Maybe it’s self delusion, but I fancy myself a get-along kind of guy. I avoid serious confrontation, I frequently defer to the wishes others and I can generally foster some sort of amicable relationship with people who have zero redeeming qualities whatsoever. I say “nice guy,” you say “doormat.” Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.

However, there are two sitautions in which my values of patience, forgiveness and good will towards men are thrown out the front door and into the middle of the street. The first: Dallas Mavericks playoff games. I make no excuses or apologies for my behavior during Mavs games (except to my wife), and I admit fully that I can and have become unruly, obnoxious or what some people might term a “jackass” while shouting at the television.

The second such situation involved me getting into my car twice every weekday at 7:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to join the ten’s of thousands of other drivers on Austin’s beautiful highways and byways for our commute to and from downtown. During this commute I transformed into a character from a Tarantino film; full of vitriol, spouting expletives and of course the ubiquitous extending of the middle finger. It was a daily hell to which I had grown accustomed, for it was the only way I’d ever known. But then…one glorious day, with the voice of an angel, Jessica Vess, reporter from KVUE News, announced that the long-awaited Austin MetroRail would begin service on March 22nd. And I was saved. No more stop-and-go, tailgating, lane-changing madness. Just a smooth 33-minutes each way with my iPod.

I started taking the train to work on March 30th, and I’ve done so nearly every day since. Here’s a brief review of my experience so far.

Punctuality: Only once has the train been late on my watch. I’ve heard stories here and there about delays and such, but in my experience the trains are usually on time to the half-minute

Comfort: Plenty of leg and elbow room. The seats could be softer, but they’re what you’d expect on a train. It can get a little chilly if the sun’s not out.

Cost: $70/month for unlimited train and/or bus rides. More than pays for itself in saved gas, tolls, etc.

It’s  hard to overstate the value that taking the train has had for me. Beyond the monetary savins, I’ve been spared two hours of stress every day and replaced them with a couple of hours of music, reading and relaxation. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested.

Capital Metro Rail Info