Rider Scott Allen’s decision to ride UTA comes down to some simple math. The law school student’s commute allows him to complete more than two dozen pages of reading while he travels from Cottonwood Heights to Brigham Young University.

“Typically, I can finish about 25 pages of reading during the average 42 minutes I spend riding from South Jordan [Station] to Provo and back six times per week,” Allen said. “As the miles roll by, I read, highlight, and prep for class. These 40 or so focused, uninterrupted minutes are the most productive of my day.”

The train acts like a kind of traveling office for Scott, helping him get some valuable studying done before he arrives in Provo. Each day he grabs a seat at one of the tables and reads, completes writing assignments or studies for his national security law classes. Completing coursework on the train allows Scott to focus on more important matters at home, like spending time with his wife and four-month-old baby.

Scott said he started riding as a University of Utah undergrad. Now, he and his wife are a one-car family, and as his wife drives from Cottonwood Heights north to her job downtown, Scott rides FrontRunner south to Provo, then catches route 830 bus to campus. Scott said his UTA commute helps him balance the demands of his law school workload with family life.

“I’m not sure if I could keep up without my UTA commute,” he said.