation options were recently crippled when one of their two cars made a catastrophic trip to a repair shop. Instead of buying a new car, they tried to figure out how they could manage life in the Valley with just one vehicle.

The opening of light rail, Tynan said, provided a solid push toward alternative transportation. "It got us thinking that we could really become a one-car family."

For them, it was an easy choice. One of the Metro stations is less than a mile from their house. Another in downtown Phoenix is just two blocks away from where Tynan will be starting a new job in mid-January.

"It's pretty much door to door," he said.

Metro officials are trying to assure commuters that they can also make light rail a part of their lives, even if they live much farther away from the single, 20-mile line.

On Sunday, Metro spokeswoman Hillary Foose stood on the platform of one of the stations, answering rider questions and frequently pointing them to the "Trip Planner" on www.valleymetro.org.

The feature lets riders type in their starting address and destination, and in return, it gives them detailed directions on how to use buses and/or their own feet to meet up with the rail line.

While it's too early to tell how many riders will use light rail to get to work, Foose said Metro officials expect some 26,000 of all stripes will use it daily.

Because of the holidays, Foose said officials don't expect the system to be too crowded with commuters just yet. "We're ramping up for those first few weeks of January when people start to get back to work," she said. "It will kind of be interesting to see how we evolve."

For Phoenix photographer Tyson Crosbie, the commute will begin almost immediately.

Crosbie is shooting an artistic project in downtown Tempe, which he estimates will take him another two months or so to complete.

Previously, Crosbie would have had to find parking in Tempe, pay for it, and worry about his car while he was away. Now, he plans to leave his car at home as he heads to the East Valley.

"Parking's a huge thing," Crosbie said. "I have enough to worry about."

Financially, Crosbie estimates his costs will not differ much overall. Particularly with gas prices dropping, Metro fares will be about even with his monthly fuel costs, he said.

Still others see cost as one of the biggest advantages light rail has over their old automobiles.

J.J. Halchishick, his wife and infant son were among the first members of the public to ride the Metro, thanks to Friday morning's preview. But the Gilbert man anticipated many train trips to follow.

Halchishick works at a Phoenix paint store along the rail line on Camelback Road, and he now expects to commute. In recent months, when the price of gas was at his highest, Halchishick calculated the potential monthly savings of taking the Metro to be hundreds of dollars.

"I'm filling up my tank two, three times a week," Halchishick said.

Businesses along the Metro route, many of which were pinched by its construction, are also hoping for a boost by commuters and plan to try to entice some of the first riders early this morning with treats.

At the Dorsey/Apache Boulevard Station in Tempe, for instance, nearby Cafe Istanbul has announced plans to hand out pastries and coffee to riders this morning. Watson Flowers, also nearby, plans to hand out free carnations to 100 morning commuters.

Metro rides will continue to be free through New Year's Eve.