Nicky, our July Rider of the Month, was nominated by UTA Facilities Development Strategist Clint Campbell. Clint already knew Nicky through friends but discovered their shared passion for bikes and transit during a random encounter on FrontRunner.
Nicky is a Minneapolis transplant and was drawn to Utah for work but stays for the community. About a year and a half ago, they moved to Salt Lake City to work in Orem, with just some stuff and their bike. That’s right: no car. In fact, Nicky has never owned a car!
Knowing that they’d have to commute, Nicky chose an apartment close to UTA’s Salt Lake Central Station. There they begin their regular commute to Orem Central Station and then bike a few miles to the office.
Being carless, Nicky has used transit and bike as their primary modes of transportation in other states they’ve lived in, like California, Oregon, and Minnesota. They say UTA provides some of the best public transit they’ve ever experienced. “FrontRunner really is a gem for the state. It connects communities in ways I haven’t seen in other places I’ve lived.”
How long have you been riding?
“Ever since I moved here, about a year and a half ago. I primarily use it for commuting, though I wish I could do Sunday adventure rides to go bike around Provo.”
Why do you ride?
“I live a car-less life. I could afford it now, but I choose not to. Choosing to take transit over a car is great for the environment and saving money. My favorite part about taking transit is meeting other people, and the train hosts are my homies and are super friendly.”
“In the morning I get work done. On the return trip, I talk with Paul — a friend I met while taking FrontRunner. We chat the whole way back. I also had another train buddy, Bruce, but he recently retired.”
Do you have any rider tips?
“I cannot recommend the Transit app enough, even as someone who has been doing it for ten years.” Nicky especially appreciates the Transit Go feature, which tells riders when their stop is approaching and also enjoys the competitive leaderboard: “I made it to the top three!”
To riders who are new or afraid, they suggest, “Be okay with getting lost. Be comfortable with getting a little confused. And take a test run.”
Finally, enjoy the social experience of transit. “I love it when people can tell ‘I know.’ People usually want to help. It might be reason to strike up a fun conversation.”
Learn More
To learn more about how to enjoy using UTA, visit How to Ride. To nominate someone for a future Rider of the Month award, please email us at getsocial@rideuta.com.