Christina Blomquist Bezzant
Intro:
Christina Blomquist Bezzant was nominated by FrontRunner Operations Supervisor Joy Carpenter to be July’s FrontRunner Rider of the Month. Christina, who lives in Pleasant Grove and is originally from Finland, loves her time riding UTA.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Christina at the American Fork Station. She inquired about the health of her favorite train host who was undergoing surgery. She was genuinely worried about his recovery. We continued our conversation about many hosts that she had gotten to know over the years. She recanted countless stories about all the newfound friendships that she had created over the years,” Joy said. Joy truly believes that Christina is the epitome of the perfect rider: friendly, kind, and courteous.
Christina was born and raised on the west coast of Finland in Jacob City. After she graduated from junior college, she moved to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah at the age of 22. She currently works at the University of Utah Hospital as a Materials Management Coordinator.
Christina loves helping nurse managers secure medical supplies, managing the supply chain, and finding new products. Her ability to speak English, Finnish, and Swedish has helped her in her work. In 1999, she got married and moved to Pleasant Grove. Recently, her husband retired from his profession as a dermatologist and Christina plans to follow him into retirement shortly.
1 – How long have you been riding?
Christina has been riding on UTA buses and trains since moving to Utah. This was an extension of how she lived growing up. Her parents never owned a car, so she always used public transportation while in Finland. When she arrived in Utah in 1979, she utilized UTA bus and University of Utah shuttles to get to and from work and school.
In 1999, she moved to Pleasant Grove and started taking the 810 Express Bus to work. Once FrontRunner opened up in 2009, she rode the train from the American Fork Station to the Salt Lake Central Station. She then got on the Route 2X bus to the University of Utah Hospital. She continues to ride the train and bus every day.
2 – Why do you ride?
Christina loves all the new friendships she has created while riding the train. She enjoys talking to the train hosts and operators as they walk through the train. “I love waiving at the operator as I leave the train and thank them for their service,” she said.
Riding the train is a necessity for Christina because she never learned to drive a car. “It is a good way to get to and from Pleasant Grove. It takes a little longer than driving, but the freeway is crazy. The ride is very peaceful and gives me time to read, knit, or visit with people. I love the Transit Tracker app! It helps me see where the bus or train is located when it’s cold.”
3 – Any tips or suggestions for riders?
Christina had several tips to help more people incorporate UTA into their commutes. “I have invited a lot of people to ride with me so that they can learn how to read the bus schedules,” she said. “People are so helpful, so they don’t need to be nervous to ride the train or bus. Plus, it’s a great way to relax.”
She encourages people to bring their families with them on UTA, or to take a chance and ride it themselves for the first time. “It’s especially fun to ride past the congested freeway as I peacefully read my books,” she adds.
6 –What do you like to do in your free time?
Christina has been married 21 years and enjoys going for long walks with her husband. She also enjoys sewing and knitting. She doesn’t have any children but enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews in Provo or her sister’s kids in Sweden. She also enjoys helping the girls in her neighborhood as the Stake Young Women’s President in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Learn More
To learn more about how you can ride and love UTA like Christina, visit our How to Ride page. To nominate someone for a future Rider of the Month award, please message us on Facebook or Twitter.
