Maitland Commuters Hopeful SunRail Will Ease Their Dependency on Driving and I-4
Thursday, May 1, 2014
By: Carmel Delshad

May 1, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - As SunRail begins its service this week, commuters are lining up to try out Central Florida's new train line.

The Maitland SunRail Station steadily filled up with cars and commuters throughout the morning on opening day. Parents waited with their children on the Southbound track, and commuters readied their MP3 players for the journey.

SunRail was created primarily for commuters as a way to get them to and from work in a timely manner, without the rush-hour traffic on I-4. That’s one of the main reasons that kept Chris Swanson waiting patiently for the train in the early morning heat.

The Maitland resident travels daily to downtown Orlando for work, and he says he's excited for an alternative to driving.

“I’m really excited to be able to get on the train and relax instead of having to sit in all the traffic in I-4," Swanson says. "The station in downtown is only 3 blocks away from my office so it works out well.”

Across the tracks, Casselberry resident Ted Weeks and his son waited for the Northbound train to arrive.

Weeks says he’s hoping the train will be less expensive than driving.

“I’d love to be able to do less driving. I can’t afford to drive on the roads as much with the price of gas," says Weeks.

SunRail will offer free service for the next two weeks at all stations, and will begin paid service May 19.