Customer Feature: Easy Rider Larry Pelzel

February 22, 2018

At DCTA, we let our customers do the talking! One of our loyal Easy Riders, Larry Pelzel, couldn’t think of a better way to get to work than our A-train, which he rides every week from Denton to Dallas. Larry was kind enough to share some of his favorite things about riding DCTA!

 

Q: How do you use your commute time (working, reading, relaxing, etc.)?

My one-hour commute to and from work actually has made me much more productive. I stay up-to-date on emails, check my schedule for the day and prepare for any meetings I have, lay out the priorities of the day, listen to the radio (sports talk), and sometimes just visit with my commuter friends.

 

Q: Would you recommend other business commuters use public transit? If so, what would you tell them?

Yes, I certainly would and do recommend the DCTA A-train if possible. I gave myself about a +$4,000 year raise with the money I save on gas, wear and tear on my vehicles, monthly parking fees; not to mention no stress and a peace of mind.

 

Q: Why did you decide to start using public transit for your commute?

As the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) increased work on I-35E, they squeezed the travel lanes down to where there were no shoulders on either side of the road. Almost every morning or night there was an accident, it would take as much as two hours to unwind. At my wits end, I tried the A-train. At first, I only took it about once every two weeks or so. One morning in December 2014, I was on my way to work and was involved in a five-car accident. This wreck totaled my car that was less than one year old. Thankfully, no one was injured. From that point on, I have been a loyal DCTA rider.

 

Q: Does your company offer any public transit benefits? If so, do you take advantage of them? If not, what kind of benefit would you most want to see them offer?

My company offers a reduced pass on public transportation. But, when I started using the A-train, there were not any passes available. That is when I connected with my “Easy Riders” group. My work and the Easy Riders saving are very comparable. I pay $960.00 for my annual commuter pass, which gives me total access to DCTA, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Trinity Railway Express (TRE) and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA).

 

Q: For you personally, what is the greatest benefit of commuting on transit?

I am much more efficient. I only drive six miles to and from the A-train station compared to 84 miles when I commuted by car. I am a happier person with no stress or worries during my commute. It only takes about 35 to 40 minutes for me to drive to the office now that the work between Denton and Dallas I-35E is pretty much complete. I drive in a couple of times a month because of out of office commitments. But every time I do, I am reminded riding DCTA is much more consistent, safe, more economical, and just better for me. I feel very lucky we have this alternative.

 

These are just a few of the reasons that we love to provide services to our customers. Larry is clearly excited about riding DCTA and we know you are too! If you have any favorites or have had a positive experience riding our system that you’d like to share with others, please comment below! We love to hear from our riders.

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