I’ve had a spectacular first week at WFAA. Let me recap some of the highlights. I couldn’t ask for a group of people who are so professional, personable, and committed to their responsibilities as journalists.

I’ve learned walking is the cheapest form of transportation. Gas prices are still ridiculously high (might be the topic of a future post.) I’ve concluded that the easiest, fastest and cheapest form of transportation for me will be using the light rail, DART, or Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

Walking past the buildings downtown is fulfilling — the views are great and I think I’m doing my body some good.

Since moving to Texas for the summer, I’ve really been impressed by the number of quality restaurants. There’s nothing that makes my stomach happier than good Mexican cuisine. From the seasoning to the fresh ingredients — it’s superb.

You can also appreciate the cultural diversity of the Dallas area. This unique blend of cultures makes me so proud to see so many people co-existing while working to earn a piece of the proverbial “American Dream.”

My other talking point tonight comes from one of my professors, Tom Whitehead.  He was curious as to how my commute functions each day. I am living with my aunt and uncle. Each morning, I drive to the DART rail station about 15 minutes away from their home. The rail takes me through the suburbs, including a stretch underground. After a short ride, I arrive at a station about one block from the WFAA studios.

Driving myself to downtown would take at least an hour and a half in mild traffic, so I’m enjoying the savings I would otherwise need for gas. A month pass on the DART rail costs $40, which is less than it costs to fill up one tank of gas. My total commute by rail takes about 45 minutes each direction.

Based on my limited experience, I’m very impressed at how reliable and efficient this has been. You can safely, quickly, and inexpensively travel from any point within the DFW Metroplex. So far, I’ve been a very happy customer. Other large cities and even medium-sized metropolitan areas, such as Shreveport, should consider investing in expanded mass transit. It is a tremendous service to the public and could be an investment in growing the local economy.

Have a safe and restful weekend everyone! Thank you for the support and interest. Let me know what you’d like to hear more about in my blogs. If you read a story on WFAA.com that interests you, let me know and I’ll do my best to give you some insight.

The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the corporation and employees of WFAA-TV, Belo Corp., or Northwestern State University. They are solely the opinion of the author. All content © Copyright 2007 Lane Luckie