Photo by Andrew Brown ’18 | The Light Rail stops at Central and Campbell everyday April 4th. Brophy students use the Light Rail as a form of transportation to and from school.

By Andrew Jordan ’18
THE ROUNDUP

Seven years ago, my parents decided to let my brother Christopher go to Brophy on one condition; he had to take the Light Rail.

Neither of my parents had the ability to go to and from Brophy every day to drop him off or pick him up. So he took the train every day for the four years he went to Brophy.

About four years later, my parents told me the same thing: In order for it to be possible to attend Brophy, I had to take the Light Rail. Although I agreed reluctantly at first, it was probably the best decision I made in recent memory.

For residents of the City of Tempe, the train is even more attractive. People ages 18 and under are eligible for a pass which allows them to ride the Light Rail an unlimited amount for free.

This makes students traveling within or out of Tempe easy and cheap.

The very first thing that I noticed about the Light Rail was how many students from Central High School used it every morning. About 75 on average are usually on my train alone.

As the train travels through Central Phoenix, the car very quickly goes from almost empty, to being jam packed.

The Light Rail gives many people, such as these students, an option for transportation that they didn’t have before.

This opportunity is utilized by Brophy students as well. I have noticed three or four of the same students on my train for the last three years.

During my freshman year, I spent the 38-minute ride to and from school doing homework and other school work. If I had a test, I was able to spend a good amount of time reviewing for it right before school started, which helped me immensely.

With the implementation of free wifi on all trains by the beginning of 2018, it will only make the Light Rail more useful for students traveling long distances.

The biggest factor, the one parents care about the most, is the monetary aspect of the Light Rail. I live roughly 13 miles away from campus. That means I have traveled over 4,500 miles in total on the Light Rail.

My family has saved an estimated $1,200 in gas and roughly 9,000 miles put on a car because my parents would need to make two trips a day.

With my rides being free, there are few to no expenses.

It also gave me a sense of freedom and independence since I was able to decide when I wanted to go home after school, as I was able to set my own schedule.

Overall, the Light Rail gave me and many others the opportunity to attend this school. It’ll forever have a special place in my heart as something that I experienced every day.