With UTA as his primary way to get around and working for UTA for the last 18 years, Alex truly lives and breathes UTA.

Background

From Salt Lake City, Alex has always called Utah home. About 18 years ago, Alex began working for UTA in the Special Service Paratransit Division. Beginning as a Paratransit scheduler, Alex is now a Customer Care Administrator. “I remember my early days at UTA. My kids were babies, now they’re 20 and 22.” Not only does Alex work for UTA’s Paratransit department but he has also been riding Paratransit for 26 years.

Alex was born with cerebral palsy and has degenerative disc disease, which has gradually gotten worse over the years. These two conditions haven’t stopped him from being independent and living life on his own terms. Paratransit has been instrumental in helping Alex get to this point.

How long have you been riding?

“I’ve been riding Paratransit since ‘96. I call UTA up and they have my address and they pick me up from my home. I don’t need to call in my trips anymore, only when I have a change. Most of our Paratransit riders are subscription riders — 70% actually.  I use it to go to church on Sundays, to go to the movies once a week, I use it for everything.”

Alex talked about how he and his family have cars, but they’re not accessible for all his needs. “UTA, and Paratransit in particular, gives me an opportunity to be a productive member of society.”

“I’ve built up good relationships with the operators. I know I wouldn’t be able to get around if it weren’t for them. Even on my lunch break, I go hang out in the train room with the operators because I’m such good friends with them. They’re always inviting me to hang out with them.”

Why do you ride?

“I ride because it allows me my independence. I don’t like to ask anybody for anything. I want to be able to do things by myself, it provides me that independence that I otherwise wouldn’t have.” Alex talked about how riding Paratransit provides him with an aspect of safety in his daily routine.

“When I was 13, my mom gave me a bus pass and said, ‘good luck.’ I traveled trained myself. I used every mode that we have. I’m grateful for Paratransit. I don’t have to worry about anyone bugging me in public, but when you’re disabled, that’s what happens. People treat me differently because I’m disabled. I used to use a cane, then a walker, and then a power chair, and through all of that, I felt ignored. Even on the FrontRunner, people would sit in the spots that I needed. Paratransit is my savior.”

Do you have any rider tips?

“Always schedule your Paratransit rides ahead of time. Remember that it is a shared service and we’re trying to get everyone there as quick and as safe as we can. The UTA system in general is one the best. I’ve been other places and used their modes of transportation and we really try to make sure everything is safe and accessible for the disabled community.”

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.

Are you interested in using our services like Alex? Visit Paratransit Services to learn more. Featured in the image above is paratransit operator Antoinette Jackson.