38 - Ceres Magazine - Oct/Nov 2015
Ceres: What’s your commute like? How long does it take?
Felix: My commute is about two hours each way. I start around 5:00am. I walk to the Covina Station where I catch train 303 at 5:23am. It arrives at Union Station at 6:05am. I take train 682 at 6:45am to Buena Park, arriving at 7:12am. Then, I carpool with a co-worker to my workplace. In the evening, I get on train 689 at 5:46pm in Buena Park to Union Station, arriving at 6:20pm, and connecting with train 328 at 6:30pm, finally arriving at 7:05pm in Covina.
Ceres: Why did you choose to commute instead of driving or moving closer to your workplace?
Felix: I enjoy living in Covina. I grew up in that general area. The reason I commute is because, first I had a car accident, second, it takes me less time to get home than if I drive, and I'm stress-free. When I ride the train, I’m relaxed, comfortable. I’m meeting great people, and enjoying my trip to work or home.
Ceres: What do you like and dislike about commuting?
Felix: I like that I get to have some “me” time in the morning. If you notice, people tend to get grouchy and grumpy by the time they get to work. Often, it’s because they haven't had their morning coffee, they're not prepared for their day because they only have been driving. When I ride the train, I can have my cup of coffee, read my newspaper, and prepare my day. So, by the time I get to work, I’m ready to work. The only thing I dislike about commuting is when trains are way late, but that's something I don't have control over.
Ceres: If you could change something about your commute, what would it be, and why?
Felix: They need to improve their schedule.
Ceres: Like in more trains?
Felix: Like in lateness. If the train is scheduled at 5 o’clock, be there at 5 o’clock, don't be 30 minutes late due to something that happened.
Ceres: But it's a train, and things do happen such as accidents with pedestrians, cars stuck on the tracks, mechanical issues.
Felix: That’s understandable, but if there was a way to improve that.
Ceres: Well Metrolink has come up with a couple of devices such Positive Train Control (PTC), Grade Crossing Safety among other things, which we will look at in this magazine,
The jokester
Occasional Commuter!
Felix Cruz lives in Covina. He used to drive to work, but after an accident, he started using public transportation again to get to Cerritos where he works at Big Five Electronics.
"When I ride the train, I’m relaxed, comfortable. I’m meeting great people, and enjoying my trip to work or home."
Photos by Lands of Void
78 - Ceres Magazine - Winter 2016