SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Transit Authority's FrontRunner train system turns 15 years old next week.
The network has served as a transportation option for Utahns since April 26, 2008.
“I use the FrontRunner so I can go to Provo and visit my grandchildren," said FrontRunner passenger Martha Barnard.
The railway extends for 83 miles, connecting commuters with family, getting them to work, and giving them opportunities to explore the state.
“We love the FrontRunner," said passenger Georgia Buchert. "We love to come up for concerts and sometimes we hop on and go to Ogden for pizza.”
At age 22, Shar Mackert is the youngest FrontRunner engineer on the UTA team.
She has a big responsibility in getting up to 600 passengers at one time to and from where they need to go safely.
“Every engineer, every second of the day is on some form of alert, especially when you're operating because we fly 79 miles down the alignment and you have to constantly be looking out for the track close to you as well as far in advance," said Mackert.
After hundreds of hours of required training, she knows the ins and outs of every signal, sound and piece of equipment.
“The weight distribution affects the way you operate," said Mackert, "You have to really be aware of a lot of really small details that normally people don't think about.”
Operators like Mackert drive two to three full four-hour trips each day, dropping off and picking up passengers at one of 16 locations, from Provo all the way up to Ogden.
"I love waving to people," said Mackert, "It's like being part of all these different communities even if I don't live there, which is really, really cool."
Mackert said she loves hearing the reactions of first-timers.
“We definitely get a lot of new riders too as well. Just kind of riding for fun," said Mackert.
On Friday, classmates with the Bridges Transition Center were on a field trip riding the FrontRunner as a way of experiencing public transportation.
“We’re learning how to ride trains," said Terry Crow Jr., a student there.
His classmate Logan chimed in, saying, "It was an awesome experience."
Mackert said the 15th anniversary is a great chance to reflect on what the FrontRunner experience has brought to Utah, and how it will expand future transportation.
“It's so pivotal and it is such a new thing still, like, it's only been here for a decade and a half," said Mackert, "And I feel like people are still discovering that it's even a thing.”
