UTA needs to do something about better coordinating TRAX trains to the signals downtown. I noticed the other day that it took almost 10 minutes to get from the Gallivan Plaza to Courthouse, because we spent so much time stopped at red lights. This got me thinking and I timed the TRAX portion of my commute (from Central Station to Murray N.) to see how much time we actually spent stopped at lights and stations. It turns out that the train spends more time sitting at lights and stopped at stations that it actually spends moving.
Here's my suggestion. Find some way to give the trains signal priority so that whenever there is a train at an intesection, it gets to go nomatter what. It seems that TRAX is simply timed so that if it is running on schedule, it will get through on green lights. Seriously though, when is the last time TRAX wasn't running a few minutes behind?
Never.
It's nice that they've started holding the N.Bound FrontRunner trains for the perpetually late TRAX, but there's something about pulling into S.L. Central 5 minutes behind schedule and being screamed at by attendants to run as fast as I can across the plaza to board FrontRunner that is leaving NOW! that makes me wish I'd just driven that day and saved myself the hassle.
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